A prestigious music award will honour the next generation of British and Irish talents.
Running for the second year as part of the Ivor Novello Awards, the Rising Star category aims to elevate the next wave of songwriters and composers.
All nominated artists will go through a year's mentorship programme featuring industry leaders, including Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers.
The winner of the award, to be announced in a ceremony on Tuesday, September 21, will also go on to receive an Ivor Novello trophy.
“As a producer my role is to create an environment where the artist, musicians and songwriters can be confident to give their very best,” said Rodgers, known for the disco hit Le Freak.
“I love mentoring and nurturing the incredible young talent they are accelerating the development of. They are the stars of the future.”
Here are the five artists, in alphabetical order, in contention for the Rising Star Award.
1. Allegra
The singer-songwriter is building a local buzz courtesy of smouldering RnB singles Spectacles and Excuse Me. She is presently working on her debut EP.
2. Rachel Chinouriri
Her blend of soul, funk and Afro-pop made fans out of Coldplay’s Chris Martin and actress and singer Michaela Coel.
Chinouriri, a London resident with Zimbabwean roots, is making her impression felt. Her recent debut EP Four Degrees amassed more than 2.5 million streams on Apple Music.
3. Holly Humberstone
The UK singer impressed thousands with her ebullient pop after supporting Lewis Capaldi at his London’s Wembley Arena show in 2020.
She went on to come in second on BBC’s Sound of 2021, a poll predicting future British talents.
4. Kamal
The Londoner’s sultry and spacey pop tracks, such as Homebody and Decline, have racked up more than 45 million combined streams on Spotify.
Kamal, 18, has also been cited by US pop star Billie Eilish and UK rapper Dave as a favourite.
5. Willow Kayne
Hip-hop, electronica and '90s-style pop defines the sounds of Kayne, who recently scored a major label deal with Columbia.
Her debut release under the agreement, Two Seater, has already positioned her as a talent to watch.
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
RESULT
Bayern Munich 5 Eintrracht Frankfurt 2
Bayern: Goretzka (17'), Müller (41'), Lewandowski (46'), Davies (61'), Hinteregger (74' og)
Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
