QTheMusic.com

The 21st anniversary of The Awards next Monday sees the introduction of a brand new category for emerging talent - the Next Big Thing award, the shortlist for which was announced today.

The shortlist was chosen by a special guest panel comprised of Columnist Of The Year Caitlin Moran from The Times, Radio1's new music guru Huw Stephens, The Sun's Showbiz Editor Gordon Smart and Q Editor In Chief Paul Rees.

Next Big Thing - The Nominees
From a long list of 20 acts the panel have shortlisted the following six acts for the Next Big Thing award.

- Alice Gold
- Clare MaGuire
- Esben And The Witch
- Fenech-Soler
- Mona
- Murray James

(Click on each artist's name to visit their website or MySpace in a new window).

Commenting on the Next Big Thing, Q's Editor In Chief Paul Rees said: "One of our core aims right across the Q brand - be it magazine, online, TV, radio or live events - is to highlight and champion the very best new music for Q's audience to discover. Following on from the New To Q Sessions shows in January and the New To Q tour of May, the inaugural Next Big Thing award is a natural extension of this and something that will be accelerated still more in the year ahead. The winner of this year's award will be the band or artist Q believes to be the outstanding new talent of 2011."

The winner of the Next Big Thing award will be announced this coming Monday at the Q Awards 2010 with Russian Standard Vodka ceremony on Monday, 25 October at the Grosvenor House hotel in London.

The Awards 2010 - Get the latest...
Follow all The Awards latest, announcements, build-up, photos and goings on live online between now and the end of Monday (then of course there'll be the latest from the aftershow):
Q Awards 2010 with Russian Standard Vodka - Microsite.
Q's Twitter - @QMagazine.
Q on Facebook.

11:27 AM | 19/10/2010