Congratulations to N’Famady Kouyaté upon successful 2023’s Glastonbury Rising Expertise Competitors. The ultimate at Pilton Working Males’s Membership was onerous fought and (unsurprisingly) of a conspicuously prime quality. We’re particularly delighted that one of many three artists that we nominated for the competitors’s longlist, VLURE have been awarded a runners-up slot, together with Prima Queen.

The competitors is supported by PRS for Music and PRS Basis. The worthy (pun meant) winner walked away a £5000 Expertise Growth prize and a slot on one of many fundamental levels in June. The 2 runners-up additionally benefitted from the dwell remaining with a £2500 Expertise Growth prize to place in direction of taking their already burgeoning careers ahead.

Ezra Williams (FKA Smoothboi Ezra) was given a spot on this yr’s remaining after qualifying in 2022, however lacking out on the ultimate because of sickness. 2023’s remaining, for one yr solely, due to this fact contained 9 acts: Cordelia Gartside (LTW’s second longlist decide to make the ultimate), EVA, Ezra Williams, FFSYTHO?!, Naomi Kimpenu, N’Famady Kouyaté, Prima Queen, The Love Buzz and VLURE. This yr’s eight acts have been chosen by Glastonbury’s remaining panel of judges, their selections constituted of a longlist that was compiled from the mixed selections of 30 esteemed UK on-line writers.

In presenting the prizes to the winner and the runners-up, Emily Eavis pressured how impressed they have been with this yr’s finalists, a lot so that every one 9 acts have been supplied a spot on this summer time’s invoice.

Take heed to all of the finalists right here:

Right here’s what we stated about our two picks:

VLURE
Shattered Religion
“You may’t keep nonetheless when VLURE begin up. You would possibly dance. You would possibly conceal behind the couch. When you did conceal behind the couch, although, you’d preserve peeping out to see what they do subsequent. Heft, depth, gravitas, charisma and catchiness mixed.”

Fb | Twitter | Instagram | Bandcamp | YouTube

Cordelia Gartside
Stranger within the Water
“Proof that the voice will be one of the vital highly effective devices on the market. Distinctive, haunting and compelling vocal. The stillness that this tune creates has a tense edge. Hit repeat for a quiet, introspective night time in.”

YouTube | Instagram | Fb | Bandcamp

Our different longlist nominee, Pynch, didn’t progress to the ultimate stage, however we want the band properly going forwards, particularly with their current new album launch.

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All phrases by Jon Kean. Extra writing by Jon on Louder Than Struggle will be discovered at his creator’s archive. He tweets as @keanotherapy.