Last May, NME relaunched The Cover, our weekly flagship music profile with a necessary twist: from now on, only rising and emerging talent would feature, giving them the opportunities for their Cover moment while on the up. For readers, it’s a chance to get to know the best new music from across the globe on a weekly basis.
As a result, we’ve got ascending musicians on key parts of the journey as they go on to huge debut albums, festival crowds and even a coveted award or two. As we toast to a year of Covers – and throw a couple of parties to celebrate – here’s a look back at what happened to some of NME’s Cover stars next.
Who: Pop’s new DIY-minded prince
What NME said then: “The 18 year-old made his debut EP entirely on his phone. Is he the future of the music industry?”
What happened next: In March, D4vd’s breakthrough hit ‘Romantic Homicide’ – a song he recorded in his younger sister’s closet – surpassed a billion Spotify streams. He’s also since played arenas across the US on tour with R&B superstar SZA.
What NME said then: “Off the strength of the band’s debut album, it’s easy to wonder if the mainstream now beckons.”
What happened next: Militarie Gun’s rise has been a remarkably fast one. Having already toured the world over, this summer, the band will take ‘Life Under The Gun’ to Reading & Leeds alongside a string of European headline shows with fellow NME Cover stars Lip Critic.
Who: Punk iconoclast forging his own unique path
What NME said then: “The consummate storyteller unveils ‘Struggler’, a new genre-blending opus and a meditation on the crushing realities of modern life.”
What happened next: The Australian star has toured the US with Paramore and claimed multiple ARIA Awards in his home country. Next up: some big support slots for IDLES as part of their summer UK tour.
Who: Icelandic jazz obsessive bringing classic influences to modern pop
What NME said then: “Whether she’s romanticising a fleeting interaction with a stranger on the tube or wistfully reflecting on a past love, Laufey seamlessly blends jazz instrumentals with the kind of diaristic pop lyrics that you might expect to hear from artists like Gracie Abrams or Lizzy McAlpine.”
What happened next: Her second album, ‘Bewitched’, landed five-stars from NME and it went on to win a Grammy Award in February 2024 for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. She’s currently in the middle of an extensive global tour, featuring a night at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Who: Leeds band group on a journey to the upper echelon of British indie
What NME said then: “They have swiftly become one of the most promising new British prospects of the last few years, with songs that find humour and relief in the strange world around us.”
What happened next: The band released their debut album last month, resulting in a five-star NME review that called ‘This Could Be Texas’ as a “landmark debut”. The album charted in the Top 10 in the UK, and the band will tour throughout the summer.
Who: Rising stars enchanted by the baroque and gothic
What NME said then: “With their wildly theatrical debut ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’, the five-piece are ready to claim the crown as the UK’s most talked-about new band.”
What happened next: ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’ was the biggest Number One debut album in the UK in almost a decade, selling over 50,000 copies in its opening week. In February they picked up the Brits Rising Star Award, and the band hit all the big festivals this summer before a fully sold-out UK tour in the Autumn
Who: Supernova that embraces the theatrics and absurdity of pop music.
What NME said then: “The 25-year-old from LA via smalltown Missouri makes fun, flashy, in-your-face party music that has queerness stamped through it like a stick of rock.”
What happened next: She joined Olivia Rodrigo as the opening act on her recent GUTS World Tour, hitting arenas across the US. Then came another breakout moment at Coachella and skyrocketing streams; Bratz even made a neat tribute to Roan and her Union Jack-themed outfit worn on her NME Cover.
Who: J-pop rulebreakers set on taking their genre global
What NME said then: “YOASOBI are arguably already idols in Japan – superstars slowly but surely making their bid for the world’s biggest stages.”
What happened next: Last month, the duo took to the stage at Coachella as part of their label 88rising’s showcase, offering further proof that they are pushing J-pop towards the mainstream alongside their peers Number_i and Atarashii Gakko!.
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