The Next Big Thing: an A-Z of 2010 – Part 2

Daisy Dares You
The new… Pixie Lott
If you’re a regular reader of my blogs you’ll certainly be aware of young Daisy Coburn, the Essex teenager everyone was scrambling to sign in early 2009. After a year of preparation, she’s about to finally release a single, and since a) it is brilliant and b) it has Chipmunk on it, it’s bound to be a massive hit. Daisy could be this year’s Pixie, but a more real, identifiable version, who I think could be extremely popular with teenage pop fans. I hope so, anyway, cos some of her songs are very ace indeed.
Poptasticness: 91% Hit potential: 84%

Donkeyboy
The new… Alphabeat
This Norwegian group may well never be more than a one hit wonder, but what I am optimistic about is them having that one hit in the first place. If Ambitions could just get onto a TV ad or a high profile TV or film soundtrack, they’d be sorted. All we need is for people to hear it, and a huge hit will surely be right around the corner. They have other good songs, but whether they can work as a long-term act I’m not sure. Ambitions definitely can work, though, and I hope it will get the chance.
Poptasticness: 89% Hit potential: 64%

Ed Drewett
The new… Just Jack
Ed Drewett is one of those ‘ordinary bloke’ types, which could lend him mass appeal, or could go completely unnoticed for the very same reason. It really depends on the strength of his music, whether Radio 1 like him, and how much money his label spend on TV adverts. This video of him performing to a room of drunk friends in a random pub is quite amusing now, and will be especially hilarious if he does become famous.
Poptasticness: 58% Hit potential: 55%

Ellie Goulding
The new… Diana Vickers
Ellie is by far the most mentioned in any ‘ones to watch’ list for 2010, which gives her assurance of at least some radio play and media coverage, but as Little Boots proved this year that won’t necessarily lead to huge success. To me, Ellie just seems like a more credible Diana Vickers, and as an extreme non-fan of Diana, I’m not hugely impressed by Ellie either. I’m still waiting to hear something really great from her.
Poptasticness: 66% Hit potential: 74%

Erik Hassle
The new… Daniel Bedingfield
Ahh, my beloved Erik, the star of 2009 for me and hopefully of 2010 for the rest of the world. You may think Daniel B is an unflattering comparison, but what they share is a debut album full of songs which sound like a lot of current artists in different ways, but as a whole cannot be compared to anyone else around. Let’s just hope Erik doesn’t turn out to be so annoying – unlikely, since he is Swedish. Lady GaGa had my top single of 2008 and went on to rule Planet Pop in ’09, so I’m hoping the same fate awaits Mr Hassle.
Poptasticness: 100% Hit potential: 79%