Arlo Parks announced as Apple Music Up Next Artist

29 January 2021 - Press release

Apple Music today announced UK artist Arlo Parks as the latest addition to its Up Next program, Apple Music's monthly artist initiative geared towards identifying, showcasing and elevating rising talent.

As one of the fastest-rising singer-songwriters today, Arlo has captivated listeners around the world with her poetic mix of indie, soul, and pop. Ahead of its release, her highly anticipated debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams has earned critical praise, with the New York Times describing Arlo’s honest music as "a part of many pandemic survival kits." Across Apple Music, Arlo has been playlisted since early November 2018, starting with her first single “Cola,” and was featured across major tentpole playlists like New Music Daily, Unwind, Mellow Days, Study Beats, In My Room, Untitled and more.

“It’s so heartwarming to be given this level of support for my art by Apple Music,” said Arlo Parks. “I feel blessed to be part of a legacy of such unique and inspiring Up Next artists."

“From the very first moment I played Arlo’s debut single “Cola” in late 2018, it was clear to me that she had the potential to go all the way,” said Apple Music 1 host Matt Wilkinson. “Musicians like her come around only a handful of times every year, if you’re lucky. That’s why we threw our support behind her from the start: over the past two years, Arlo has appeared on my show talking about leaving school, performing live poetry, catching up just before her debut gig at The Great Escape Festival and trying to make sense of all the incredible hype building up around her! So as we kick off 2021, it makes perfect sense that right now, on the cusp of releasing a classic debut album, she is named Apple Music’s latest Up Next artist.”

In her moving Up Next film out today, Arlo recalls her childhood love of words and language, how tragedy inspired the Londoner to focus on helping others through her compassionate music, and introduces fans to some of the important people in her life.

Additional Up Next campaign moments include a Jimmy Kimmel Live! performance on January 28 and a sit down interview with Apple Music’s Matt Wilkinson, where she opens up about writing and recording her new album, pulling inspiration from real life moments and people and what it’s been like to come into the spotlight during the pandemic: “It's just so weird” she says. "You know, I would be on the phone, I'd be like live on the radio. I'd be doing some crazy interviews where I'd be like chatting to Phoebe Bridgers or whatever and then I just go down and play Scrabble with my dad.”