New York, NY (Top40 Charts) MTV UK + Ireland today announce Context (formerly known as Context MC) as the winner of the MTV
Brand New for 2012 Unsigned Competition. The Norwich-born artist will fill the final coveted spot on the MTV
Brand New for 2012 shortlist.
Public voting opens today at 4pm via www.mtv.co.uk/brandnew with the overall MTV
Brand New for 2012 winner announced on February 1.
With a dubstep & hip-hop feel that's bang on the money, Context is inspired as much by the low-key Bristol sounds of
Portishead and
Massive Attack as London-based producers like
James Blake, The
Streets or Burial.
Our judging panel were blown away by Context's abilities (everything is self-written and produced) and proactive approach to the industry. Over the past few years he's received incredible support from MTV Base and MTV's The Wrap Up as well as from BBC
Radio 1, 1Xtra and SBTV.
To achieve all this without any kind of team is seriously impressive and demonstrates the kind of skill and ambition that new artists need to have in the modern day music industry.
His competition entry 'Listening To Burial' is one of those rare tunes that makes you want to hit repeat and stay all day. Be sure to also check out previous tracks 'Off With Their Heads' (the video of which features a cameo from Ed Sheeran) and the sublime forthcoming single 'Drowning'.
It's the first time ever that an unsigned artist has been included in the prestigious annual new music shortlist.
Over 2,500 unsigned artists entered the competition upon its launch in November before a long-list of 500 were picked out for a public vote. Following this, 15,000 unique votes were placed, whittling the entries down to a shortlist of 20 artists before MTV's talent, music programming and editorial staff decided on an overall winner. The other 19 runners up, in alphabetical order, were:
Arjun / CRIM3S / Dede /
Gabrielle Aplin / Delooze / The Dirty Beggars / Esco Williams /
Little Eye / Lyracis / Sam McCarthy / Kobi Onyame / Page 44 / Jermaine Riley / Saint Saviour / Scru Fizzer / The Stow / Taylor Jones /
Velvet Stream / Vida
More information on each of these artists is available at www.mtv.co.uk/brandnewunsigned
With the addition of Context, the final MTV
Brand New for 2012 shortlist is: (see below for more info on each)
On the January 24 and 25, MTV is set to host two exclusive gigs showcasing nominated artists and established UK stars at London's KOKO. On the January 24 headliners The
Maccabees will play tracks from their critically acclaimed new album Given to the Wild. Lana Del Rey, playing material from her hugely anticipated debut album released the same week, and the hotly tipped electro-goth pioneer
Charli XCX will also perform. Then on January 25, BBC Sound of 2012 Poll winner
Michael Kiwanuka will join stunning songstress
Delilah in support of this year's BRIT Awards Critics Choice winner, Emeli Sandé. For tickets go to: www.mtv.co.uk/brandnewtickets
Highlights from the live show on January 24 will premiere on MTV
Music on February 4 at 11.30pm, and MTV Rocks on February 7 at 9pm. Highlights from the January 25 will premiere on MTV
Music on February 4 at 11pm and MTV Hits on February 18 at 7pm.
With one of the most successful track-records for a new music poll, in the last 4 years MTV
Brand New has identified international stars such as Lady Gaga,
Justin Bieber &
Ke$ha before their debut releases whilst also picking up top British music talent Tinie Tempah, Adele, Florence + The Machine, Ellie Goulding,
Jessie J, Friendly Fires, White Lies,
Wretch 32 &
Labrinth at the very start of their recording careers.
