Resolution criteria

The winner will be determined at the 2026 Grammy Awards on February 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, broadcasting live on CBS and Paramount+. Final-round voting takes place December 12, 2025 – January 5, 2026. The market resolves to whichever nominee wins the Best New Artist award. Results can be verified at GRAMMY.com.

Background

The eight nominees are Olivia Dean, KATSEYE, The Marías, Addison Rae, sombr, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren and Lola Young. The category honors artists who achieve a prominent public breakthrough during the eligibility year, regardless of how long they've been active. Olivia Dean exploded with a top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100 ("Man I Need") and a top 10 album on the Billboard 200 (The Art of Loving). Leon Thomas was ruled eligible despite winning a Grammy three years ago for co-writing SZA's "Snooze." The Marías had a massive breakout year on the back of their 2024 second album Submarine and a major appearance at Coachella 2025. KATSEYE is a global girl group born from K-pop's training system, formed from 120,000 applicants who participated in the 2023 survival show "The Debut: Dream Academy."

Considerations

Winners are determined by the Recording Academy's Voting Members—a peer group composed of music creators including artists, songwriters, producers, and engineers. This is a peer-voted award, not determined by public voting or critics.