Polydor artist Celeste has topped the BBC Sound Of… Poll for 2020, in addition to scooping the BRITs Rising Star Award.
Celeste joins only a few artists, including Adele, Sam Smith and Ellie Goulding in having won both the BRITs Rising Star Award (formerly the Critics Choice Award) and the BBC Sound Poll.
(Before all of that, we should point out, Celeste won the Vevo DSCVR Artist To Watch Award at the A&R Awards 2019 in November, presented by MBW and Abbey Road Studios.)
The artist is one of three acts signed to Universal Music‘s Polydor in the Top 5 of the BBC poll – the other two being Inhaler at No.5 and (Interscope-signed) Yungblud at No.3.
British-Jamaican singer/songwriter Celeste was, according to the BBC, the “runaway winner” of its influential poll this year, which is voted for by a panel of industry experts.
In second spot was another Universal-signed act – indie band Easy Life, who are with Island Records UK.
Speaking to the BBC, Celeste said of winning the Poll: “There’s an element of heightened expectation, potentially. You really want to make sure you live up to it but, ultimately, it’s really encouraging to know you’re on the right track.
She added: “Hopefully it’ll mean more people will hear my music. At the moment, there are people listening to it – but it’s not, like, everyone in England, so I hope that will widen out.”
Celeste has already supported the likes of Michael Kiwanuka, Janelle Monae and Neneh Cherry live, as well as duetting with Paul Weller.
She recently announced a UK headline tour for April, selling out Shepherds Bush Empire.
Paul Weller tweeted in reaction to Celeste’s Sound…win: “Congratulations Celeste – incredibly talented and very well deserved.”Music Business Worldwide
