Her career is just beginning and she has already worked with Ed Sheeran, scored two Top 20 singles and been called the next Amy Winehouse – but who is the rising star, Skye Newman?
If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or tuned into the radio lately, you’ve probably heard Skye Newman’s voice or at least her name.
The 21‑year‑old South London singer‑songwriter has been building up some well‑deserved buzz over the past few months with her neo‑soul sound and honest, vulnerable lyrics, earning her two UK Top 20 singles. Fans have even started comparing her to the late Amy Winehouse – a sign of just how much she’s connecting with listeners.
While many people have only discovered the rising star recently, Skye has been working towards this moment for years, using social media to showcase her singing skills. Now, she’s having her breakthrough: standout debuts at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, and just this weekend, Ed Sheeran brought her out as a guest on night two of his Portman Road shows.
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Who is Skye Newman?
At a time when more singers than ever are putting out music, Skye brings something not all stars manage – vulnerability. Music seems to be her way of getting everything off her chest, and she did just that in her debut single, Hairdresser, making history as the first UK female solo artist in over a decade to see both her debut single and follow‑up Family Matters reach the UK Top 20.
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Hairdresser climbed to number 16, while Family Matters debuted at number 8 – a remarkable accomplishment for a newcomer. Fans on TikTok have flooded the app with videos explaining how relatable Family Matters feels – something Skye herself recognises as bittersweet.
“That song is very personal to me, but I also feel so universal as well,” she said in a recent interview. “I’m a council estate girl and I’ve seen and dealt with a lot of things at such a young age.
“It makes me happy and sad that people relate, obviously sad for the sake of people understanding that feeling and having dealt with that pain, but happy that I can write something that makes them feel at ease that they’re not alone with that issue.”
One lyric that particularly resonated with listeners is: “A line meant two things since I was like 5, starved cause his words but at least I’m alive, it is what it is – you call it traumatic but it is what it is, it’s just family matters.”
Her unflinching honesty about family struggles has resonated deeply with many, with TikTok users opening up about similar experiences in their own lives.
Who has Skye Newman performed with?
Now reaching audiences around the world, Skye continues to connect with her fans through regular social media posts, sharing singing videos and milestones. After performing with Ed Sheeran, she posted: “Getting ready to go out out with Ed Sheeran, I feel beyond blessed and honoured to be able to experience that yesterday.”
But her performance with Ed was just the beginning: she’s set to tour with Lewis Capaldi in September – something she says she “never imagined,” having grown up singing his songs as a teenager.
With a new single dropping on July 18 – her third release in under four months and momentum building, it’s clear Skye Newman is a name we’ll be hearing for a long time to come.
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