i-D's ones to watch 2015 part 1

​It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, and a whole new class of talent is in session. The following acts represent the finest in emerging talent, creating some of the most beautiful and brilliant music right now. Give it up for the new kids on the block…

**Novelist, 18, mic man/mc, Peckham**  
**The three biggest influences on me as an artist are&#x2026;**  
1) Lewisham. It's mad. M.A.D. It's such a mixture of good and bad. I don't hate it or love it; I just think Lewisham is sick. 2) My life as a whole. 3) Girls. There are so many girls in the world, how could you not be inspired by that?

**As an artist I stand for many things&#x2026;**  
but mainly, I'm a storyteller. I'm called Novelist because I like to tell stories.

**The first record I bought was&#x2026;**  
JME's _Serious_. It reminded me of myself. That's why I liked it.

**For 2015, I'm tipping&#x2026;**  
Little Simz.

[@novelist](http://www.twitter.com/@novelist)

**Marika Hackman, 22, singer-songwriter, London**  
**I have always made music&#x2026;**  
at age six I was writing awful, awful songs on the piano.

**I've been very lucky in my career so far&#x2026;**  
because the people I've worked with have let me do whatever I want. I've only been doing it for two years but I've already supported so many artists that I love like Laura Marling, Johnny Flynn and Alt.J.

**My new album _We Slept At Last_ is quite dark&#x2026;**and quite melancholy. It's not trying to be anything, it is what it is.

**The first record I ever bought was&#x2026;**  
an Eminem single. My mum was a bit horrified.

[@marikahackman](http://www.twitter.com/@marikahackman)

**Little Simz, 20, rapper, London**  
**Making music was never a conscious decision&#x2026;**  
it picked me. I've always been a performing arts kid, whether it was dance, acting or music.

**In the past year my life has changed quite drastically&#x2026;**  
I'm a lot busier now, have a lot more eyes and ears on to me, and feel like it's really time to deliver. My music has been evolving but I've still kept it true to myself. I'm not really a feelings type of person in real life, so it's my only outlet.

**In 2015 I'll be releasing my debut album&#x2026;**  
It's been a long time coming and I have a lot of shit to say. I'm talking about real things that everyone can relate to. I don't feel like there's enough of that. People are talking about what they don't have and feeding so much shit to kids. I wanna be an inspiration.

[@littlesimz](http://www.twitter.com/@littlesimz)

Stormzy, 21, artist, Croydon  
**A brief musical history includes&#x2026;**  
_Where You Been,_ a remix of Krept and Konan's _DWMT_ and _#Wickedskengma_n _Parts 1, 2 and 3._ Then came a cover of Justin Bieber's _All That Matters_, _Not That Deep,_ and winning Best Newcomer at the MOBO's and performing on Jools Holland. It's been so mad.

**_Not That Deep_ was&#x2026;**  
An accident. I found the instrumental on my engineer 6ix's computer. I never expected it to do what it did.

**My new tune Where You From is&#x2026;**  
so gassy. It's over Wiley's _BMO_.

**I make music because&#x2026;**  
my love for music is indescribable. For me there's no other option. I've got to make it happen.

**The first record I bought was&#x2026;**  
Giggs, _Walk In The Park_.

**If I could only listen to one artist it would be&#x2026;**  
Frank Ocean. No one will ever top him. His songwriting is so full of heart.

**My karaoke song of choice would be&#x2026;**  
Adele, _Someone Like You_.

**As an artist, I'm&#x2026;**  
carefree. I'm just about doing my thing, live and let live.

[@stormzy ](http://www.twitter.com/@stormzy)

Holly Låpsley Fletcher, 18, producer and writer, Liverpool  
**I write, sing and produce because&#x2026;** to do otherwise would feel inauthentic.

**I started producing&#x2026;**  
last Christmas on GarageBand.

**The three biggest influences on me as a musician are&#x2026;**  
1) My parents 2) Spotify 3) Kate Nash

**My karaoke song of choice would be&#x2026;**  
Lamar, _50/50_. I was a massive fan. I love Lamar.

**For 2015, I'm tipping&#x2026;**  
Shura. Fair enough it's not that deep, it's a bit of fun, but we need that.

**The song I'd like played at my funeral is**&#x2026;  
Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald, _My Solitude_. That means a lot to me.

[@musiclåpsley](http://www.twitter.com/@musiclåpsley)

Karma Kid, 20, producer/dj, London   
**A brief musical history includes&#x2026; **  
I started out recording bands with my dad when I was 11, but soon moved onto making my own music because I'm quite a control freak.

**As an artist I stand for&#x2026;**  
being happy and not selling yourself short!

**The track of mine that sums me up best is&#x2026;**  
Always. It set everything off, it's a feel good track that you can dance to like a nutter in the club.

**If I could achieve one thing in 2015 it would be&#x2026;**  
professionally, I want to finish my album. Personally, lose my tiny little belly.

**For 2015, I'm tipping&#x2026;**  
Zak Abel.

[@karmakid2](http://www.twitter.com/@karmakid2)

Text Hattie Collins, Francesca Dunn, James Hutchins  
Photography Matteo Montanari  
Styling Max Clark  
Hair Kei Terada at Julian Watson Agency.  
Make-up Jenny Coombs at Streeters using NARS.  
Photography assistance Nicholas Riley Bentham, Nicola De Cecchi.  
Styling assistance Bojana Kozarevic, Kristofj Von Strass.  
Hair assistance Takuya Uchiyama.  
Make-up assistance Mona Leanne.  
Production Joe Streeter at Streeters London.