Glasgow's Alice Faye Soars to Stardom with BBC Scottish Act Win!

Alice Faye, a singer-songwriter from Glasgow, has just been named the BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year 2026. Known for her unique retro-pop sound, Alice was thrilled to win the award and described herself as being on 'cloud nine. ' She called it a 'fabulous honour' to receive such recognition. The announcement was made during a special event at Saint Luke's in Glasgow, where the five finalists performed live. This event will be broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland as part of the BBC Introducing in Scotland programme. The show is well-known for supporting new and emerging artists, and winning the contest is seen as a major step forward in a musician's career.

Alice started writing her own songs when she was still in secondary school. She said that winning this award has truly made her year and that she could hardly believe it. Along with the title, Alice will receive a recording session with BBC Radio Scotland, a performance slot at the popular TRNSMT Festival, and a public relations campaign to help promote her music. At the final event, Alice was joined by four other talented finalists: Katie Nicoll, Riley, J Wax, and Lo Rays. Each artist performed in front of a live audience, hoping to impress the judges and take home the prize.

The judging panel was made up of well-known figures from the Scottish music industry, including singer and presenter Shereen Cutkelvin, musician Hamish Hawk, international DJ Ewan McVicar, and Anna Shields from the band Dead Pony. The event was hosted by Stephanie Cheape and Phoebe Inglis-Holmes, who are also the hosts of BBC Introducing in Scotland. Since its launch in 2020, the programme has supported more than 500 artists across Scotland by giving them radio airplay, live performance opportunities, and exposure to the music industry. Victoria Easton-Riley, BBC Scotland's Head of Audio and Events, praised the high level of talent among this year's finalists and said that Alice is a very deserving winner.

Previous winners of the BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year include Bemz, Terra Kin, and Becky Sikasa, all of whom have gone on to achieve success. In November, Jacob Alon from Fife became the first Scottish artist to win the UK-wide BBC Introducing Artist of the Year award. Other past winners of the UK prize include Arlo Parks, Olivia Dean, Tom Grennan, and Catfish and the Bottlemen, who have all become well-known names in the music world. The BBC Introducing programme continues to play a vital role in helping new artists from Scotland and across the UK reach a wider audience and build their careers.