06 Jan 2026
Body Go
MOLIY ft Tyla
WE SAY
Next up on our Ones To Watch 2026 is breakout star MOLIY. The Ghanaian-American artist had a phenomenal 2025, with her vibrant blend of Afropop and global pop sonics gaining serious attention following the release of her viral smash ‘Shake It To The Max’. The track first gained traction on TikTok, with its remix featuring Skillibeng and Shenseea accelerating it into the mainstream. The record has since surpassed 1bn streams, gone Gold in the UK, hit No.12 on the Official Charts, spent ten weeks at No.1 on Global Shazam - ending the fifth most Shazammed song of 2025 globally, topped Billboard’s US Afrobeats Songs and Rhythmic Airplay charts, and inspired over 10m TikTok creations, as well as receiving Songs of the Summer nods from Spotify and TikTok. On stage, MOLIY has matched that momentum, becoming the first Ghanaian artist to perform at the BET Awards, energising Wireless with Vybz Kartel, Red Bull Culture Clash UK, and closing the year at the Jingle Bell Ball. In autumn, she joined Grammy-winning and former RotD Ones To Watch artist Tyla on the after-dark anthem ‘Body Go’. Produced by FRNCH and DEE/MA, the track blends R&B, pop, Amapiano, and Afrobeats into a euphoric dancefloor rush. With tastemaker support from Billboard (who crowned her Hitmaker of the Year at the inaugural Billboard Africa Awards), Wonderland (Wonders To Watch 2026), Rolling Stone, NME, The Fader, Dazed, Notion, and BET UK, plus recent high-profile collaborations with Sean Paul, Chloë Bailey, and Sadboi, MOLIY is proving that her African-rooted sound, infectious confidence, and fearless genre-blending approach belong at the very centre of the global mainstream - with 2026 shaping up to be another defining year.
CONTACTS
Label: gamma.
Publishing: Warner Chappell
Marketing: gamma.
Radio: Joe Dodson, All Ears
Press & Online: Erin Mills, Emerald East
Management: Therese Jones, Jambo Spaces/Wondergirl&Co.
Photo Credit: freshmadeit
RECORD ARCHIVE
Continuing our Ones To Watch 2026 are alt-pop duo Balu Brigada. Formed by New Zealand...
Backseat
BALU BRIGADA
Atlantic Records/ARRO Records/Warner Music Australia
Continuing our Ones To Watch 2026 are alt-pop duo Balu Brigada. Formed by New Zealand brothers Henry and Pierre Beasley,...
This year’s RotD Record of the Year accolade goes to Chloe Qisha. The Malaysian-born, UK-based...
So Sad So Hot - Record of the Year
Chloe Qisha
This year’s RotD Record of the Year accolade goes to Chloe Qisha. The Malaysian-born, UK-based artist has packed an extraordinary...
Our last Ones To Watch 2026 for the year (we continue in January) is the...
moody
Royel Otis
Ourness/Capitol (US) & Island Records (UK)
Our last Ones To Watch 2026 for the year (we continue in January) is the brilliant Royel Otis. The Australian...
Today’s Ones To Watch 2026 is east London-based Sofia & The Antoinettes, a startling new...
Women Who Love Too Much
Sofia and the Antoinettes
Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records US
Today’s Ones To Watch 2026 is east London-based Sofia & The Antoinettes, a startling new talent channelling what she describes...
Continuing our Ones To Watch 2026 is indie trio Sunday (1994). Formed around the transatlantic writing...
Rain
Sunday (1994)
Continuing our Ones To Watch 2026 is indie trio Sunday (1994). Formed around the transatlantic writing partnership of Paige Turner (California)...
Starting our final week of Ones To Watch 2026 before Christmas is one of the...
Back To Ground
Iona Luke
Starting our final week of Ones To Watch 2026 before Christmas is one of the year’s most compelling new talents,...
Rising British-Indian singer-songwriter RIKA is our final Ones To Watch 2026 this week. With more...
Exotic
RIKA
Rising British-Indian singer-songwriter RIKA is our final Ones To Watch 2026 this week. With more than 55m streams to date,...
Next up on our Ones To Watch 2026 is rising Scottish singer-songwriter Blair Davie. We first...
Happy New Year
Blair Davie
Next up on our Ones To Watch 2026 is rising Scottish singer-songwriter Blair Davie. We first tipped them in 2022 with...
Continuing our Ones To Watch 2026 is British singer-songwriter Jack Cullen, who first came onto our...
All I Need
Jack Cullen
Continuing our Ones To Watch 2026 is British singer-songwriter Jack Cullen, who first came onto our radar with his uplifting breakout...
Today's Ones To Watch 2026 is 21-year-old Manchester rapper Nemzzz, who is in the midst...
8PM
Nemzzz
Today's Ones To Watch 2026 is 21-year-old Manchester rapper Nemzzz, who is in the midst of a defining year both...
Opening our new week of Ones To Watch 2026 is multi-talented artist, singer-songwriter and classically...
Mona Lisa
Charlie Jeer
Opening our new week of Ones To Watch 2026 is multi-talented artist, singer-songwriter and classically trained saxophonist Charlie Jeer. It’s...
Closing out this week’s Ones To Watch 2026 is masked alt-rap force EsDeeKid. The enigmatic...
Century
EsDeeKid
XV Records/Lizzy Records through ADA
Closing out this week’s Ones To Watch 2026 is masked alt-rap force EsDeeKid. The enigmatic Merseyside MC has turned anonymity...
Continuing our Ones To Watch 2026 is Nigerian-born, UK-based rising talent Ossi Grace, who is...
Love Like This
Ossi Grace
Continuing our Ones To Watch 2026 is Nigerian-born, UK-based rising talent Ossi Grace, who is fast becoming one of Afro-Soul’s...
Today's Ones To Watch 2025 is rising R&B star kwn (pronounced kay-one). It’s been a...
do what i say
kwn
Today's Ones To Watch 2025 is rising R&B star kwn (pronounced kay-one). It’s been a phenomenal year for the east...
Next up on our Ones to Watch is fast-rising American rock duo Girl Tones. Formed...
Burnout
Girl Tones
Next up on our Ones to Watch is fast-rising American rock duo Girl Tones. Formed by classically trained sisters Kenzie...
Starting this week's Ones To Watch 2026 is rising post-punk pop group My First Time....
Sippy Cup
My First Time
Starting this week's Ones To Watch 2026 is rising post-punk pop group My First Time. Since breaking through with last...
