We’ve teamed up with local music development organisation Brighter Sound to spotlight five emerging, supremely talented artists from its ELEVATE programme.
The initiative provides support to Greater Manchester artists at a pivotal stage in their careers, offering tailored development, mentoring and industry opportunities to help them take the next step in their careers. You can read more about ELEVATE here.
Representing the breadth of the region’s music scene, the latest batch of musicians span indie, alternative R&B, alt-pop, indie folk, Afro-fusion and genre-defying sounds.
Ethereal and gorgeously cinematic, IORA is a folk-pop artist blending rich vocals and intimate storytelling, all captured and told through atmospheric production. Her work has secured impressive international sync placements across Netflix, Paramount+, and the BBC, including The Serial Killer’s Wife.
Self-taught artist and producer, Jenni Orlop draws inspiration from a diverse array of artists, including Lorde, Avril Lavigne, Ekkstacy, and Amy Winehouse, crafting a sound that fuses pop, rock, electronic, jazz, and Latin elements.
Raised on her family’s extensive CD collection and with a background in jazz clarinet, Jenni’s distinct genre-hopping sound reflects her rich musical upbringing, and incorporates poignant and personal themes of self-destruction, resilience, and reinvention.
Having already headlined Emirates Old Trafford as part of The Hundred, and storming through his sold-out Blue Crocodile UK tour, Manchester’s own PRIDO has comfortably exceeded ‘one to watch’ status, his electric blend of Afro, Hip-Hop, Grime and Soul cementing him as one of the city’s most exciting musical talents around right now.
FREEQUENCY3 is a multidisciplinary UK artist blending emotionally driven lyricism with lived experience. Originally emerging as a host, DJ, and dancer, she transitioned into music after a life-changing event that left her navigating chronic pain and physical uncertainty. Freestyling would become an anchor, an outlet and a form of healing, and the raw vulnerability of her debut EP and short film, 517 Days, has struck a real chord with audiences.
- Words:
- Bradley Lengden
- Published on:
- Tue 27 Oct 2026
Towing a unique line between R&B and psych-fused indie and soul, Lei Hope has already got well on his way to carving out a stellar reputation, with more than 150,000 streams on Spotify across his self-produced projects, and support from BBC6 Music, The Guardian, Clash and DIY Magazine.
On the live front, Hope has performed at MOBO Fringe, Manchester International Festival, Manchester Psych Fest, Liverpool Sound City and Sidelines Festival, in addition to touring Europe in support of Zach Templar and undertaking UK tours supporting Nature TV. Hope’s notable production work includes credits for R&B singer Femi Tahiru, London-based rapper Baby Panna, alongside session and touring guitar work for Los Angeles-based artist Hana Vu (Ghostly International).