Five bands and artists you might not have heard of with upcoming Scottish gigs including Ethel Cain

Ethel Cain performs onstage at Coachella 2023. Image: Getty

From homegrown newcomers to American artists on tour, here are five lesser-known musicians playing in Scotland in 2023.

Music is a highly subjective topic, but sometimes all it takes is a little push to find what you like.

And with plenty of musicians descending on Scotland from all across the world – especially with festivals such as Connect and Trnsmt on the horizon – there’s no better time to find your new favourite artist.

Whether you like pop or rock, here are five artists coming to Scotland in 2023 worth listening to.

Fletcher performs at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville. Image: Getty

Ethel Cain

American artist Hayden Anhedönia released her debut album Preacher’s Daughter with her gloomy Ethel Cain persona last year. A unique concept album which tells the story of Cain, a young girl in the rural US who runs away from home only to meet a gruesome end.

Cain will play SWG3 in Glasgow on Tuesday August 29, and her song American Teenager is a dreamy pop introduction to her work.

Georgia

Playing Room 2 in Glasgow on November 22, Georgia is one of those artists who you may have heard without knowing about it. With synth-pop songs such as and Started Out, it’s hard to resist dancing when she comes on.

Georgia has even made an appearance in video games, recording a Simlish version of her song About Work The Dancefloor for The Sims 4.

Fletcher

American artist Fletcher is making waves across the world, with popular singles such as Undrunk, Cherry and Bitter alongside an appearance on stage with Miley Cyrus.

Her tour will take her to the O2 Academy in Glasgow on Monday November 6.

Dead Pony

While there are already many well-known Scottish bands, up and coming Glasgow four-piece Dead Pony are well worth a listen.

The indie-rock band lean more into post-punk territory and their song 23, Never Me is an exciting glimpse into their sound. Dead Pony will also play across Scotland, with dates in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness.

Stone

Liverpool band Stone can perhaps be described best by the word unapologetic. Their Spotify describes them as “The underground voice for the lost youth”, which their song I Gotta Feeling reflects.

The band will play The Garage in Glasgow on Sunday October 8.