Octavian won the BBC’s prestigious Sound of 2019 award.
Octavian is a rapper who, thanks to the BBC, just went from homeless to award winning. Octavian won the BBC’s prestigious Sound of 2019 award. The award comes from an annual poll of music critics and industry figures, who vote on the most promising new musicians.
Previous winners have included: 50 Cent, HAIM, and Adele. Octavian had some steep competition this year too. He beat out King Princess and Rosalía!
Octavian spent most of his teenage years homeless. He gained a following after this mixtape “22” was released in 2016. Drake singing along to the single “Party Hard” boosted his profile further. He has been one of the hardest musicians to classify. The FADER called him a mixture of house, rap and drill, and Pitchfork said he combined R&B, dancehall and grime.
Octavian has been active outside of music too. He walked the Louis Vuitton London catwalk. We can’t wait to see what he does next!
What musician has the most exciting new sound? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter at @WhatsTrending.
