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Celeste tops BBC Sound Of 2020 poll

By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 9 January 2020

Celeste has been named the winner of BBC Music’s Sound Of 2020 poll. She can put the trophy alongside her BRITs Rising Star Award and BBC Music Introducing Artist Of The Year 2019 prize. It’s almost as if we don’t need quite so many new talent awards.

In the BBC Sound Of competition, Celeste pushed Easy Life down into second place, with her closest BRITs poll rival Joy Crookes in fourth. She now takes over all the official sound-making duties from last year’s winner, Octavian.

“2019 was an incredible year for me and I could never have predicted half of the things that happened”, says Celeste. “Some of my favourite memories have been the live shows. From performing ‘Strange’ for the very first time at the Lexington for BBC Introducing, going live with Annie Mac from Maida Vale, to Jools Holland, I’m so grateful for every opportunity I’ve had so far and am looking forward to what 2020 will bring”.

Basically, the BBC’s had her back for a while now. And one of the there mentioned supporters, Annie Mac, was on hand to say something about the Sound Of win.

“Celeste is a phenomenal talent”, she declares. “A voice that does not come around often and when you are exposed to it, is impossible to ignore. I have received countless emotional texts from listeners who have had to sit in their car and lose themselves to her song ‘Strange’ before carrying on with their evening”.

Mac adds: “Her songwriting is personal and poignant but with universal appeal. I think she could easily join the longlist of Sound Of winners who went on to be global stars. I can’t wait to hear more from Celeste and all of our longlist in 2020”.

A special live broadcast featuring performances from all ten artists longlisted for the Sound Of 2020 will be broadcast on Radio 1 on 5 Feb, presented by, you guessed it, Annie Mac.

Now, as everyone keeps banging on about this song ‘Strange’, I guess we should finish with that: