Meet the Grammys 2026 Simplest New Artist Nominees: Addison Rae, Alex Warren and Extra
Grammys 2026 nominations were revealed Nov. 7. So, we're riffing on Simplest New Artist hopefuls Addison Rae, Alex Warren, Sombr, Olivia Dean, KATSEYE, The Marias, Leon Thomas and Lola Young.
The shapely-tuning is over, and the reputable listing of Grammys 2026 nominations is here.
The Recording Academy announced the nominees on Nov. 7 with quite abet from some neatly-known faces, in conjunction with Chappell Roan, Sabrina Chippie, Sam Smith, Lizzo, KAROL G, Brandi Carlile, Doechii as neatly as Kelly Osbourne, Jack Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne.
Also singing a bar or two as presenters were David Foster, Minute Worthy Town, Jon Batiste, Mumford & Sons and CeCe Winans.
As for which musicians made the cut, Kendrick Lamar leads the pack with nine nominations followed by Woman Gaga, Jack Antonoff and Cirkut with seven each and every. In the meantime, Sabrina, Unsuitable Bunny, Leon Thomas and Serban Ghenea are all up for six trophies and Doechii, SZA, Andrew Watt, Clipse, Sounwave, Turnstile and Tyler, The Creator mute five nods.
Whereas there are 95 categories in entire (opinion the beefy listing of nominees here), regarded as one of many broad four is Simplest New Artist.
Final time, Chappell took home the prize. Nonetheless this proceed-spherical, Leon, Addison Rae, Alex Warren, Sombr, Olivia Dean, KATSEYE, The Marias and Lola Young are contenders for the award. And although winning any Grammy is a broad deal, there’s some debate over whether or not being named Simplest New Artist is largely a occupation step forward or a curse.
After all, fans will want to attend till the award instruct to search out out who will get the title. The 2026 Grammys will occur Feb. 1 at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. Unless then, protect reading to learn more about the Simplest New Artist nominees.
Lola Young
British singer Lola Young rose to reputation after becoming a finalist on the U.Enough. talent competition series Obtained What It Takes? in 2016. Three years later, she launched her debut single, “6 Toes Below.”
In 2023, her song “Immodest” reached No. 63 in her native United Kingdom. On the other hand it used to be a year later that she earned world reputation, charting at No. 1 at home and in a international country, in conjunction with within the United States, alongside with her single “Messy.”
Calling it “a song that looks to resonate on myth of alternative folks can instruct,” Lola told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Demonstrate in January 2025, “it’s not day to day clean lady graceful. Some days, you haven't washed your socks. You don't want to wash your socks each and each day. It's ridiculous.”
Lola has also carried out global success alongside with her third studio album, the provocatively titled 2025 file I'm Handiest F–king Myself.
Leon Thomas
First rising to reputation as a child actor, acting in Broadway exhibits equivalent to The Lion King and The Coloration Pink alongside with Nickelodeon's iCarly, Leon Thomas got his broad spoil playing Andre Harris on the cable community's series Victorious alongside Victoria Justice and Ariana Grande.
He later worked with the latter as a coproducer and cowriter on her 2013 albums Yours In actual fact and Christmas Kisses and in addition to collaborated with artists equivalent to Post Malone, Kehlani and Ty Dolla $ign. That same year, Leon launched his debut single, “Hello How Are You,” that contains Wiz Khalifa.
Whereas the song failed to chart, Leon stumbled on more success alongside with his 2018 single “Popular” and later, his 2024 song “Mutt,” from his album of the same name, reached No. 10 on the Billboard Sizzling 100 Singles Chart and used to be certified double platinum in October 2025.
As neatly as to Simplest New Artist, Leon is nominated for five extra 2026 Grammys, in conjunction with Simplest R&B Album and Album of the Yr for Mutt.
Addison Rae
Whereas not precisely an unknown name, Addison Rae is charting in new territory. Years after becoming the discuss of TikTok, the He's All That actress is at final getting her accolades as a singer alongside with her first-ever Grammy nomination.
Her nod for Simplest New Artist comes correct months after releasing her debut studio album, Addison, which contains the hit singles “Weight loss plan Pepsi,” “Aquamarine,” “Excessive Model,” “Headphones On” and “Repute Is a Gun.”
The Marías
After nearly a decade as a band, indie pop team The Marías—named for lead singer María Zardoya, the quartet also contains Josh Conway, Jesse Perlman and Edward James—made its debut on the Billboard Sizzling 100 Singles Chart.
