YouTube has announced the Foundry Class of 2022, welcoming 30 new artists to its global artist development program. The Class of 2022 is Foundry’s biggest class to date, featuring indie talent spanning genres and continents.
Created in 2015, Foundry is YouTube’s incubator for independent music, supporting indie artists at all stages of their careers through annual artist development classes and ongoing release support campaigns. YouTube provides partner strategy support, marketing promotion, and seed funding for content development that can be used for experimenting with new music to diversifying video creation formats.
To date, Foundry programs have supported 250 independent artists, with alumni including Arlo Parks, beabadoobee, Dave, Dua Lipa, Clairo, ENNY, Eladio Carrion, girl in red, Gunna, Japanese Breakfast, Kenny Beats, Natanael Cano, Omar Apollo, Rema, Rina Sawayama, ROSALÍA, Saba, Snail Mail, Tems, Tenille Arts and many more talented musicians.
YouTube Artist Partnerships Lead Naomi Zeichner said, “It’s no small task to be an artist in 2022, working to find stability, fulfillment, and fans who get it. Foundry celebrates the courage of independent artists and the communities that surround them. Our global team is lucky to be their champion and reduce barriers on their journey, every step of the way.”
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For more on the Foundry Class of 2022, head HERE
Foundry Class of 2022 artists represent 15 countries, from the U.S. to Denmark and Brazil to Sub-Saharan Africa. Working across genres such as country, afropop, soul, latin urban and more, the new class of musicians includes:
- Amari’ Noelle (US)
- Ashley Cooke (US)
- ART (DE)
- ÀVUÀ (BR)
- BabyTron (US)
- BIBI (KR)
- Black Sherif (SSA)
- Bruses (MX)
- Danielle Ponder (US)
- French The Kid (UK)
- Genesis Owusu (AUS)
- Haru Nemuri (JP)
- Joeboy (SSA)
- Jossman (CO)
- Kader Diaby 4Real (FR)
- Kaike (BR)
- Kayan (IN)
- Magdalena Bay (US)
- Mehro (US)
- Nemahsis (CAN)
- Noor Chahal (IN)
- Obongjayar (UK)
- RIMON (NL)
- Roxane Bruneau (CAN)
- Skiifall (CAN)
- Snow Tha Product (US)
- Sudan Archives (US)
- Thuy (US)
- TSHA (UK)
- Yoss Bones (MX)
