Which K‑pop act is already in the 2026 Best‑New‑Artist conversation?

Which K‑pop act is already in the 2026 Best‑New‑Artist conversation?

Halfway through eligibility, insiders call the 2026 Grammy Best-New-Artist race the densest since Billie Eilish’s year. Nashville soul singer Tanner Ray leads betting after Coal Smoke Hearts topped Apple Music Americana for six weeks.

London avant-pop duo Velvet Circuit ride TikTok loops of their 47-second “Sleep Debt.” Latin rocker Carla Mora blends flamenco with riff-heavy protest; K-pop’s Prism9 scored 500 K U.S. sales on an English EP. Chicago DIY rapper-producer Drex tracked his album on a public-library iMac. Ballots open 1 August, and managers are already booking Grammy Museum showcases and metaverse listening parties to stand out in an unprecedented rookie crush.

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