Lewis Capaldi, Mahalia and Sam Fender have been named as the three shortlisted acts for 2019's Brits Critics' Choice award.
The annual prize is chosen by an invited panel of music editors and critics of national press and online music editors, along with heads of music at major radio and music TV stations. The award is open to British artists of have yet to achieve a Top 40 album success (as of 31 October this year).
Past winners include Adele, Florence + the Machine, Sam Smith, Jessie J, Rag'n'Bone Man, and Jorja Smith.
Scottish singer-songwriter Capaldi was named as one of The Independent's Ones to Watch for 2018, and has since achieved almost 250m plays for a handful of tracks on streaming services, including the single "Grace", which was added to the Radio 1 A List playlist. He opened arena shows for Sam Smith in the UK and Europe this year, and will hit the road again next year supporting Bastille in February.
Capaldi said he was "honoured" to be on the shortlist. "Genuinely cannot believe I'm being included in something like this and do not think I've done enough to be deserving of it!" he said. "that being said. from here on in I will insist that those around me including my mother and father, refer to me only as 'Brits Critics' Choice Award nominee, Lewis Capaldi'."
20-year-old R&B artist Mahalia also made the shortlist, following a string of superb collaborations with the likes of Little Simz and Kojey Radical. Her breakthrough single "Sober" received more than 20m streams worldwide, and she has toured with the likes of Ed Sheeran, and last year's Critics' Choice award winner Jorja Smith.
"The last year has been surreal to say the least but this really is the cherry on top," Mahalia said. "Thank you so much to all those who voted for me."
Sam Fender has rapidly built up a solid fanbase over the past year. The Newcastle-based singer-songwriter covers social and political themes in his music, drawing on his experience of growing up in the north east of England.
He said: "I've been watching the Brits since I was a child, and my brother would let me stay up and watch them live, so to be nominated for the Critics' Choice award is crazy. What an honour! A big thank you to anyone who has put their faith in my music."
The 2019 Critics' Choice award winner will be announced on Friday 7 Decemb
Support free-thinking journalism and subscribe to Independent Mindser. The Brit Awards 2019 take place on 20 February at the O2 Arena in London, and will be broadcast live on ITV.
