Skye Newman has been announced as the winner of BBC Sound Of 2026, and the remainder of the Top Five has also been confirmed.
READ MORE: Rising star Skye Newman is the most exciting – and honest – voice in the UK charts
Newman was confirmed as the 24th winner of the annual poll, which has previously celebrated the likes of The Last Dinner Party, HAIM, Adele and more in the earlier stages of their careers.
The pop star comes from South East London, and first made her debut on TikTok – winning over an impressive number of fans before eventually releasing her long-awaited debut single ‘Hairdresser’ last year.
That song went straight to the top 20, and she then dropped the follow-up ‘Family Matters’ over the summer, which went on to reach Number Five on the charts. As highlighted by BBC News, the accolade marked the first time that a female artist had made the Top 20 with their debut singles since Ella Henderson in 2014.
In her music, Newman delivers a raw, powerful portrayal of her emotions, and has often looked back at her background in the lyrics – explaining how she grew up in a council estate home and was used to issues relating to drug abuse arising.
Speaking to BBC News, she said that being named the winner of BBC Sound Of 2026 was “incredible, surreal, [and] just mental”. “I can’t believe that I’ve got to this point,” she added, before going on to describe how her music allowed her to tackle difficult subject matter.
“It’s literally the story of my life. It’s my way of letting out any trauma and pain that I couldn’t speak,” she added. “Crazily enough, I’m someone who struggles to talk about what I feel. Singing is a whole different story. When I’m in the studio, I feel calm. It’s my safe space.”
Newman has already joined huge names like Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi on tour, and been described as “incredibly talented” by Sir Elton John. She will be going out on her first ever US dates, and a sold out UK tour in April. She will also be releasing a new EP around that time too.
“I’m still in shock that I’ve won Radio 1’s Sound of 2026! So many artists I’ve listened to over the years have been honoured with the award — and now me,” Newman added in a new statement. “To think Sound Of started the year I was born, 2003, and now I’m a winner feels unreal. I’m so grateful and wouldn’t be where I am without my people and the BBC supporting me on my journey. Thank you!”
Back in November, Skye spoke to NME as part of our Breakout segment, and cited Amy Winehouse, Adele, Bob Marley among her biggest influences. “Coming from a loud, chaotic life, it was a huge thing as a child to see someone so vulnerable as Amy,” she explained.
The runner-up for the 2026 honour is Jim Legxacy. Born James Olaloye in Lewisham, the artist was the child of Nigerian immigrants and has won over a legion of fans for his music and lyrical portrayal of growing up in the South London borough.
One of his biggest releases was the collaboration with Dave and Central Cee on the 2023 hit song ‘Sprinter’, and the 25-year-old dropped his latest mixtape ‘Black British Music’ in 2025.
That release was given a glowing five star review from NME, and praised as both something that “hopscotches effortlessly through genres” and as proving that “triumph lives next to trauma”.
His song ‘Father’ made it to Number 13 on NME’s list of the Best Songs Of 2025, and ‘Black British Music’ made it to Number 14 on our list of the Best Albums Of The Year.
Sombr was named in third place, following going viral on social media, selling out a headline tour, and winning praise from Taylor Swift.
He has also appeared on the Jimmy Fallon chat show, won at the the MTV Video Music Awards, and found himself shortlisted as Best New Artist at the upcoming Grammys. His song ‘12 to 12’ was listed as Number 47 on NME’s list of the Best Songs of the Year, and his debut album ‘I Barely Know Her’ was released in August and given a four-star NME review.
Sombr. Credit: Bryce Glenn
Brooklyn four-piece Geese were named as Number Four in the BBC Sound Of 2026 shortlist, following on from a massive 2025. The former NME Cover stars are currently riding high thanks to huge praise for their latest album, ‘Getting Killed’; that record earned a five-star review from NME, and later landed at Number One on our 50 best albums of 2025 list.
Their track ‘Taxes’ also came in at Number Two in NME‘s round-up of the 50 best songs of 2025, and others sharing praise for the band included Nick Cave and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
Finally, Royel Otis completed the Top Five, with Aussie duo Royel Maddell (guitar) and Otis Pavlovic (lead vocals) reaching new heights and touring extensively in support of their second studio album, ‘Hickey’.
A highlight of 2025 included the band performing at Reading & Leeds 2025 over the weekend, where they brought out Sophie Ellis-Bextor to perform her classic hit ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’.
Credit: Lewis Evans
Artists to come in fifth place in recent years include Rosalía, Central Cee and George Ezra, and the band told BBC that they felt “honoured” to make it to the shortlist. “It’s the first we’ve heard of the list [but] we’re learning about it as we go. But it seems amazing. We’re in good company.”
This year’s BBC Sound Of 2026 Top Five is:
Skye Newman
Jim Legxacy
Sombr
Geese
Royel Otis
Last year’s poll was topped by Chappell Roan, ahead of Ezra Collective, Barry Can’t Swim, Myles Smith, English Teacher, Confidence Man, Doechii, Good Neighbours, Kneecap, Mk.gee and Pozer.
In 2025, the eligibility rules for the Sound Of list were also revised. Previously, an artist would not have been considered if they had been the lead on a UK Number One or Number Two album by the cut-off point, but the new rules meant artists could not have had more than two Top 10 albums.
Chappell Roan. Credit: Kristen Jan Wong for NME
Roan’s victory didn’t go down well with everyone, though, with some fans believing she was too established by the start of 2025 to be considered a “rising” act. As a result, the rules were tweaked once again – now specifying that artists should not have had a significant public profile in the past two years to be eligible for the award.
As seen in the criteria sent to judges, artists cannot have had more than three Top 10 singles in the Official UK Singles Chart by October 6 this year, and cannot have been a lead artist on a Number One album in the UK charts before the same date.
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