Mimi Webb finishes third in BBC Sound of 2022 Shortlist
BIMM Institute Brighton alumnus Mimi Webb has finished third in the prestigious BBC Sound of 2022 list. The list aims to showcase the most exciting rising stars in music, with the acts hand-picked by a panel of impartial music industry experts from around the world.
The annual BBC poll is now in its nineteenth year and has showcased and predicted some of the next global superstars since its inception. A 10-strong longlist is published each December, with a ranked shortlist, and the annual winner is announced the following January.
This year’s longlist for the Sound of 2022 was revealed on 6 December 2021. The acts nominated were Baby Queen, Central Cee, ENNY, Lola Young, PinkPantheress, Priya Ragu, Tems, Wet Leg, Yard Act, and Mimi Webb.
Past nominees include 50 Cent, Adele, Stormzy, Celeste and BIMM alumni; Ella Mai, Marina and the Diamonds, George Ezra, Tom Odell, Luke Sital-Singh, James Bay and Izzy Bizu.
Mimi Webb’s career so far
Mimi left her home in Canterbury at 16 to chase her dreams of becoming a performer. In an interview with the BBC, Mimi explained: “BIMM Institute was two hours away from Canterbury – so it was very intense and scary. I moved in with a host family and formed a new friendship group. But I kept saying to myself, “I want to be an artist, and this is the way I need to go about it. If I go two stairs up, I won’t be going back down.”
Whilst studying for our Songwriting Diploma back in 2017, Mimi performed at many notable BIMM gigs, including Latest, Komedia and The Concorde 2. After completing the course, she signed with New York’s Epic Records. Her debut single, ‘Before I Go’, was used by one of the biggest TikTok influencers on the planet, Charli D’Amelio, who shared the song with her 111.3 million followers. Now she’s gathered an immense 85 million Spotify streams, radio play worldwide, a live performance on The Ellen Show, a live performance on Top of the Pops and most recently, a top 10 chart position in the UK Singles Chart.
Her EP, Seven Shades Of Heartbreak, proved to be a breakthrough for Mimi. Her songwriting abilities have been praised by pop star Tom Grennan, who voted in the poll: “I think Mimi is a real talent, and definitely one of the most exciting breakthrough artists. Her voice and songcraft combined are incredibly potent.”
College Principal Martin Wright had this to add about Mimi’s time with us:
“Mimi was a perfect example of a hardworking and focused BIMM student who really understood from an early stage how a professional musician should conduct themselves in the industry. She worked so hard balancing recording in London most weeks and travelling from her home to attend college each week. The Further Education team speak very highly of Mimi, saying she was not only a great vocalist and songwriter but also easy to work with, down to earth and popular with all in the BIMM community. We wish her every success in the future, and we will no doubt see her join the long list of amazing industry guests that deliver our Masterclasses in the near future.”
You can find out more about our amazing students on our success stories page.
