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The countdown for The Great Escape 2026 is on. The festival in Brighton on the English South Coast kicks off on Wednesday, May 13th, celebrating its 20th anniversary. Great Escape is one of my favorite showcase festivals and I always have the longest list of bands I want to catch. But let’s be honest, it never works out exactly how I ‘plan’. With more than 450 acts on the lineup, that’s also quite okay and sometimes it’s just better to just go with the flow - I’ve discovered a lot of amazing music over the years that way. Either by just walking in to the nearest venue or from recommendations from people I meet along the way. But here are some of the names (in random order) I’m hoping to catch in Brighton this week.

Bella Kay (US):

Houston-born Bella Kay blends the grit of alternative-pop with the intimacy of bedroom songwriting. Her songs dig deep into the complexities of heartbreak, identity, and survival, and are brought to life by her raw, timeless voice. 

Alice Costello (UK)

Formerly of shoegaze outfit Big Deal and embarked on her solo adventure in 2023. Her debut album, Move On With The Year, was released in February this year and has been described as “beguiling art-pop built on self- trust, instinct, and a necessary process of creative detangling.”

Ngaiire (AU)

Ngaiire is a boundary-pushing Papua New Guinean/Australian artist fusing electronic future-soul, gospel and alt-pop. She is highly popular in Australia, has a fourth album in the making and 2026 could be the year of her international breakthrough. P.S. It’s pronounced ‘nigh-ree’. Rhymes with fiery.

Madra Salach (IE)

Inspired by the growing experimental folk scene in Ireland, these guys have a sound that is strikingly modern but could also have emerged at any point throughout the last century. I cannot imagine it not being really fun live!

Jude Kelly (NZ)

Soulful pop incorporating Americana and folk elements. This Auckland-based singer and songwriter makes timeless songs driven by emotive vocals and poetic lyricism, bringing to mind names like Florence + The Machine, Lana Del Rey, Maggie Rogers and HAIM.

Julia Cumming (US)

After more than a decade as singer and bassist of indie rock outfit Sunflower Bean, Julia Cumming launched her solo endeavour earlier this year with single “My Life” - a smooth, ‘70s inspired track about living life on your own terms. Her album Julia came out in April. 

Way Dynamic (AU)

Way Dynamic is the solo project of Melbourne musician Dylan Young. His soundscape explores minimalist folk-pop, art rock and baroque pop, and he has been praised by names like Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman - both of whom have taken him on tour. 

Alex Amor (UK)

Scottish-raised, Brighton-based singer-songwriter channeling the shifting emotional terrain of adulthood into an expansive alt-pop sound - influenced by names like Cigarettes After Sex, Carole King and Lane Del Rey.

BombayMami (CH)

Raised between Switzerland, UK and India, and now based in London, BombayMami draws from different cultural backgrounds to create a sound that blends Indian classical music with R&B and pop and an equally bold visual universe.

Dead Dads Club (UK)

With Dead Dads Club, Chilli Jesson - formerly of Palma Violet and other projects - turns grief into multifaceted, life-affirming indie rock. The project’s eponymous debut album, released in January, is produced by Carlos O’Connell of Fontaines D.C. - of which Jesson is also a touring member.

Chloe Slater (UK)

Chloe Slater’s songs are politically charged and musically well-crafted. Since her debut in 2023, the now 23-year-old singer-songwriter has been making a name for herself with a sound that effortlessly balances indie rock, grunge vibes, and dreamy, alternative pop.

Angine de Poitrine (CA)

Dressed in matching dotted outfits and bizarre paper maché masks for their live performances, this Canadian duo and their spacy, pulsating rock just looks too crazy to miss… I really don’t know what else to say. 

Yndling (NO)

Yndling (which means favorite) is the project of Oslo-based artist and producer Silje Espevik. Her dreamy sound is known for weaving heavy, reverb-soaked guitars through expansive synthscapes, and a soft, hypnotizing vocal, and draws comparisons to names like Massive Attack, Beach House, Mazzy Star, and Men I Trust.

The Tullamarines (AU)

“Cram four perennial over-thinkers into an Adelaide jam room, sprinkle in some love, care, anxiety, and affection, and you get The Tullamarines.” That’s how they describe it themselves. The musical result is cosy, catchy indie pop and a band that’s building a reputation for energetic, and deeply human, live performances.

Persia Holder (UK)

This South Londoner gained traction by posting covers on TikTok, introducing the world to a voice that is equally powerful and tender. Her own songs blend emotional pop and soulful storytelling - they hold heartbreak, self-growth, the moments in between.

Ribbon Skirt (CA)

The debut album Bite Down (2025) received critical acclaim and established this Montreal-based band as a compelling new voice in indie music. The raw sound channels angular guitars, driving rhythms, and lyrical threads that explore memory, love, grief, and lead singer Tashiina Buswa’s relationship to her Indigenous heritage. 

Annie-dog (IE)

This Dublin newcomer has created a buzz with her debut releases via revered indie label Dance To The Radio (Ellur, Far Caspian, Low Hummer, Youth Sector). Delving into a shapeshifting, fully DIY indie pop universe, Annie-dog incorporates the influences of names like Grimes and Pinkpantheress into her own, highly praised productions.

Westside Cowboy (UK)

Manchester-based four-piece drawing from folk and rock influences and known for their energetic live performances and vocal harmonies. In 2025 they won the iconic Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent Competition.

Len Blake (NZ)

New Zealand-born Len Blake has a voice dipped in honey, a knack for cinematic storytelling and seamlessly merges pop, indie, and R&B. Following acclaimed debut EP Honeyblood (2021), she moved to London to collaborate with heavyweights like Jordan Rakei and Jimmy Hogarth. Her 2025 EP Lost in Comfort has also sparked viral success.

Lime Garden (UK)

Brighton locals Lime Garden continue to prove themselves as a band to keep an eye on. The quartet’s blend of post-punk, synth pop, and indie rock melts into a wonky, buzzing musical universe that is quite honestly hard to resist.

fliss (UK)

Retro warmth, textured instrumentation, and undeniable pop hooks. Inspired by icons like Etta James, Fleetwood Mac, and Carole King, fliss creates a musical universe that is both timeless and modern. She has only released two singles but has already been on the cover of Spotify’s New In Pop and earned New Music Friday placement in several countries.

Any Young Mechanic (AU)

Eclectic indie folk with cinematic qualities. This fast-rising Australian five-piece released their first single in January and are gearing up for their debut album, The Modern Shoe Is Ruining The Foot, in the beginning of June.

Luca George (NZ)

This Troye Sivan-endorsed pop star on the rise made waves with debut EP You’ll Never Know Me Sober (2023) and has since garnered millions of streams and followers. In 2025, he released his sophomore EP, Say hi to Paula, relocated to London and is now ready to take the world. 

Charli Lucas (AU)

The ultimate guide to navigating your 20s. That’s one way Charli Lucas’ music has been described. Reminiscent of names like Remi Wolf and Lola Young, her confessional and heartfelt songwriting has amassed a dedicated fanbase in Australia and she is now ready for international stages. 

Meduulla (UK)

Combining modern, laid-back rap flows and witty lyricism with jazz-infused hip-hop beats, this Zimbabwean-born rapper and DJ from Manchester has a sound that is both contemporary and nostalgic. Her debut album, Tabula Rasa, came out in September 2025.

Ruel (AU)

Even though he’s just 23, this Aussie heartthrob has spent almost a decade in the music industry! He got his breakthrough at just 14, has toured most of the world and is currently gearing up for his fourth album. But for mysterious reasons, I’ve never managed to catch him live. This must be the time!