HOT VOX Presents: ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL: New Blood Competition Quarter-Final
Out of the thousands of hopefuls that entered the Isle of Wight Festival New Blood Competition, only a handful now remain in the Quarter-Finals. These artists are some of the most exciting and promising acts on the scene and will all be competing for a coveted slot at Isle of Wight Festival 2026!
So make your voice heard and support your favourite act for their chance to perform at Isle of Wight Festival!
Mother Beck
Hailing from Leeds, West Yorkshire, Mother Becks songs are written about the wonders of their new home – London Town. Their highly anticipated debut single ‘Stranger’ connected lovers of relatable everyday lyricism to stadium rock chorus lovers. Since their first sell-out show in Camden, Mother Beck have run a string of sell-outs across the city, bringing new and returning audiences together in an energetic and intimate showcase.
Combining their love for big rock anthems and raw country driven lyricism, the band aim to hit hard and home with upcoming music… Drawing inspiration from Catfish and The Bottlemen, Foo Fighters and Sam Fender, this is only the beginning for the Northern lads.
LIZMNK
With distinctive vocals and an otherworldly sound, East London’s lizmnk creates rhythmic soundscapes and ethereal, incantatory lyrics. Between electro-soul, punk, and jazz, the producer draws inspiration from Sarah Vaughan to Massive Attack and Gorillaz. Since 2023, she has performed and headlined at venues including Tate Modern, Café Koko, Ronnie Scott’s and 180 Studios. Her debut EP Message From Above (2024, AWAL) received support from BBC Introducing, Brick Lane Jazz Festival and Foundation FM. In 2025, Lizmnk released Sun Is My Lover / Mirage, a dub-jazz-electronic double single praised by Oculate Magazine and Sister Midnight FM, and performed a headline show at The Old Queen’s Head.
Slydar
Slydar is a band from North Kent, driven by their passion for music, creating original songs influenced by their heroes such as The Sex Pistols, Arctic Monkeys, Oasis, Blur, and Foo Fighters. They all met in college and was put together for one of their projects, which was original songwriting. They then decided to pursue this beyond college and took every opportunity to write new songs and perform in various venues, including The Ship, Dublin Castle, and O2 Islington Academy. All they hope for now is for their music to impact people through their lyrics and instrumentation.
The 286
The 286 is a London-based band that brings together rock and pop influences with classical music, like a collaboration between The Beatles and Beethoven.
They will be playing songs from their recent album, available on CD and for streaming and download.
Dutch Combo
Dutch Combo is a punk band from Kentish Town, London.
