Vevo’s Carl Young on DSCVR Artists to Watch for 2025: New Talent, Process and Benefits

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We caught up with Vevo’s London-based Carl Young, head of music & talent, EU, to discuss processes, the balancing of genres and diversity

Since its inception in 2014, Vevo’s DSCVR Artists to Watch has been a launchpad for some of the most influential names in music, including Sam Smith, Billie Eilish, Lewis Capaldi, Ice Spice, and Ethel Cain. These artists have gone on to achieve remarkable milestones, from winning Grammy Awards to dominating global charts, selling out arenas, and building loyal, worldwide fanbases. Over the years, the programme has expanded its reach, celebrating both genre and geographic diversity, with Vevo’s dedicated music experts curating a lineup of exceptional talent from all corners of the globe.

The Process Behind the RTW List

Carl: “A lot goes into it, as you can imagine, but it’s really exciting and collaborative. For context, Discover is a rolling series where we work with artists, label partners, and distributors throughout the year, inviting artists in at pivotal moments of their career timelines. But around late summer, we pause our general Discover bookings and shift focus to open submissions for Artists to Watch.

We circulate a deck explaining Artists to Watch to all our partners—labels, distributors, managers—so they can pitch their artists forward. That window typically happens in September. We gather a lot of information to help paint a picture of next year’s key artists—what makes them perfect for a series like Artists to Watch.

This year, we had over 600 artist applications—the most we’ve ever had—and I predict that number will continue to grow. It’s an absolutely brutal process to narrow it down. But we collaborate across the music talent department, editorial, international teams, design, and production—everyone contributes. We set up workshops to discuss what’s exciting in new music right now and what we predict will make a real impact next year.

It’s not just about loving the music—we ask, “Why now?” for each artist. From there, we deliberate for about a month, whittle it down, and make our final selection. After that, we send out offers and get straight into production, which typically happens in October. Then we roll out the campaign through November and December.

What’s important is that even for artists who don’t make the final list, we keep the door open. We’re always looking ahead, ready to support their journey in future Discover series. So, it’s never just, “Here’s the list—everyone else says no.” It’s a long-term conversation.”

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Balancing Genres and Diversity

Felix: That’s great to hear that there’s longevity to the process. You mentioned varying genres earlier. How do you decide which genres to include?

Carl: We don’t have a set quota like “X number of this genre” or “Y number of that.” Instead, the list is representative of trends we’re seeing in music. Some years, genres lean more heavily one way, but we’re always mindful of broad representation. Music consumption is diverse, and we want to reflect that.

Our team is also incredibly diverse in taste. We’ve got metalheads, dance music lovers, drum’n’bass fans—myself, I’m into all sorts. But at the core, we’re music lovers, and that passion drives the process.

We also consider global representation. We have studios in London and New York, which allows us to work with artists from Europe, Africa, the Americas, and even Asia. If timing doesn’t fit this campaign, we still find ways to support artists when the moment is right.

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Benefits for Emerging Artists

Felix: What benefits do artists get from being part of Artists to Watch?

Carl: The biggest benefit is the content. We produce high-quality videos of live performances and short storytelling introductions that showcase the artists and their music. Unlike some tips lists that just share names and links, we go above and beyond to create meaningful, visual content.

We also make sure this content lives on the artists’ channels, driving traffic back to them and building their audience. This visibility can be invaluable, especially for artists starting to gain international traction.

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Supporting Grassroots Music

Felix: Why is a platform like this so important for new artists, especially when we consider grassroots venues?

Carl: Artist development and support are vital for keeping the music scene alive. Programs like Discover and Artists to Watch provide meaningful milestones for artists at every stage of their careers. We’re nurturing tomorrow’s superstars and culturally significant artists, giving them platforms and access to new audiences.

Grassroots venues are critical for this development. I grew up in Portsmouth and spent a lot of time at The Joiners in Southampton. Venues like these are where artists learn their craft and grow with their audiences. The content we create can also help artists secure bookings and touring opportunities.

It’s so encouraging to see big artists acknowledging this—many are donating portions of their ticket sales to grassroots venues. Everyone starts somewhere, and it’s essential to keep that ecosystem alive.

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Standout Artist

Felix: To wrap things up, do you have a personal standout artist from this year’s list?

Carl: That’s such a tough question—it’s a really strong list. But I have to say, Pozer has blown me away. Release after release, they’re pioneering a sound that’s breathing new life into a scene that’s already so established here in the UK. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

You can read the full list here.

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