Celebs and Musicians for 2022: Mimi Webb and PinkPantheress

Ones to Watch in 2022: All the Celebs, Musicians, and Social Media Stars to Keep on Your Radar

Dec 17 2021 by Navi Ahluwalia

2021 was a wild year, but through it all, we had the gift of entertainment to see us through. It's clear that music, film, TV, and YouTube aren't going anywhere fast, and in fact, we're only finding more avenues to keep ourselves entertained and more celebrities, music artists, and social media stars to do the entertaining for us. The same goes for this year, and we already have a pretty solid list of people to keep an eye on in the new year, so stay tuned.

Thanks to TikTok, we discovered the likes of Mimi Webb, PinkPantheress, and Central Cee this year, all music artists who will undoubtedly make even bigger waves in 2022. With performing comes presenting, and we were definitely kept entertained by presenters Henrie Kwushue and Zeze Millz these last 12 months, both of whom are set to do some pretty big things next year.

Along with social media stars, we had an incredible amount of compelling TV shows and films this year, that sparked our love for up-and-coming actors like Juliette Motamed, Simone Ashley, and Mimi Keene, all of whom are likely to make a return to our screens in the new year, courtesy of new seasons of We Are Lady Parts, Sex Education, and Bridgerton.

Read on to find out more about our 15 rising stars to watch for 2022.

Image Sources: Channel 4, Frank Fieber and Matilda Hill-Jenkins

Priya Ragu

Swiss-Tamil artist Priya Ragu went from strength to strength in 2021. From releasing her debut mixtape, damnshestamil and performing at festivals and venues all over the UK to being included in BBC's Sound of 2022 list, it's clear that Ragu's journey is only just beginning.

Image Source: Appetite

Mimi Webb

Mimi Webb is an artist that gained momentum thanks to her TikTok videos, and her song "Before I Go", that was discovered by Charli D'Amelio. Since she first came onto the scene she's released her debut EP, Seven Shades of Heartbreak, performed in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, and made her festival debut at Reading & Leeds Festival. It's only up from here.

Image Source: Frank Fieber

Henrie Kwushue

Henrie Kwushue has truly made a name for herself when it comes to presenting. From co-hosting Spotify's Who We Be Talks podcast with Harry Pinero and presenting the 2021 MOBO Awards nominees, to hosting her very own show on Kiss Fresh, Kwushue's very clearly just getting started, and we expect to see a lot more from her this year.

Image Source: Getty / Tabatha Fireman

Bukky Bakray

If you aren't already, Bukky Bakray is a name that you'll soon be very familiar with. The actor was named BAFTA's rising star earlier this year, and her debut film Rocks was also given an award for its impeccable casting. Bakray also starred in BBC's new thriller series You Don't Know Me, and we're already looking forward to seeing what she does next.

Image Source: Prada

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Simone Ashley

Sex Education's Simone Ashley is about to become an even bigger star, as she'll be joining the cast of Netflix's Bridgerton in March and we anticipate that it'll seriously take her career to the next level. Already one of the most glamorous people we follow on Instagram, we're very excited to see more fabulous lewks and BTS pics in the new year.

Image Source: Getty / Frazer Harrison

Tems

Nigerian singer Tems was one of the most talked about musicians in 2021, and we don't see that changing any time soon. As well as making waves on Wizkid's "Essence" back in 2020, Tems performed a slew of intimate shows at Lafayette London this year, and we suspect she'll have her fair share of slots at UK festivals this year.

Image Source: Getty / Joseph Okpako

Mimi Keene

Since the third series of Sex Education aired in September, Mimi Keene was one cast member that fans of the show couldn't get enough of. Whether it was her epic outfits or her redeeming character arc, we can safely assume that Keene will once again be a firm favourite in the new season.

Image Source: Getty / David M. Benett

Zeze Millz

Zeze Millz is, without a doubt, one of the internet's favourite interviewers. Her ability to get the most out of the person she's interviewing has not gone unnoticed in 2021 and for that reason, we expect to see a lot more from her this year. Earlier this year, Millz made her film debut in Aml Ameen's Boxing Day, appearing alongside Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and so we imagine that more TV and film appearances are likely to be on the cards for her next year.

Image Source: Getty / Stuart C. Wilson

Mae Muller

The ever-unapologetic Mae Muller achieved some seriously impressive milestones in 2021, and we've loved watching her journey unfold. She's performed at festivals, worked with Puma, and even collaborated with beauty brand MeMeMe in 2021, and her features with Billen Ted and Neiked have seen her played relentlessly on BBC Radio 1. We look forward to hearing plenty more tracks from her this year.

Image Source: MeMeMe

Krystal Versace

Krystal Versace made her-story in 2021 when she was crowned the youngest winner of RuPaul's Drag Race ever, (not just the UK edition). Versace stunned fans of the show with her killer outfits, flawless makeup, and her tenacity, and we can't wait to see what she does next.

Image Source: ITV

Enny

British rapper Enny is best known for her 2020 single "Peng Black Girls", which was later re-recorded for a remix with Jorja Smith. She's been nominated for "Female Artist of the Year" at this year's GRM Rated Awards, and we imagine she'll be kicking off 2022 with some brand new music.

Image Source: Getty / Ian West - PA Images

PinkPantheress

TikTok star PinkPantheress began releasing music on Christmas Day in 2020, and since then she's only gotten bigger and better. One debut mixtape and three sold out shows later, it's clear that PinkPantheress's journey is only just beginning. An artist whose genre-bending tunes and elusive nature will certainly continue to mystify fans all the way into the new year.

Image Source: Jesse Crankson

Amelia Dimoldenberg

True fans of Amelia Dimoldenberg will know that she's been working hard at Chicken Shop Date for quite some time, but it appears that 2021 was the year that changed it all. Recently releasing an episode that featured Ed Sheeran, Dimoldenberg's brand has only grown these last 12 months, and after announcing a brand new Channel 4 series, it's clear that it's only going to continue growing.

Image Source: Gumtree

Juliette Motamed

One of the breakout stars of Channel 4's hysterical music comedy, We Are Lady Parts, Juliette Motamed is set to do big things this year. Since the show has been confirmed to return for a second season, we expect to see a lot more from Motamed and the cast.

Image Source: Channel 4

Olivia Dean

Since Olivia Dean released her "Growth" EP in early 2021, she's performed all over the UK, attended countless fashion shows, and was listed Amazon's breakthrough artist of the year. We look forward to hearing more from Dean for years to come.

Image Source: Olivia LiFungula