The Best Up-and-Coming EDM Artists of 2026 — Who’s Actually Breaking Out
The results edition: from Ninajirachi's AIR Awards sweep to SAPIAN's instant Beatport top five, these are the up-and-coming artists who actually broke out in 2026.
Back in March we published our Top 20 rising artists to watch in 2026 — predictions. This is the results edition: with two-thirds of the year gone, these are the up-and-comers who actually delivered, receipts included.
1. Ninajirachi
The runaway winner. The Australian producer swept five awards at the 2026 AIR Awards off her ARIA chart-topping album I Love My Computer, made her Lollapalooza debut, and released “WannaCry” with Porter Robinson — a co-sign from one of the most collab-averse artists alive. Nobody’s 2026 has been bigger relative to where they started.
2. MPH
The UK garage producer went from scene favorite to Skrillex collaborator with “Mirage”, played Lollapalooza and Outside Lands, and announced the biggest headline tour of his career, hitting North America this fall. UKG’s next export after Sammy Virji? He’s making the case.
3. AVELLO
Two EDMAs — Best New Artist and Breakout Remixer — plus the year’s most unexpected crossover: “We Own the Night” with Jordin Sparks, her first-ever dance release. We flagged him in 2023; the industry caught up this year.
4. Carlita
The classically trained cellist turned Ninja Tune signee landed a Coachella Yuma slot, summer dates from Cercle Festival to Cannes, and the SOFI TUKKER collab “Manhattan”. Taste-maker approved, festival-proven.
5. KILIMANJARO
A BBC Radio 1 premiere for “Stumble,” first-ever hometown shows in Lusaka and Nairobi, and “THE ASCENSION (INKAWAMI)” due in October on Capitol/Polydor. Afro house’s next headliner is warming up.
6. SAPIAN
Being the first signing on Prospa’s new Prophecy label would be a story on its own — “Reason Why” then cracking the Beatport Top 100’s top five made the 22-year-old the year’s fastest cold-start.
7. Rooléh
Amsterdam’s next one up: a Beatport top-10 record in “Want To Know” on NO ART, and a co-hosting slot on Pete Tong’s Global Dance HQ alongside label boss ANOTR before the single even dropped. The ANOTR machine has found its protégé.
8. Nitepunk
His collab opened Skrillex’s surprise album Soma, his solo single “Umbra” kept the momentum, and there’s a teased Skream and Benga link-up in the pipeline. Bass music’s most unclassifiable riser.
9. HorsegiirL
Laugh all you want — the masked farmcore phenomenon released a 15-track debut album on RCA with A.G. Cook production and launched a world tour that runs through fall. The bit is real, and it’s working.
10. Amél
The Afrojack protégé stepped out of the WALL Recordings shadow to launch Lunar Vision Records with “Send It To The Night” — the kind of bet-on-yourself move that separates careers from moments.
Graduated With Honors
A few names too big for this list now, which is the whole point: Mau P headlined Coachella’s Sahara tent and runs a Pacha residency, Sammy Virji sold out the Brooklyn Army Terminal, and Disco Lines rode “No Broke Boys” to a 24-week Billboard dance-chart reign. Last year’s up-and-comers, this year’s headliners — that’s how the pipeline is supposed to work. Check back in December for the full year-end scorecard.
