Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition 2020: Eight Personal Favourites

Despite the cancellation of what would have been their 50th anniversary celebrations, Glastonbury Festival are still, laudably, going forward with their annual Emerging Talent Competition and have publicised the full longlist of 90 artists. The shortlist of 8 is set to be announced this week. [edit: has now been announced]

Many years ago I was part of the team that listened to thousands of submissions to Glastonbury's 'ETC', helping to select many new and independent acts who went on to play a range of venues including the biggest stages at the festival. It resulted in the first appearances at the festival for award-winning artists like Emily Barker and massively popular bands who went on to garner main stage bookings at other major festivals like The Subways and Scouting for Girls. It's also how I came to work with The Hysterical Injury, Annie having been the one-time drummer for one of my favourite bands ever, discovered through the contest, Venus Bogardus.

I no longer have anything to do with the festival or the competition, but I'm always interested to see and hear what comes through, and this year, as in 2013, I've listened through to the longlist and picked out eight highlights of my own. Is there any reason anyone should pay any attention whatsoever to my idle musings? The bad news for the artists named here is that to date (other than when I was actually on the team), the festival has never chosen any of the the same acts as I have for their shortlist. On the other hand, last time I did pick out Nadine Shah a mere five years ahead of her being robbed of the Mercury Prize.

But the more important reason you should pay attention is, thanks to my impeccable taste they're all worth hearing for their own sake. Here are my eight:

TEE

TEE · Crown Of Thorns (ft LAUREN IYRA & Little Grace)

R.A.E.



Otis Mensah


Matilda Mann



Julia-Sophie


DITZ


Courting


BYFYN


If you'd like to cast your own judgement, [almost all of] the rest of this year's longlist can be found here - one act listed on the official page whom I never managed to find was the un-Googlable 'Charles' - Charles, whoever you are, who knows? You might have been the best of the lot.