We all do it! Where in January we take a look at the year ahead and see what there is look forward to. We thought we would help you out, by telling you which artists and bands we think is going to have one hell of a 2019!

JADE BIRD

The ability and capacity to convey such delicate and powerful emotions in one breath and sentence is a skill that doesn’t come easy. Jade Bird seems to do this with such ease. When you keep up to date with her movements via social media, you can see that there is an effervescence, bubbling underneath the surface, as well as an infectious innocence that comes with living your dream. Jade’s ability to switch this off, or at least put it on hold when it’s time for the music shows just how serious she takes the music. When she released her first EP back in 2017, there was a snippet of her potential in the songs, but also something that felt as though they were typical of an acoustic artist’s busking set – the stand-out being ‘Good Woman’ which had a hint of the bite in lyricism that we see now, in her songs like ‘Lottery’ and ‘Uh Huh’. It is truly amazing, yet also unsurprising to see the transformation and development in Jade’s songs and their timeless ability to captivate and deliver. I think that Jade Bird is definitely one to watch this year. She has already taken 2018 under her wing and with the release of her debut album, she is definitely going to flourish in 2019.

SAM FENDER

Sam Fender’s 2018 was special, but it only seems a stepping stone for what will be an astronomical 2019. The North Shields native announced himself with his debut EP ‘Dead Boys’, signed to Polydor, and was chosen as the Critic’s Choice at the Brit Awards.Work is well underway for the 23-year-old to bring his debut album later this year, with another headline tour this Spring only expected to increase this lad’s growing star power and talent.

THE FAIM

Australian pop-rockers The Faim are set to take over the world (quite literally) in 2019, kicking off with a world tour that is sure to boost their fanbase even further. Penning a rousing EP last year, it captured the diversity of the band from the soaring ‘I Can Feel You’ to the moving ‘Make Believe’. One can hardly resist the catchy sing-along moments on the EP, of which there are plenty of. And if you thought the energy on record is a handful, then wait until you see them onstage; it’s clear that every fibre of their being is on fire with a fervent passion for what they do. With an album teased for release later this year, there’s definitely a lot to be excited for with this young band, and as they sing ‘You can’t close your eyes when it comes’, you definitely can’t close your eyes when The Faim comes.

HOLDING ABSENCE

Welsh quintet Holding Absence have already built up a lot of excitement within the music scene, having their praises sung by other musicians and it’s not difficult to see why. Composing tracks that expose themselves to be emotional abysses, they delve deep into the more turbulent thoughts that lurk inside of us and helps us confront these darker aspects of our characters. Frontman Lucas Woodland certainly has a penchant for putting pen to paper, describing age-old personal struggles without resorting to cliches, drawing comparisons to poetry in the process. You can’t help but wonder how the band manages to make heartbreak sound so good with ‘Perish’. With an album slated for release this year, there is no doubt that this will only push the band to greater heights and heaven knows you’ll want to tag along for the ride.

EASY LIFE

The tail end of 2018 brought a wave of momentum for Leicester upstarts Easy Life. The release of single 'Nightmares' brought Jools Holland a-knocking and with good reason - their clear knack for a hook, that Dionne Warwick trumpet sample and the best lyrical use of "LEMONS" since the church of St Clemens made for an addictive listen. The follow up double A side 'Temporary Love' showed a more conceptual bent, with its musings on short term relationships set to a fusion of influences from the worlds of R&B, pop and hip hop. They appear to have an easy understanding of that undefinable thing that makes the difference between good songs and great ones. 2019 should prove to be an exciting one for Easy Life - mainstream appeal with an alternative soul, I can't wait to see what they'll come out with next.

