大象传媒

6th May 2021

New music has traditionally been built on well-trodden ground. For an artist, it can look something like this:

1. make music
2. play gigs
3. get noticed

Introducing is no stranger to bypassing the traditional hurdles of the music industry. Since its inception, the promise for new artists has been that if you're making something that deserves to be heard, you can upload it and potentially get it played on the radio. Mimi Webb has experienced this first-hand. A month after uploading her track Reasons to her local show early this year, she found her music being played on daytime Radio 1. "It’s been crazy! I was so shocked to see the reaction my music got while in lockdown," the 20 year-old singer-songwriter from Canterbury says.

In a particularly touching moment that's gone viral, there's a video of Mimi in the car with her proud Dad as they hear her track on the radio for the first time: "It was so amazing to share that moment with my dad and see everyone connecting with it."

Another artist from the Big Weekend line up who'll no doubt be familiar with breakout success is Enny. The rapper, singer and songwriter made waves with her 2020 single Peng Black Girls; a perfect, affirming celebration of black women filtered through a south London viewpoint. The original track's been streamed in the millions, spawning a remix featuring Jorja Smith. "During the pandemic is when music really took off for me," she explains. "It's such a blessing to watch a song like that connect universally!".

Speaking of connecting universally, Bradford's Bad Boy Chiller Crew are clear about their ambition "to take over the world". What started out as a group of mates uploading prank and comedy videos has transformed into a music career. "We're in our own genre," Gareth from the group says. Clearly their brand of distinctly Yorkshire, 00s-inspired bassline music has found an audience, with millions of streams and airplay from Annie Mac. According to another member, Darren: "Everything you see is real, nothing is fake and I think that's why so many people can relate to it."

One thing the artists on the line up have in common is that they're relative newcomers to the music festival scene – most haven't played a festival before.

For many punters, the beauty of festivals is in the freedom to wander. You said you were going to meet your mates in half an hour and to pass the time you've poked your head in at the nearest stage. It's the sort of stuff that some of the most enduring listenership is built on. That chance visit revealed an incredible artist who you'd never heard of before.

How do you recreate that serendipity online? Arguably, you can't, not in the same way. But we have the next best thing. 36 session tracks from 36 different artists – enough to get a taste and enough to discover something you're going to be playing on repeat.

In years to come we're going to be telling different stories about how well-loved artists caught their break. They won't start with "that gig". They'll start with "that stream". During the Big Weekend 2021 coverage, take a chance: have a wander through the Introducing 'stage' on 大象传媒 Sounds and see what you find.

From 28 May, you'll be able to listen to 36 session tracks on 大象传媒 Sounds as part of Radio 1's Big Weekend 2021 coverage. Follow 大象传媒 Introducing on or to keep up to date.

• Find out more about Big Weekend 2021
• Watch sessions from last year's event
• Upload your music to 大象传媒 Music Introducing