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Brits Rising Star: Caity Baser, The Last Dinner Party and Sekou nominated

Getty Images Caity Baser performing on stage. Caity is a 21-year-old woman, she has her long blonde hair tired back and wears a denim shirt over a cropped black latex top with a silver star on it. She has lots of earrings and wears pink lipstick and graphic green eyeliner and leans her head back and smiles at her audience while holding her microphone away from her with her right hand.Getty Images
Caity Baser performed at Reading and Leeds over the summer and is due to release her mixtape Still Learning next year

Caity Baser, The Last Dinner Party and Sekou have been announced as the nominees in the running for this year's Brit Rising Star award.

The winner will claim the title from Flo, who were recognised in 2023.

Other previous winners since the prize category was created in 2008 include Adele, Sam Fender and Jorja Smith.

The award, supported by BBC Radio 1, recognises UK artists who haven't achieved a top 20 album or more than one top 20 single by 31 October.

Caity Baser says she "literally screamed for five minutes and chucked everything around my room" when she found out she'd been nominated.

The 21-year-old singer-songwriter blew up on TikTok where she has more than half a million followers.

She describes her sound as "cheeky, British pop" and is known for her tracks Friendly Sex, Why Can't I have Two? and Pretty Boys which have earnt her role-model status for self-confidence and female empowerment.

"I used to watch the awards on TV every year when I was a kid but had no idea how a kid from an estate in Southampton would ever get there," she says.

Cal McIntyre The Last Dinner Party (L-R): Abigail Morris, Emily Roberts, Aurora Nishevci, Lizzie Mayland and Georgia Davies. The five young women are pictured inside wearing outfits inspired by the past - lacey tops, corsets and neck ties. Abigal has curly brown hair tied back and leans forward towards the camera, her face resting on her right hand. Behind her is Emily, who has long strawberry blonde hair worn loose. To her left is Aurora, who has shoulder length brown hair and looks away from the camera, her right hand touching her face. In front of her is Lizzie who has cropped reddish brown hair and brown eyes. Georgia sits at the back, taller than everyone else, with long platinum hair and metallic eyeshadow.Cal McIntyre
The Last Dinner Party's debut album Prelude To Ecstasy is out next year

Up against Caity are The Last Dinner Party - a five-piece indie group from London.

They released their debut single Nothing Matters in April which has been streamed more than 13 million times on Spotify.

Their first album Prelude To Ecstasy comes out in February and they've already been named as one of BBC Radio 6 Music's artists of the year.

"We've had an amazing year and can't wait for all that's to come," the band says.

"It's very overwhelming and exciting to be up for something as prestigious as a Brit at this stage in our career and we're so grateful."

Getty Images Singer songwriter Sekou Sylla pictured at an event in 2022. Sekou is a 19-year-old man with short black hair which he has braided. He has a small moustache and brown eyes and smiles slightly at the camera. He wears a yellow knitted jumper over a white shirt.Getty Images
Sekou performed his breakout track Better Manor for the first time at BBC Introducing's tent at Glastonbury in 2022

The final nominee is Sekou - a singer-songwriter from Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire who started posting soulful covers online at the age of 16.

He says he draws inspiration from the likes of Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder and Beyoncé, as well as gospel music, which he came to love through his church roots.

The 19-year-old first performed his breakout track Better Man at Glastonbury in 2022 in the BBC Introducing tent.

Sekou says his nomination is "absolutely crazy", adding: "I'm so grateful to be considered for this. For me, this feels like God telling me to continue to work harder and keep pushing."

"I remember being 10 years old when Adele sang Someone Like You for the first time and being like 'that's going to be me one day'."

The Rising Star shortlist is chosen by a panel of industry experts including music editors, critics, songwriters and producers.

The award winner will be announced on 7 December ahead of the 2024 Brit Awards on 2 March.

But the awards will have a different host next year after Mo Gilligan announced he will be "stepping down" due to his first world tour.

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