Long before the winners were announced for the big tip lists for 2017, there was a sense that something had to change. Over the last few years, the Brits critics’ choice award has served up a procession of none-more-bland solo stars (Jack Garratt, James Bay, Tom Odell) while the BBC’s Sound of poll was becoming equally tiring (Years & Years, Sam Smith). These artists would sell by the bucket-load, of that there was no doubt, but were they really representative of the diversity and energy of modern UK pop? There was talk of voting panel shake-ups, but in the case of the Brits it doesn’t seem to have quite worked out – this year’s critics’ choice winner is Rag’n’Bone Man, a white soul singer whose deep delta blues voice jars somewhat with the fact he’s from East Sussex.
The BBC’s Music Sound of 2017 winner, however, seems to be a break with such predictability. Rag’n’Bone Man’s seeming coronation was blocked by 22-year-old Ray BLK, a singer from south London whose voice couldn’t be more authentic: she sings about chicken shops and “caffs not a cafe” on the streets of Lewisham, teenage pregnancies and benefits. Her rasping soul voice has been compared to that of Lauryn Hill – and she shares Hill’s fondness for reminiscing about youthful golden days. But you can also hear the likes of Amy Winehouse in BLK’s music – the London slang, the cheeky wit, the ability to nab US soul influences without being subsumed by them.
Like many of those on this year’s list, BLK is adept at merging street credibility with pop nous. Her 2016 mini-album, Durt, smooths over most rough edges with melody: the fact 5050 steals the chorus line from the Cardigans’ Lovefool seems ample evidence that this is not challenging music. But we are a world away from the Brit school production line here – Durt features guest spots from Stormzy and Wretch 32, and grime’s sparse production style is evident in places. She grew up with no formal musical background, instead learning the trade from MTV Base and the music of Missy Elliott and Notorious BIG. Unsurprisingly, given those influences, personality is key in BLK’s music, the sense that the music is about a person’s life rather than just a vehicle for a palatable voice – Baby Girlz paints a scene where “baby girl’s got a baby girl” and “baby’s boy don’t give a fuck”; the ambivalent hometown portrait My Hood talks about gangsters and concrete flowers, yet you leave fully aware of the pride she takes in where she’s from.
Ray BLK might have won the BBC Music Sound of 2017, but happily she was no anomaly on the longlist. The typically milquetoast entrants (Maggie Smith, the Japanese House) were more than outnumbered by Stefflon Don, AJ Tracey, Anderson .Paak, Nadia Rose and Dave. Even Cabbage, one of the few indie choices on the list, are a chaotic bunch of scruffs who recently caused a stir by blasting the Sun for picking them as one of their tips for 2017. Of course, UK pop music has been in a healthy state for some time, and nobody should need an industry list to tell them that. But with the inevitable exposure and opportunities such awards bring, it’s reassuring to know that the tipping industry is finally catching up with the times.
