Singer-songwriter Jacob Alon has been named the BBC Introducing Artist of the Year 2025, marking the first time a Scottish act has received the prestigious award.
The award celebrates emerging artists who have made a significant impact over the past year with the support of BBC Introducing, often serving as a predictor of major breakthroughs.
Alon, a Fife-born musician who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, joins an impressive lineage of past winners including Arlo Parks, Olivia Dean, Tom Grennan, and Catfish and the Bottlemen – all of whom have achieved considerable success both in the UK and internationally.
Alon received the news as a surprise during a recent visit to the BBC Introducing in Scotland studio, 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 stated.
Alon also lauded the platform for providing opportunities to artists who, like themselves, started with little more than their songs.
“I believe in BBC Introducing so much as a force for good in this industry, that’s dominated by so much nepotism… and major labels pulling the strings,” they remarked.
“They just trusted the music.”
Raised in Fife, Alon taught themselves guitar as a teenager after discovering an old instrument at their grandmother’s residence.
They have said that music quickly became a source of joy and purpose, although a career in the field once seemed unattainable.
Growing up, Alon rarely encountered individuals like them represented in music, which made envisioning a future as an artist challenging.
“I wouldn’t have dared to believe in myself that much back then,” they reflected.
While encouraged to dream, Alon noted that it often felt as though they shouldn’t dream too big – a sentiment they believe is commonly shared by young people in Scotland.
They hope their success now empowers others to believe in their own potential.
“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 expressed.
Despite Alon’s achievements, their journey to music was not without its challenges.
Following a difficult period at university and a turbulent time in London, they returned to Scotland, performing throughout Edinburgh’s folk scene and living out of a van.
These early hurdles helped shape the intimate and confessional sound that soon garnered the attention of BBC Introducing in Scotland.
Their distinctive and ethereal style quickly stood out, leading to a live performance at Tenement Trail in Glasgow later that year.
In 2024, they performed at BBC Introducing’s national showcase at The Lower Third in London.
However, it is the past year that has truly marked a breakthrough for Alon.
They released their debut album, “In Limerence,” performed on “Later… with Jools Holland,” played the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury, and received a Mercury Prize nomination for Album of the Year.
They were also recognized as one of BBC Radio 6 Music’s Artists of the Year, solidifying their reputation as one of the UK’s most compelling new voices.
Reflecting on their win, Alon expressed pride in being the first Scottish artist to receive the award and acknowledged the privilege of representing Scotland.
They cite Scotland and storytelling as key influences in their music and expressed a desire to learn Gaelic and incorporate it into future performances.
Alon also emphasized the crucial role BBC Introducing has played in their career, describing it as a platform that provides encouragement and exposure when it is most needed.
“All these opportunities… all these life experiences have been so generously given to me, and to so many others,” they shared.
“BBC Introducing feels like such an essential platform in this crazy age, to just get a little bit of a boost.”
“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 an exclusive group of musicians whose careers were launched through the broadcaster’s grassroots network, signifying both a personal triumph and a proud moment for Scotland’s thriving music scene.