Rising Stars shine at Spotify’s pre-Grammy showcase in Los Angeles

Several of the 2026 Grammy Awards’ Best New Artist nominees took centre stage at Spotify’s annual pre-Grammy showcase on Thursday night in Los Angeles, highlighting a wide range of emerging musical talent.

The event, held at The Lot at Formosa in West Hollywood, featured performances by Leon Thomas, Lola Young, Katseye, Addison Rae, Olivia Dean, The Marías, Alex Warren and sombr. Each artist performed three to four songs, offering the audience a brief but powerful introduction to their music.

To keep the show moving, a rotating stage revealed the next act with minimal delay, adding an element of surprise between performances.

Singer-songwriter Leon Thomas opened the night with a confident set marked by soul, swagger and smooth vocals. He closed with his popular track Mutt, earning strong applause. As he left the stage, he reminded the audience of his name, a clear nod to new listeners.

Next was Lola Young, making her first live appearance since fainting on stage at a New York festival in September. Performing in front of a simple, living-room-style set, she told the crowd she was feeling better and thanked them for their support. Her powerful vocals stood out, though she skipped her breakout hit Messy.

Dream-pop band The Marías followed with their bilingual sound, blending soft melodies and atmospheric pop. Alex Warren then brought high-energy, radio-friendly pop with his anthemic performance.

Global girl group Katseye delivered one of the night’s most dynamic sets. With minimal staging, they relied on sharp choreography and upbeat pop songs to energise the crowd. Sombr followed with pop-rock inspired by nostalgic sounds, joking about missing the event the previous year.

The night closed with performances by Addison Rae and Olivia Dean. Rae performed a medley of In the Rain, High Fashion and Diet Pepsi, describing the latter as a personal turning point in her career. Dean ended the showcase with a soulful and polished performance, drawing praise for her timeless voice.

Spotify did not host the event in 2025 due to devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area, making this year’s return particularly notable.

The showcase underlined the diversity and creativity of this year’s Best New Artist nominees, reflecting a broad mix of pop, R&B, soul and alternative sounds.

Meanwhile, the 68th Grammy Awards will be held on February 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The ceremony will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

Rapper Kendrick Lamar leads this year’s nominations with nine nods, followed by Lady Gaga with seven. Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter and Leon Thomas have six nominations each.

A total of 95 awards will be presented across a wide range of categories during the ceremony.