Singer-songwriter Jacob Alon has been named BBC Introducing Artist of the Year 2025, becoming the first Scottish musician to receive the prestigious award.
The accolade recognises emerging artists who have made a significant impact over the past year with support from BBC Introducing, often signalling a major breakthrough in their careers.
Born in Fife and identifying as non-binary (using they/them pronouns), Alon joins a distinguished list of past winners including Arlo Parks, Olivia Dean, Tom Grennan and Catfish and the Bottlemen — all of whom have gone on to achieve widespread success in the UK and internationally.
“They just trusted the music”
Alon received the news while visiting the BBC Introducing studio in Scotland last week, the very place where their journey with the platform began.
“BBC Introducing has been a companion along the way, like a friend holding my hand,” they said.
Alon praised the platform for providing opportunities to artists who, like them, started out with little more than their songs.
“I believe in BBC Introducing so much as a force for good in this industry, which is dominated by nepotism… and major labels pulling the strings,” they added. “They just trusted the music.”
Raised in Fife, Alon taught themselves guitar as a teenager after discovering an old instrument at their grandmother’s house. Music quickly became a source of joy and purpose, even though a professional career once seemed out of reach.
“Growing up, I rarely saw people like me represented in music, which made it hard to imagine a future as an artist,” they said.
Alon hopes their success can inspire others. “I hope that maybe someone growing up in a wee town in Fife… maybe someone queer, maybe someone who doesn’t feel represented… could see me and see that it’s possible,” they explained.
A journey shaped by challenges
Alon’s path to music was far from straightforward. After a difficult time at university and a turbulent period in London, they returned to Scotland, performing across Edinburgh’s folk circuit and even living out of a van.
These early struggles helped shape the intimate, confessional sound that would soon catch the attention of BBC Introducing in Scotland. Their distinctive style earned them a live slot at Tenement Trail in Glasgow and, in 2024, a performance at BBC Introducing’s national showcase at The Lower Third in London.
This past year, however, has been a true breakthrough. Alon released their debut album In Limerence, performed on Later… with Jools Holland, played the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury, and earned a Mercury Prize nomination for Album of the Year. They were also named one of BBC Radio 6 Music’s Artists of the Year, cementing their status as one of the UK’s most distinctive new voices.
Celebrating their Scottish roots
Reflecting on the award, Alon says they are proud to be the first Scottish artist to win and feel privileged to represent Scotland. They cite Scottish culture and storytelling as influences in their music and hope to learn Gaelic to incorporate it into future performances.
Alon also highlighted BBC Introducing’s role in their career, calling it a platform that offers crucial encouragement and exposure.
“All these opportunities… all these life experiences have been so generously given to me, and to so many others,” they said. “BBC Introducing feels like such an essential platform in this crazy age, giving a little boost when it’s needed. I want to protect that and keep it alive, because it’s kept me alive in a way.”
As the 2025 BBC Introducing Artist of the Year, Jacob Alon now joins a select group of musicians whose careers were launched through the broadcaster’s grassroots network, marking both a personal milestone and a proud moment for Scotland’s thriving music scene.