Warner Records signings Griff and Pa Salieu will be battling it out with Dirty Hit's Rina Sawayama for this year's BRITs Rising Star award that will be revealed on 3/19.

Griff is a British-born singer/songwriter with Chinese/Jamaican heritage who writes “blistering, sparse, emotional” pop songs. She released her debut EP, The Mirror Talk EP, in 2019, and has since released a string of singles, including latest track "Black Hole"—her biggest airplay record to date. Last year, she took over the Tate Modern for her second ever London show, was the voice behind Disney's first Christmas ad campaign, received a nomination for the Ivors Rising Star Award and came in. fifth place on the BBC Sound of 2021 poll in January. Management is Deleon Blake.

Coventry rapper Pa Salieu, who was crowned winner of the BBC Sound of 2021 poll earlier this year, blends U.K. rap with African melodies from his Gambian heritage. His debut mixtape, Send them to Coventry, arrived in 2020, and he's had widespread support at BBC Radio 1Xtra and Radio 1. He recently performed a slot on the Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, and has covered in Dazed, NME, Wonderland, Mixmag and ES Magazine. He's collaborated with fellow British rappers M1llionz, Backroad Gee and SL, as well as FKA Twigs, Yussef Dayes and black midi’s Morgan Simpson (plus high-end brands like Prada, Burberry and Givenchy). Management is September Management.

British-Japanese artist Rina Sawayama released her self-titled debut in 2020, which has since amassed over 100m streams worldwide, and received high-profile praise from the likes of Elton John as well as appearing in more than 50 albums of the year lists for 2020: New York Times (#2), The Guardian (#3), Dazed (#2) and Rolling Stone (#6). She made her TV debut performing single "XS" on Fallon at the end of 2020 and has a headline tour planned for 2021. After being deemed ineligible for the Mercury Music Prize due to a nationality clause, Sawayama spoke out and the BPI has since expanded the rules of eligibility.

The BRITs Rising Star shortlist is selected by an invited panel of music editors and critics from the national press, online music editors, heads of music at major radio and music TV stations plus songwriters, producers and live bookers—those working with new rising talent on a regular basis.

The award is open to British artists who, as of 2/28/21, have not yet achieved an Official Album Charts Top 20 placing or achieved more than one Top 20 chart placing in the Official Singles Chart.