BBC Introducing: North East ones to watch in 2026

From Newcastle to Middlesbrough, Sunderland to Darlington, the North East is a hotbed of musical talent.

BBC Introducing presenter Shakk Hashemi and producer Eve Kennedy have chosen 10 acts they think are set for a big year in 2026.

Eternal Rin is already building a clear world and it speaks directly to people who don't always feel seen.

There is purpose in everything the artist from Newcastle does, and the reaction to the music feels like a direct result of that.

We gave her her first play on BBC Introducing North East, and within a week she had been picked up by Radio 1's Rock Show.

She has taken her time getting this right, from writing alone to stepping on to one of our festival stages for her first full band show.

This next year feels less like a breakthrough and more like the moment everything starts to connect properly.

At a time when a lot of music feels over-polished, Pollyfromthedirt does not try to hide the rough edges.

The imperfections are the point.

The Darlington performer writes with self-awareness and his heart on his sleeve, and it stays grounded in where he is from.

You will hear that come through live when he plays our BBC Introducing From The Glasshouse show this February.

He is at a point where his music will start reaching way further than the rooms it was made in.

Heidi Curtis from Newcastle has been putting the work in behind the scenes for a few years now, honing her craft and locking in who she wants to be as an artist.

Her debut single has already made an impact nationally, and you can hear the time and effort that has gone into it.

Her voice is distinctive, the songwriting feels natural and unforced, and it all suits her.

This is going to be the year that groundwork starts to pay off properly.

Jenna Cole has had a bit of a journey before stepping out on her own.

Last year you really heard her lean into production, not just for herself but for other artists too, and that's brought some serious nods along the way, including from Timbaland and Nelly Furtado.

What stands out just as much is the determination alongside the talent.

It feels like the Newcastle performer is stepping forward on her own terms now.

Billy Smith and Elizbaeth Liddle, aka Smith & Liddle, have figured out exactly what they do and they are doing it with confidence.

You can hear the influence of bands like Fleetwood Mac and The Mamas & The Papas in the songwriting, without it feeling stuck in the past.

The songs are strong and they hold up wherever the band from Middlesbrough takes them, which makes sense when you see them out on the road supporting Young Gun Silver Fox across the UK and Europe.

There is a calm assurance to what they're making now and it is translating live.

Only a few singles in, and Charlie Floyd has already made it clear he is not going anywhere.

Everything is self-made, the writing is on point and the hooks are getting bigger without losing the charm of it.

We gave the artist from Newcastle his first play on the show and it did not take long before that turned into Track of the Week.

When he came in for a live session, it backed up exactly what you hear on record.

He is prolific, focused, and everything is lining up for his best year yet.

Loren Heat has been building patiently with laser focus.

The Teessider has got one of those personalities that lifts a room, but that lightness sits alongside a very strong sense of direction as an artist.

You can hear pop influences like Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga in the delivery, but it is shaped by a personality that makes it unmistakably Loren.

That balance shows in the work, and it is why things are moving with intention rather than luck.

Leazes from Newcastle have put their heads down and made things happen the hard way.

They have been selling out shows and building a crowd properly, without making a song and dance about it.

There's a familiar indie rush to what they do, the kind of songs you're singing along with your mates to, with nods to bands like The Pigeon Detectives, The Kooks and Two Door Cinema Club.

That steady momentum is turning into something tangible now and you will see it when they take the stage at BBC Introducing From The Glasshouse this February alongside Pollyfromthedirt.

Labyrinthine Oceans' ambition is obvious, and it is growing fast.

When they came in for a live session it somehow turned into a conversation about their cats derailing the writing, but under the humour this is a Sunderland band taking the music very seriously.

Each release has pushed a bit further than the last, bigger ideas delivered with more confidence.

That mix of personality and consistency is what is starting to set them apart and exactly why we are backing them for a good 2026.

Sunderland's Swindled have absolutely nailed it, from the songwriting to the execution, it all feels properly locked in.

They have already shown they can carry big moments in their hometown, and that confidence comes from a band that has grown up doing this together.

Live, everything is thought through with an attention to detail.

The latest music sounds like a band who know exactly what they are doing and why.

Find out more about BBC Introducing and how to upload your own music here.