The Nine Best New Acts We saw At The Great Escape 2025

The Nine Best Breakout Acts from The Great Escape 2025
Brighton’s premier new music festival returned with a packed lineup showcasing the freshest rising stars.

By Rhian Daly | 21st May 2025

Chloe Qisha credit Courtesy of The Great Escape

For nearly two decades, Brighton’s The Great Escape has served as a launchpad for the next generation of music stars. Often dubbed the UK’s answer to SXSW, this multi-venue festival brings together emerging talent from around the globe. In the past, it has helped spotlight major names like HAIM, Aitch, Sigrid, and Sunflower Bean.

The 2025 edition carried on that tradition, offering a chaotic yet rewarding experience full of musical discoveries. From long queues to overlapping sets, navigating the festival can be overwhelming—but the reward is unforgettable performances across every genre and a growing list of artists worth exploring.

Here are the nine best new acts we at CouponsPlanner discovered at The Great Escape 2025—add them to your radar now.

Chloe Qisha

Recent CouponsPlanner feature artist Chloe Qisha is already a rising star—and her set at The Great Escape only confirmed it. While her talent speaks for itself, her flawless performance in front of a packed crowd at Patterns drove the point home. If you managed to squeeze into one of the most high-energy gigs of the entire festival, you witnessed pure pop magic from an artist fully in control of her stage and sound.

DellaXOZ

Even at a music festival, there's no escaping the chaos of modern dating—thanks to our ever-present phones. But DellaXOZ’s performance at Dalton’s felt like a refreshing remedy. Her vibrant indie-pop tracks hit with just the right mix of heartache and haze, offering comfort for anyone navigating love’s messier moments.

She dedicated a few songs to specific romantic struggles, including the emotionally charged ‘UnHinged’—a nod to the dating app era and everything that comes with it. With a co-sign from none other than SZA already under her belt, the Bolton-born artist proved why she’s one to watch. Her set was raw, relatable, and full of charm—a voice for everyone stuck in the trenches of modern love.

—Written for CouponsPlanner

Florence Road

The excitement around Florence Road is building fast—and for good reason. The Irish four-piece have already released a handful of singles this year that stand out as some of the most polished indie-rock from any new act recently, brimming with confidence and a natural talent for crafting big, memorable songs.

Now, it’s time for them to prove it live. Before their Great Escape set, the Wicklow band had only played a few gigs, but that didn’t stop them from staking an early claim as one of the festival’s standout acts. Frontwoman Lily Aron shines with undeniable star quality, as she and her band blend the atmospheric indie vibes of Wolf Alice with the heavy rock riffs reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age on tracks like ‘Figure It Out.’ Meanwhile, the anthemic chorus of ‘Heavy’ is already primed to become a festival singalong moment for years to come.

—Written for CouponsPlanner

Max Baby

In the dim, intimate setting of Dust on Friday night, Max Baby delivered a brooding set of noir-tinged new wave that felt like the perfect warm-up for a wild night out. The Parisian artist oozed charisma as he shifted effortlessly from sultry murmurs to gritty, impassioned cries on tracks like ‘Trouble,’ a song steeped in dark, seductive energy.

‘Nothing Ever Changes’ staggered beneath him with a hazy, tipsy charm—like a track already a few drinks in. Echoes of Julian Casablancas surfaced occasionally in both his vocal tone and stage presence, but Max Baby clearly stands on his own. Having previously collaborated with acts like Drugdealer and Weyes Blood, this performance marked a bold and exciting step into his solo spotlight.

—Written for CouponsPlanner

Nadia Kadek

It’s not often a festival crowd is hushed into silence—but British-Indonesian singer-songwriter Nadia Kadek managed just that at The Great Escape. Performing as part of a showcase for her new label, Transgressive, she may have been on home turf, but her deeply personal songwriting and quiet command could have held any room.

The emotional peak came with ‘Fathers,’ a raw and heartfelt reflection on her experience growing up mixed-race in the quiet landscapes of Norfolk. At just 22 and without any official releases yet, Nadia’s performance proved she's already a compelling voice with stories that resonate. One to watch, without a doubt.

—Written for CouponsPlanner

Sex Mask

Melbourne punk outfit Sex Mask delivered one of the most electrifying sets of The Great Escape 2025, with frontman Wry Gray commanding the Patterns stage like a man on the verge of explosion. Shirtless and slick with sweat, he stalked the stage and repeatedly launched himself halfway over the barrier, bringing a volatile energy that had the crowd on edge in the best way.

Supporting him were drummer Vicente Moncada and guitarist Kaya Martin, whose tight, driving rhythms gave Gray the space to let loose. The band effortlessly shifted between blistering aggression and melodic finesse—sometimes in the same track, like on the standout ‘Birds.’ Gray’s half-rapped, wide-boy vocal style hints at Jamie T, while the band’s sound echoes Interpol, The Strokes, and Suicide.

It was a set that felt wild, alive, and impossible to ignore—firmly placing Sex Mask on the must-watch list.

—Written for CouponsPlanner

Silver Gore

Mark our words: ‘A Scar’s Length’ is destined to be one of the alt-scene’s most addictive tracks this year. During their Thursday night set at The Great Escape, London duo Silver Gore lit up the stage with a sound that's quirky, bold, and impossible to forget. Ava Gore’s bright falsetto—delivering lines like “I haven’t listened to a song since 2021”—adds a sprinkle of charm to the track’s glitchy electronics and delicate folk undercurrent.

The rest of the set was equally magnetic. From the electro-charged energy of ‘All The Good Men’ (think Yeah Yeah Yeahs with a synth twist) to the eruptive transformation of ‘Forever,’ Silver Gore proved they’re more than just a fun listen—they're a force on the rise.

—Written for CouponsPlanner

The Itch

Catching The Itch anywhere other than the dead of night would feel like missing the point entirely. The London-based core duo—Simon Tyrie and Georgia Hardy—along with two additional live members, brought a sweat-soaked, high-voltage set to The Great Escape that felt like a rave, protest, and indie gig rolled into one.

With pulsing new wave basslines, rave-ready synth drones, and enough cowbell to channel the spirit of Does It Offend You, Yeah?, their performance turned even the jaded industry-heavy crowd into converts. Recent singles like ‘The Influencer’ and ‘Co-Conspirator’ wear their inspirations proudly—think Blue Monday-era vibes and James Murphy-style vocals—but The Itch aren’t just replicating their idols. They’re building from those foundations, crafting angular, immersive soundscapes full of hedonism and sharp political edge.

This is indie-electro with purpose—and power.

—Written for CouponsPlanner

Westside Cowboy

Just two weeks after snagging Glastonbury 2025’s coveted Emerging Talent slot, Manchester’s Westside Cowboy arrived at The Great Escape with a buzz that was impossible to ignore. The four-piece quickly proved the hype was more than justified, delivering a wildly enjoyable set that blended twangy Americana with slacker rock soaked in plaid-shirted charm.

Their performance was infectious—both in energy and execution. With big grins, loose grooves, and a vibe that screamed “we’re just here to have a blast,” Westside Cowboy turned curiosity into conviction. They didn’t just win over the crowd—they made it feel like they were all part of the band’s joyride.

—Written for CouponsPlanner

 

Published: 01 Jun 2025