Katseye, Addison Rae, Lola Young and more light up pre-Grammy Spotify showcase
- News Blend 360
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
BY NEWS BLEND 360
Updated 9:29 AM EST, January 30, 2026
LOS ANGELES (NB360) — Leon Thomas and Olivia Dean delivered soulful performances, global girl group Katseye and Addison Rae brought electric pop, and Lola Young made a triumphant stage return.
These artists, along with The Marías, sombr, and Alex Warren, are the 2026 Grammys' best new artist nominees and headlined Spotify’s annual pre-Grammy party Thursday night in Los Angeles.
The event at the Lot at Formosa in West Hollywood showcased emerging talent from various genres and backgrounds. Each act performed three to four songs, introducing themselves to both new listeners and dedicated fans alike.
To speed up transitions, the stage rotated to reveal a different backline, leaving the audience guessing who would appear next.
First on stage was Thomas, exuding sensuality and swagger as he performed three of his hits, concluding with the popular “Mutt.” Consider it a preview from an artist Ty Dolla $ign previously described to The Associated Press as the future of R&B.
“I love y’all so much,” Thomas told the audience as he began to leave. He then reminded them: “My name is Leon Thomas.”
When the stage rotated a few minutes later, a nervous Lola Young stood before a set of vintage-looking fringe lamps, creating an intimate atmosphere for her four-song set. This was her first performance since September 27, when she fainted on stage at the All Things Go Festival in New York.
“I’m back and feeling better,” she told the crowd. “Thank you to everybody here.”
Her vocal delivery was powerful and full-throated, though she chose not to perform “Messy,” the single that catapulted her career into the mainstream.
“Take care of yourselves,” she said as she left the stage, a simple message with deeper meaning.
The rest of the performances were fast-paced. The Marías brought their Mazzy Star-influenced, bilingual dream pop, followed by Alex Warren’s anthemic radio pop with “Ordinary.”
Things got “gnarly” as Katseye took command of the room as if it were their own stadium. While other acts had complex sets, they opted for a bare stage, letting their hyperactive pop and athletic choreography fill the space.
Sombr’s pop-rock drew from a mix of nostalgic genres for the TikTok generation.
“I couldn’t get into this party last year,” he joked from the stage.
Spotify did not host the annual event in 2025 due to the devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires, which resulted in a very different kind of Grammy Awards.
In the end, there were two: Addison Rae and Olivia Dean. Rae delivered her sensual, hypnotic pop in a medley of “In the Rain,” “High Fashion,” and “Diet Pepsi.” She described the latter song as having started “so much for me.”
Dean, with her timeless voice, was a fitting closer.
The pair further confirmed what was already clear in this year’s best new artist class: an inventive vision and a diversity of sound can take you far.
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The 68th Grammy Awards will take place on February 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The show will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+. For more coverage of this year’s Grammy Awards, visit: www.newsblend360com/entertainment
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