Hundreds of artists took their chances, of which sixteen were selected to show us their best during the pre-selections at The Brussels Youth Clubs (Entree). Our jury of professionals – consisting of Elise Plateau (V2), Martha Da'Ro en Willem Vandesande (Busker Agency) - made the difficult decisions and chose the following six finalists: Bajeer, Bianca Steck, Dushime, epona, Oriana Ikomo and Sarah Espour. Jazz, Soul, hip-hop, funk… you name it. The only thing that these artists seem to have in common is their breeding ground in Brussels and that they are evenly matched. It promises to be an exciting final!

The Brussels quartet Bajeer describes themselves as a "fairy tale rock band" gradually blossoming in our capital. Engel, Jacob, Jorick, and Sammy aim to create music with a unique sound that results in a "psychedelic platform of soundscapes, stronger riffs, and surprising stories with a fairy tale vibe." Last year, Bajeer released their debut single, D05, which was also the first teaser from an EP that will see the light of day this year.

Bianca Steck is a Barcelona born young musician, singer, songwriter and architect of British and German family background currently based in Brussels. Bianca Steck’s formal musical upbringing was mainly classical but at the age of fifteen she began writing her own tunes while exploring different harmonies and sounds which suited her inner attitude towards music with an intimate tone merging naturally into her voice. Lyrics are meaningful and play an important role in her work since they tell stories and broadly speaking relate her songs to a folk and pop music tradition.

Dushime also known as Andie Dushime, originated from Kigali, is a multitalented (actress, musician, singer, storyteller and performer) and a fresh appearance on the Belgian art scene. For several years now, the Belgian-Rwandan artist has been moving through the Flemish cultural world. Through her multidisciplinary approach on the musical level and authentic, powerful and vulnerable performance style on the theatrical level, she brings with her a rare individuality. In 2020, she dug deeper and developed within her musical framework and started her musical quest for endless textures and shapes of her voice (through loop pedals, loop stations, sampling voice). The genesis of her musical universe. A universe characterised by a layered and constructive 'ancestral' soundscape that confronts the listener with his inner self.

epona is a new figure on the Belgian indie-rock scene. She sings about social issues important to her, her sisters and friends, such as women who are victims of male violence. Influenced by The Strokes, Mazzy Star, Cigarettes after sex and Alvvays, Epona composes her first EP "Help I'm Fine!" in collaboration with musician and producer Dimitri Eggermont, and records it with Charles De Schutter (Superbus, -M-, ...) and Valeria Di Forti before entrusting the mastering of the 4 tracks on the EP to Remy Lebbos (Pierre de Maere, Blanche, Nicolas Michaux, ...).

Brussels-based musician Oriana Ikomo wraps her neo-soul and R&B vocal vocal lines in a cloak of jazz harmonies and electronic rhythms that have a soft, comforting texture. The result is a unique sound that accompanies her warm voice. Oriana Ikomo is the alias of musician/performer Oriana Mangala Ikomo Wanga, which originated during her music studies at the conservatory in Ghent. She is one of the 9 finalists of De nieuwe lichting 2023 and collaborated on the soundtrack for the VRT series "Roomies". Meanwhile, she is no longer an unknown name within the Belgian music landscape. Her singles "YOU" and "Beautiful sister" are a blood-curdling introduction to her delicate vocal qualities and dreamy atmosphere, both in sound and image, about love and self-acceptance, among other things.

Sarah Espour began her first musical exploration in her bedroom, in Brussels, in front of her Mulholland Drive poster. With the help of her computer, her bakelite HI-FI system and the inspirations given to her by her favorite artists like Chromatics, Laurie Anderson, Björk… With influences from performance and experimental scenes, she delivers alternative pop with eerie sounds and brutal lyricism. The stories flow through song, images and words, against a backdrop of synthesizers. Sarah Espour's subversive and thoughtful electronic pop sensitively addresses themes of violence, transgression, and sexuality.. Her music is atmospheric, cinematic, and characterized by dark lyrics.

Partners Sound Track: vi.be, Entee, volta & pilar