“No One Seen”, which reached No. 22, “will get you on your feels—it’s involving emotional, and roughly expressionless,” the frontwoman stated in a February 2025 interview with Billboard. “It affords me hope that other folks are mute open to taking note of a song repeatedly that makes them weep.”
And the team drew the total sentiments after they were nominated for a 2026 Grammy Award for Simplest New Artist.
“Your simplest new artist nominated band!!!!” the band wrote on Instagram. “As soon as in some time it takes 10 years to explode overnight. Pleased with us.”
KATSEYE
Made up of Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, Manon Bannerman, Daniela Avanzini, Yoonchae Jeong and Sophia Laforteza, Los Angeles lady team KATSEYE used to be fashioned within the direction of the 2023 talent competition The Debut: Dream Academy, which used to be documented on YouTube. The six were later the predominant focal level of the 2024 Netflix docuseries Pop Superstar Academy: KATSEYE.
In 2025, the team performed a medley of their supreme hits, “Gnarly” and “Gabriella,” within the direction of the MTV VMAs pre-instruct. On the ceremony itself, they gained Push Performance of the Yr for “Touch.”
“That is so loopy,” Lara stated within the direction of their acceptance speech. “That is all very new to us. That is our first time ever doing this. We've been by loads together. So, having this moment feels so rewarding and feels esteem every part has paid off and fuels us to protect going.”
Alex Warren
The 2026 Grammy nominations were something else but fashioned for Alex Warren as he used to be nominated for Simplest New Artist.
The 25-year-extinct started writing song as a teen after his father died of most cancers. As Alex shared with Billboard, his mother—who battled with substance use and kicked him out the home when he used to be 18 to reside in his car—handed a long way from liver and renal failure when he used to be 21.
These lifestyles occasions maintain fashioned his song.
“My occupation is phenomenal, but on the same time, I focus on every part that I’ve misplaced—my oldsters, my childhood—that's correct something that has led me to be the actual person I am on the present time, the musician I am on the present time,” the singer told the outlet in October, “and I maintain a story to disclose and optimistically [can] abet another folks.”
Alex's debut album You’ll Be Alright Minute one—a yelp-as much as his 2024 EP You'll Be Alright, Minute one (Chapter 1)—dropped in July 2025 and landed the No. 5 order on the Billboard 200 chart. And the standout song “Neatly-liked,” impressed by his wife Kouvr Annon, topped the Billboard Sizzling 100.
As neatly as to being a musician, Alex is a social media essential particular person as regarded as one of many founding contributors of Hype Home.
Sombr
Sombr barely knew what his lifestyles had in retailer. Nonetheless now, he’s a Grammy nominee.
Raised in New York, the singer attended LaGuardia Excessive Faculty—a.good sufficient.a. the humanities faculty that impressed Repute—but dropped out after the success of his 2022 song “Caroline.”
“The following morning, my lifestyles used to be changed,” he told Folks in April about the virality of the song. “Every file effect used to be in my email inbox.”
Sombr went on to start his 2023 EP In One more Existence followed by his 2025 debut album I Barely Know Her, which got here in at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and contained his standard tracks “Support to Pals” and “Undressed.”
As for a trend he got his name Sombr, the 20-year-extinct—whose proper name is Shane Michael Boose—neatly-known in a promo clip for his Saturday Evening Dwell appearance that it’s a play on his initials SMB.
Olivia Dean
Man, you’ll want to learn more about Olivia Dean.
The British singer used to be not too lengthy ago nominated in two Grammy categories, in conjunction with Simplest New Artist and Songwriter of the Yr within the non-classical team for her hit “Man I Want.” On the other hand, her essential particular person has been rising for fairly some time.
Olivia attended The Brit Faculty—gallop, the same performing arts faculty that counts Adele, Jessie J and the late Amy Winehouse as alumni. And by 2021, Amazon Song had named her Leap forward Artist of the Yr.
Two years later, the 26-year-extinct dropped her debut album Messy, which rocketed to the No. 4 order on the U.Enough. charts and contained hits esteem “Dive.” She went on to start her sophomore album The Artwork of Loving in 2025, which soared to No. 1. In actual fact, her bio notes Olivia grew to change into the predominant British female to maintain 3 U.Enough. high 10 singles since Adele.
As for a trend she’d describe her trend?
“I’ve continuously correct made song that I optimistically would are attempting to listen in on. It’s in actual fact as easy as that,” Olivia defined to ELLE in September. “I esteem soul song. I esteem jazz. I esteem bossa nova. I am taking note of it the total time. I’m not esteem, ‘I’m going to manufacture this jazzy, soul song on myth of that will be cool.’ I correct esteem it.”
Source credit : eonline.com
