Every few years, an emerging artist arrives who does not particularly look or sound like someone learning how to become a pop star. Chloe Qisha increasingly fits that description. The Malaysian-born, London-based singer has assembled a combination of sharp songwriting, nostalgic pop references and modern production that feels remarkably assured for an artist who only began formally releasing music in 2024.
The broader industry appears to have noticed.
Pop Influences Without Pop Imitation
Qisha has described her sound as “nostalgic alternative pop,” and the description works. Her influences stretch across generations, from ABBA, the Bee Gees, Talking Heads and Tears for Fears to Troye Sivan, Katy Perry, Rosalía and Holly Humberstone.
Rather than reviving one particular period, Qisha draws on the mechanics of classic pop (big hooks, drama, wit, emotion) while presenting them through contemporary production and perspective. The result has been a remarkably fast ascent.
From Newcomer to BBC Sound of 2026
After releasing her self-titled EP in November 2024, Qisha followed with Modern Romance in May 2025.
The recognition accelerated from there.
She was nominated for breakthrough honors including the Rising Star Award at the 2026 Ivor Novello Awards and, most significantly, landed on the BBC Sound of 2026 shortlist, placing her among a small group selected by music-industry experts as artists with major potential. That sort of attention can create expectations remarkably quickly.
For Qisha, the challenge now is converting industry enthusiasm into the one thing that fundamentally changes the trajectory of a developing pop career: a song that reaches well outside the existing fan base.
Why the Timing Feels Right
Qisha has an advantage many emerging performers lack: clarity. There is already a recognizable visual identity, lyrical attitude and sonic palette around her work. She does not need a dramatic reinvention to become more commercially successful. She needs reach. And in pop music, reach can change with a single release.
