9 rising stars you need to know now

The genre-defying, multi-instrumentalist Kelsey Lu bridges the worlds of experimental pop and classical music, and continues to leave audiences spellbound with their theatrical shows and mesmerizing soundscapes. Kelsey Lu honed their skills writing and producing for artists like Dev Hynes and Solange Knowles before releasing their debut EP Church in 2016 to huge critical acclaim. This fall, the artist is staging a live performance of their video series Hydroharmonia – a lockdown idea that developed into a montage of sounds and sights. Expect an epic extravaganza with some very special guest appearances from this future icon.

The next evolution of Hydroharmonia will be launching before the end of the year

It’s only a matter of weeks until Jessica Henwick will be everywhere. The Game of Thrones graduate is stacking up an amazing résumé right now, working with some of Hollywood’s most eminent names. First up, she appears in the fourth instalment of The Matrix (written and directed by the Wachowski sisters), followed by Rian Johnson’s hotly anticipated sequel to his madcap dramedy Knives Out. Then, she’ll be rounding off the year appearing alongside Ryan Gosling in the Russo brothers’ new thriller The Gray Man. And she’s powering through work off-camera, too, having just co-written a YA comedy series, Nancy Wu Done It, with author Kai Yu Wu – which has already been picked up by Amazon Prime Video. Watch this space.

The Matrix 4 is out on December 22

It’s been a year since Bolu Babalola released Love In Color, her captivating debut collection of short retellings of mythical tales from around the world, and now she’s taking her talents to TV. She has written a comedy pilot called Big Age for Channel 4, which follows a group of four young Black British friends as they navigate the ‘big age’ era of their lives. “[This show] has been years in the making in so many ways – storytelling is one of the biggest joys in my life and I am so excited to be able to do it on one of my favorite mediums,” says Babalola. “People don’t know that when I say I love being a writer, I mean everything. I love the process and the craft, and as an executive producer my creative scope has widened in such a fulfilling way. I am excited for the world to meet my world.” On how the past 18 months have impacted her work, Babalola says that she has “truly been in a creative bubble. I haven't stopped. I think it has compounded the idea that it is OK to take a break if you need it; that carving out space for rest is crucial.” Her hopes for the year ahead are “to keep doing what I am doing, with joy and passion and hope centered within it”.

Big Age will air on Channel 4 on September 10

Since Aziya took to covering ballads by Kate Bush and teasing her own demos on Instagram, her following has skyrocketed. This summer saw the release of her debut EP We Speak of Tides – a psychedelic rock-pop odyssey that blew critics away and found fans in artists such as Grimes, Angel Olsen and H.E.R. (the last of whom invited Aziya on her Girls With Guitars live series to perform). Aziya’s influences range from Led Zeppelin to Santigold via Tame Impala and, with model Lily Aldridge as an aunt, show business is in her blood. Keep an eye on Aziya’s upcoming tour dates for 2022.

We Speak of Tides is out now

Feel Good was the sleeper hit TV show of lockdown – a life-affirming comedy that lit you up from within and, happily, put Lisa Kudrow back on our screens. It is Canadian comedian Mae Martin’s semi-autobiographical deep dive into love, life and addiction. Originally commissioned for Channel 4, Netflix picked it up for a second season, catapulting Martin to household-name status. It is all hard won; she started out in the famously brutal stand-up comedy circuit via stints at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and a radio series for the BBC. Fresh off the success of Feel Good, Martin has just signed a first-look deal with production company Objective Fiction, and already has a new show, Programmed, in the works. The plot and cast are tightly under wraps but, as always, expect hilarious and heartfelt things from this upcoming comedy great.

Feel Good season 2 is on Netflix now

Rihanna herself may be Tommy Genesis’s biggest fan, recruiting the rapper as a Fenty Beauty ambassador (“I just lay down on the floor smiling,” Genesis remembers after getting the call. “I love her energy and the things she creates. Everything she touches turns to gold. There really is no one else like her”). But it’s easy to see why Genesis caught Rihanna’s attention: blistering beats and louche lyrics place her firmly in the tradition of Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion and Charli XCX. Hers is the perfect blend of punchy pop-rap; her samples providing the soundtrack for cult HBO show Euphoria. With the release of her Lil Rich-produced new LP goldilocks x in September, it is certainly a tipping point for the Canadian rapper. Reflecting on her major highlights of the year, she recalls, “Finishing this album. Listening to the masters (in a car driving through the hills with the windows down screaming the lyrics). Sending it out to all my friends. Hearing my sister sing men at the top of her lungs. Blasting it in my kitchen while I cook.”

goldilocks x is released on September 10

It takes colossal talent to outshine Timothée Chalamet and Frances McDormand, but French-Algerian actor Lyna Khoudri steals every scene as the shouty student protester Juliette in Wes Anderson’s latest masterpiece, The French Dispatch. To be a Wes Anderson muse is a career goal for most actors at any stage of their career, so getting the part was a pinch-me moment for the 28-year-old. The story goes that the director cast her after just one audition via iPhone, even before she won her prestigious César Award for Most Promising Actress. Up next, Khoudri will star in a new adaptation of The Three Musketeers alongside Eva Green, Vincent Cassel and Vicky Krieps.

The French Dispatch is out on October 22