Today, Houston-born singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Bryant Barnes releases live performances of “I’d Rather Pretend” and “Is This Love To You” as part of Vevo’s ‘DSCVR Artists To Watch‘ 2025 campaign. Now in its eleventh year, Vevo’s DSCVR ATW program is a highly curated selection of global artists who Vevo has tipped to break through to the mainstream. Vevo’s DSCVR ATW will showcase high-quality live performance video content from the class of 2025, with two bespoke performances from each artist, shot exclusively for Vevo.
Barnes shares, “I appreciate the opportunity of being on VEVO’s DSCVR Artists To Watch list. It’s an honor to be chosen and perform on the same stage as the many great artists who have come before me. Thank you all for listening.”
Born out of Vevo’s taste-making DSCVR series, “DSCVR Artists To Watch” is one of the most highly anticipated and competitive lists in the emerging music space, receiving over 600 submissions. Artists and bands selected for the program receive critical exposure and promotion that help propel their careers, marketing and features in Vevo’s expert music video programming via playlists and editorial features across Vevo’s network.
“Our annual DSCVR Artists to Watch list epitomizes the curatorial expertise and editorial support Vevo offers emerging artists to help them break through.” says JP Evangelista, SVP, Content, Programming & Marketing, Vevo, “While we provide this support for artists daily, the selection process for this predictive list in particular requires a special mix of art and science on a global scale. Our seasoned team of tastemakers diligently comb through each submission across all genres, looking at various trends and datasets, while also tapping into their musical instincts. In addition to the list, the exclusive live performances that we shoot with these artists in the Vevo studios help them build and diversify their visual catalog for further exposure. Making our competitive list is no easy feat. Congratulations to this next class of future stars from around the world!”
Vevo has a long history of supporting and introducing emerging artists to new global audiences. ATW alumni are a long list of musical success stories, including Sam Smith (2014), James Bay (2015), Raye (2017), Billie Eilish (2018) Lewis Capaldi (2018), Remi Wolf (2021), Ice Spice (2023) and Chappell Roan (2024), who has been named Vevo’s DSCVR Artist of the Year.
“Every year, in celebration of Vevo’s Artist to Watch list, we award one stand-out artist the title of Vevo’s “DSCVR Artist of the Year.” They should embody everything about a successful DSCVR Artist to Watch: drive, stage presence, personality, a kaleidoscopic artistic vision, a sound that is distinctly their own, and (perhaps most importantly) a special and undeniable connection with a global audience. Chappell is an absolute supernova of joyful pop music, and throughout the past year, we’ve had the pleasure of watching her take the world by storm. From record-breaking sets at the most legendary festivals, to a sold-out international tour and the release of an album that gave a voice to so many – we know this is just the beginning. Her ascent to fame will no doubt be in history books, and we’re so honored to have been even a small part of it.”
