Feature Manchester Seen and Heard: The city’s music scene as told by local music community

What’s a stand-out memory of a local artist you’ve seen in a Manchester venue?

Going to see JP Cooper perform in Sound Control on a hot July night. It was my birthday and I had three gigs on my hitlist. The venue was rammed, everyone - and I mean everyone - was dripping in sweat but we were all determined to be in that space. [It was] an audience made of die-hard soul fans, gospel choir members, and straight up JP fans before he had a record deal. JP is such a great storyteller, so we were gifted beautiful soul music in the city on a hot summer night.

Who is the most remarkable new artist to come out of Manchester that you’ve heard in recent months?

As someone who attends two to three gigs most weeks, I have to select three emerging artists from the Manchester music scene: Nxdia, Meduulla and Nyah Grace. I gave all three artists their first radio plays and to then see the progression of their on-stage performances and releases has been thrilling to see.

Nxdia is an artist who, in challenging times for musicians, is consistently great at delivering super fresh releases, content for their audiences and an incredible stage presence. I love that Nxdia is forever unapologetic with their creativity, you can never second guess what is coming next so for me, Nxdia is evolving as a standout musical talent. Like Nxdia, Meduula infuses her comedic talent into her music and music videos. Quirky, cute, popping sounds - Meduula is giving us her own distinctive lens on jazz and hip-hop with a Mancunian energy, smart lyricism, conscious, clear and fun! Then, Nyah Grace, born and raised in Oregon, fell in love with the North of England and recorded her first album in the UK that included a classy collaboration with Corinne Bailey Rae. Nyah has just released her second album ‘Divinely Devoted’, a sublime soul record. A supreme, silky soul nurtured in Manchester.

What’s a stand-out memory of a local artist you’ve seen in a Manchester venue?

For me, it has to be when I was with the SEEN team at Sounds from the Other City 2023 in Salford and caught rock-rap group Third Kulture’s first ever gig. The vibe was special seeing band members, family and friends in the audience. It felt like we were seeing the birth of a fresh and necessary trio that will go a long way!

Who is the most remarkable new artist to come out of Manchester that you’ve heard in recent months?

The most remarkable new artist I’ve heard in recent months is ROBERTO (aka the Prince of Manchester). They’re a great performer who already has a solid following. Check out his tracks ‘SOLDIERRR’ and recent drop ‘60minutes’, brimming with soul, style and sauce!

What’s a stand-out memory of a local artist you’ve seen in a Manchester venue?

Paddy Steer. From Yargo to Homelife, Toolshed to his own solo recordings and performances, there is never a dull moment with Paddy. The playfulness, humour and sheer creativity is on another level. His records are one thing, but seeing him do it all solo live using homemade synths whilst wearing a flashing paper mache head is one of the most wonderful things I have ever experienced.

Who is the most remarkable new artist to come out of Manchester that you’ve heard in recent months?

Meduulla and Ethan Hill. This Manchester duo produced one of my favourite albums of 2025, ‘Tabula Rasa’. Nailing that balance of jazz, soul, funk and hip hop that Mancunians seem to do so well, this album fizzes with swagger and energy. Killer lyrics and flows on heavy soulful beats.

What’s a stand-out memory of a local artist you’ve seen in a Manchester venue?

My first trip to Manchester was in 2012. On arrival I was greeted with a sea of bucket hats outside Piccadilly Station which extended for miles: beyond the Northern Quarter and into the fields of Heaton Park. It was the monumental Stone Roses reunion show and I have yet to come across a city so proud of its people and musical heritage. Since becoming a resident here the musical output extends far beyond the neon glow of ‘90s acid house, but I’ll never forget as a first timer the infectious wide, cheeky Mancunian smiles.

Who is the most remarkable new artist to come out of Manchester that you’ve heard in recent months?

Freequency3 is an artist whose fighting spirit and resilience is a constant inspiration within Manchester’s alternative / hip hop scene. Constantly evolving and breaking down barriers as one of the hottest freestyle rappers, she also engages her audience with eye-watering lyrics and honest visual stories. A ‘blue’ through-in-through, she upholds City’s club motto ‘Superbia in Proelio’ - which is Latin for ‘Pride in Battle’ - in every live performance with un-matching steely energy.

What’s a stand-out memory of a local artist you’ve seen in a Manchester venue?

There have been so many memorable shows over the years, where there’s been real electricity in the air. There’s definitely something magical that happens when you get the right artist in the right room. I remember seeing The Blinders at Gullivers on Oldham Street in 2017 and the atmosphere was incredible. The venue was packed, and there was such an energy between the band and the audience, you just knew you were witnessing something pretty special for the scene at the time. Equally, seeing Badly Drawn Boy performing at NIAMOS in Hulme in 2019 was stunning. It’s a 120-year-old theatre that’s been through a few incarnations in its time, but it’s the kind of space that when you first walk through the doors, your jaw just drops; it was just the perfect setting for an absolutely spellbinding show.