YOWL

Poetic and chaotic garage rock from the UK's coolest psychopaths. A band who flew onto my radar last year in and amongst the IDLES' and SHAME's of the UK's post punk revival scene- YOWL are as special as the rest. They rely more on melody and poetry perhaps more than their contemporaries to create a blend of garage rock that is equally inspired by the Beatles than it is the Birthday Party- Gabriel Bryde has a way with words that makes him comparable with The National's Matt Berninger, not just because of his versatile baritone and gruff yelps. They released a brace of killer singles in 2018 as well as a phenomenal EP including their piece-de-resistance "Saturday Drag" and Strokes-esque single "My Headache Likes to Speak" released in 2017. But the reason they're ones to watch here as that despite their vaguely prolific release and live record, they are still on tier one of the venue ladder. Their angular indie rock is as catchy as it is complex and their vibe is of the same ilk of the gang mentality that the Strokes made popular again. This band are going places and if drunk conversations are to be believed (and I am a huge advocate for them) the YOWL songs this year are going to drag them kicking and screaming to the next level they deserve to be at.

DEH-YEY

Meet the anti Royal Blood. Chester is a city not blessed with deep musical heritage; with 90's brit-prog weirdo's Mansun really being the cities finest musical export. However, nowadays you have a crop of young and intelligent bands poking their heads over the walls that keep Chester to itself- be it the Weezer-indebted sunshine pop of Peaness, the beautiful songwriting of folk trio Mountainface and the joy-inspiring collective of Campfire Social. But Deh-Yey are surely the most exciting of the bunch. A two piece obsessed with proving there's more to a guitar and drums than the inevitable Royal Blood comparisons, they fuse their own blend of post punk and noise inspired riffs with impatient time signatures, surreal and cryptic lyrics that focus on social and religious inequality, Black Mirror-esque scenarios of the rise and fall of social media and the drummer's porn name (see latest single "Speedy Quickedge") whilst never staying in the same place for long. They have the musical ambition of a band like Biffy Clyro, but with influences like Future of the Left, The Fall and Drenge- don't expect to see these boys headline stadiums. They are more at home tearing your face off in a local dive bar- and there are never enough bands to do that to you. With a brutal live reputation and only a handful of songs online across Spotify and Soundcloud- expect more recordings soon...

BLACK MIDI

Not your average Brit School graduates, this band are truly like no other. No songs on Spotify in 2019? A sparse to non existent social media presence? A handful of interviews? No lists of their most important influences or preferred holiday destinations? Black Midi are almost following the blueprint on how not to be a band in this modern age. And yet, within the confines of the thriving South London scene, they're surrounded by hyperbole and mystique- and for good reason. Black Midi are an aural delight .Constantly twisting and propulsive Math rock in the style of Battles and pre-Antidotes era Foals combined with anti-social blasts of noise and the seemed ramblings of mad scientist/singer Geordie Greep, they also happen to posess a drummer in their arsenal who has to be seen to be believed. The best way to witness them online is via their KEXP sessions, where you can hear the acid jazz march of "bmbmbm" and the agitated and distracted "Ducter"- both phenomenal advertisements for this bands irrepressible talents. If they can transfer their live energy, musical virtuosity and maniacal sense of humour onto recordings; 2019 could be the lucky recipients of some of the wildest guitar music ever released. Apart from their class mate Adele, obviously.

GLASS PEAKS

2018 might of looked liked a quiet year for the South East London lads in Glass Peaks, with only putting out one single, and a small number of shows, however lets not forget the big highlight of them heading off to play Isle of Wight Festival over the summer. However, secretly they have been grafting, working hard on their sound and have come out the other side as a completely new thing. With single ‘Misery’ out in February, it shows us what Glass Peaks have been working on behind doors for the last few months. It sees them moving away from the electro-indie to a more darker, post punk vibe. After starting their 2019 off with a huge sold out headline show at London’s Camden Assembly, plus a handful of singles planned for the rest of year, we shall be keeping both eyes firmly watching what they are up to, and we suggest you do the same.

Feature created by Tyler Damara Kelly, Ant Adams, Danial Kennedy, James Kitchen, Hattie Long and Athena Kam.

WTHB: Ones to Watch 2019