Addison Rae, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, and Alex Warren are among the nominees for Best New Artist at the 2026 Grammy Awards. Also in the running are Katseye, the Marías, Olivia Dean, and Sombr. Find the full list of 2026 Grammy nominations here.
After years bubbling under the surface of mainstream pop, Rae landed with her debut album, Addison, back in June, and Warren is riding into contention off the back of You’ll Be Alright Kid and hit single “Ordinary.” Thomas, too, has been in the pop-cultural conversation for some time, acknowledged here for his perceived breakout album, Mutt, which follows 2023’s Electric Dusk. British artists Olivia Dean and Lola Young are nominated in tandem with their second and third albums, respectively, while Bad Bunny collaborators the Marías are recognized 18 months after releasing second album Submarine. The multinational girl group Katseye may not have an album to their name, but their Beautiful Chaos EP has bestowed them some pop bona fides as they level up from their status as Netflix reality stars. Aside from Rae, Sombr is the only artist to release a debut album in the eligibility window.
Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Doechii, and Raye were among last year’s Best New Artist nominees. Roan ended up taking home the trophy. Other recent winners include Samara Joy, Olivia Rodrigo, Megan Thee Stallion and Billie Eilish.
The 2026 Grammy Awards will air live, on Sunday, February 1, 2026, from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. Follow along with all of Pitchfork’s coverage of the 2026 Grammy Awards, and revisit “Who Should Be Nominated at the 2026 Grammy Awards.”
Best New Artist
Addison Rae
Alex Warren
Katseye
Leon Thomas
Lola Young
The Marías
Olivia Dean
Sombr
