Friday 26th June sees Vona Vella, Joe Little, Mookie and Tia Ice heading to The Hope & Ruin on Queens Road in Brighton for another installment of the popular Hidden Herd new music discovery night. These regular events always spotlight the most exciting emerging artists, ones-to-watch and hidden gems on the scene.
Lets meet the acts:
Signed to Pete Doherty’s Strap Originals label, Vona Vella are a Nottingham-based five-piece formed by songwriting duo Izzy Davis and Dan Cunningham. Blending interweaving vocals, wistful harmonies and timeless indie-pop songcraft, their driving yet dreamy sound has drawn glowing comparisons to Belle and Sebastian, The Strokes and The Coral, as well as Everything But The Girl and The Beautiful South. Since the release of their first single ‘Sun’, the band have been championed by BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio X, and have racked up millions of streams on Spotify. They’ve now released two albums – both of which were recorded at The Libertines’ Albion Rooms and produced by Jason Stafford (Jamie T, Sports Team, The Libertines) – and the brand-new album ‘Carnival’ has received widespread acclaim, including an 8/10 review from Clash Magazine. On the road, Vona Vella have toured with The Libertines, Pete Doherty, Tim Burgess and Morcheeba, and performed at the Strap Originals showcase during The Great Escape Festival last May. They recently embarked on their own UK headline tour, with dates throughout March and April.
Hazy and cinematic, Joe Little crafts songs that move between stillness and scale, pairing raw emotional clarity with a dreamlike atmosphere. Drawing from a wide spectrum of influences – spanning post-punk, folk and left-field pop – his music refuses to settle into a single form. His experimental style has been praised as “astonishingly potent” by Clash Magazine and championed by John Kennedy on Radio X and Emily Pilbeam on BBC Radio 6 Music, as well as BBC Music Introducing. Joe Little has built significant momentum across both the UK and Europe. Following a string of Brighton headline shows – including a landmark performance at Alphabet Brighton – he took his band on a five-date tour across Italy and appeared at multiple international festival stages. After recording a brilliant session for the Beach House Sessions, he also recently performed at their BHS Fest alongside some of Brighton’s best emerging artists.
Mookie invites listeners into a timeless realm of Folk Americana with a rock ’n’ roll heart. Drawing inspiration from artists like Fleetwood Mac and First Aid Kit, Mookie emerges from the buzzing city of Brighton while keeping her music grounded in the quiet countryside that raised her, creating something “a little witchy, a little rock ’n’ roll”. Her recent single ‘Set It Free’ was named Melita Dennett’s “Track of the Day” on BBC Music Introducing, and she has also performed on Guy Lloyd’s Slack City Radio show. Rooted in her spirituality, her sound is something best experienced live. Previously she has appeared at Tramlines Festival and as part of the official lineup at The Great Escape Festival, as well as on stages alongside Brighton emerging favourites such as Telecom, Lucy Darke and Veronica.
Tia Ice is a Hampshire-born, spiritual neo-soul artist based in Brighton. Making self-reflection sound sweet, her relaxed grooves offer a soul-lift, inviting listeners to pause, reconnect and take a break from the soul shift. Blending the beauty of jazz with the bite of funk, Tia Ice has been making waves across the Brighton music scene since September 2023 with her standout vocals and poetry. Performing alongside her newly formed five-piece band, she has already played Glastonbury Festival and supported Lily Knott and more.
Purchase your tickets HERE.
Author: Nick Linazasoro
Music Editor