Maybe the one that stands out most though, was The Lottery Winners at the Apollo a couple of years ago. The Apollo is another stunning venue, and again it was just the perfect combination of the space, the audience, and a band at the height of their powers. It was such a special show, in a journey which had seen the band progress from playing places like Band on the Wall, to The Ritz and, the year before the Apollo show, at Albert Hall. I think that’s the real strength of the city’s music scene, there’s a venue that works at every stage of an artist’s career, from that very first support spot in a grassroots venue, to headlining a show to tens of thousands of people, all within a mile or two.

Who is the most remarkable new artist to come out of Manchester that you’ve heard in recent months?

I think one of the most exciting artists I’ve seen recently is YAANG. Their music is a mix of drum machines and electronic elements, and with huge guitars and thumping bass, it’s a massive sound. It’s not just the music either, they have such an incredible stage presence, the whole thing is larger than life. We had them on at Night & Day a little while back, and from the first note to the final chord, you couldn’t take your eyes of them, it was absolutely mesmerizing. In a similar vein, I saw Wax Head a few months ago, and they were stunning, really loud, visceral stuff with just incredible energy. They’re part of the roster at the Sour Grapes label who are doing incredible work in the city to develop the punk, garage and psychedelic rock scene. I saw TTSSFU a couple of times last year too, and again was blown away; a really distinctive sound, with great melodies, and fantastic musicianship.

What’s a stand-out memory of a local artist you’ve seen in a Manchester venue?

A stand out memory was in early March 2025 when I had seen Lei Hope perform at Manchester venue Low Four to showcase Manchester label Heist or Hit’s artists. For me, it was a perfect display to showcase Manchester at its finest; an artist like Lei bringing a fresh new sound, signalling a shift to the story of the indie alternative scene in Manchester, and as a northern artist, shaping Black British music through a perspective that has been under-represented in a genre often framed through a narrow lens. Low Four provided a grounding and intimate space known for its credibility in representing the Manchester music scene. The performance allowed for everyone in the room to be a part of the show not only as a spectator but as a ‘cast member’, from the audience interaction, to the filming aspects of the show. If one could describe it in a saying, it would say “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players”.

Who is the most remarkable new artist to come out of Manchester that you’ve heard in recent months?

A remarkable new artist that I’ve heard in recent months is Jennifer Dala. The first time I had heard her sing was at the Soundcamp showcase at Blues Kitchen MCR, delivered by Reform Radio. I would say that hearing her voice for the first time was like hearing a warm hug or - as I quoted - even a new Tracy Chapman. What I’ve grown to enjoy about Jennifer’s voice is a sense of humbleness and deep tones in her development as an artist. She conveys a sound that is true to her and you can feel that through the performance, which only makes you look forward to the next.

What’s a stand-out memory of a local artist you’ve seen in a Manchester venue?

Seeing Antony Szmierek playing at venues across the city from YES through to Albert Hall and Band on the Wall has been brilliant over the past few years. He is such a fantastic live performer, he always gives 300% in his performances and is a genuinely lovely human and I think that comes across through his connection to the audience every time. He is loved locally and was even album of the year in the world famous Piccadilly Record end of year review in 2025. If you haven’t seen him live yet I can’t recommend it more. 

Who is the most remarkable new artist to come out of Manchester that you’ve heard in recent months?

Gosh, there are so, so many at the moment, from Rumbi Tauro to Zuri to MOGAN to Grumpy and SO many more, all across such a varied and exciting sound field. If I had to pick one it would have to be jasmine.4.t. Her past 12 months have been bonkers and she is flying the Manchester flag across the world but also taking people with her, even to curating her own stage at this year’s Sounds From the Other City. 

What’s a stand-out memory of a local artist you’ve seen in a Manchester venue?

Honestly, as predictable as it may be I’m going to say Oasis’ first night at Heaton Park on 11th July 2025. I was in our office in the city in the day and it was like England had won the world cup; the city was euphoric with murals covering the buildings and buskers on every corner and it was a beautiful summer’s day. The show was like a Mancunian pilgrimage. You’ve never seen more bucket hats and Adidas! Otherwise I’d say The Slow Readers Club at the O2 Ritz in November 2016; it was my favourite venue in the city and a Scruff of the Neck show, it felt like the breakthrough for the band but also when I realised Scruff of the Neck was my destiny, it was pretty emotional.

Who is the most remarkable new artist to come out of Manchester that you’ve heard in recent months?

I really like Maruja, I’m a big fan of cross genre artistry. I think it’s inventive and brave, they’re doing a punk vs jazz thing, very cool. I actually knew these guys in a past life, they did some shows for me, so it fills me with great confidence when I see a band develop so brilliantly and achieve so much through talent and perseverance, you need both! Also I like Better Joy, she’s really cool, it feels like a fun project and full of a lot of positivity as well as vibrant indie-pop songs.

This feature is brought to you as part of DIY’s work supporting this year’s edition of the BRITs Fringe. 

Curated by local music development organisation Brighter Sound - in collaboration with Manchester Music City and supported by Manchester City Council, GMCA and the Manchester Accommodation BID - the BRITs Fringe aims to celebrate the city’s rich musical history and incredible current grassroots scene (all under the banner of ‘Manchester Seen and Heard’), via a series of events happening across the city in the lead up to the BRIT Awards themselves. For more information on the BRITs Fringe, head to Brighter Sound’s website now. 

Tags: Features, Antony Szmierek, TTSSFU, Westside Cowboy