A 20-year-old TikTok star from Bath has won this year's BBC Radio 1's Sound of 2022.

Singer and music producer PinkPantheress was selected by more than 130 panelists, including Billie Eilish, Sir Elton John, Little Mix singer Jade Thirwall and Ed Sheeran. 

Previous winners of the poll include Sam Smith, Ellie Goulding and Adele. 

Jack Saunders, host of Radio 1’s Future Artists, said: “It was a fierce year for talent on Radio 1’s Sound of list this year and that shows you the quality of the winner, PinkPantheress.

Somerset County Gazette: PinkPantheress, who has been named winner of the BBC Radio 1 Sound of 2022 poll (PA)PinkPantheress, who has been named winner of the BBC Radio 1 Sound of 2022 poll (PA)

“Her rise through TikTok came at a time before everyone else had properly realised the app’s potential and she also applied this foresight to her music.

“Stirring a smooth melting pot of UKG, drum and bass and emo, with a good helping of mystery in her persona; everyone wants to be a PinkPantheress fan at the moment.

“She is a pop prodigy and deserved winner of Radio 1’s Sound Of 2022.”

So, who is the TikTok star who has won over the likes of Coldplay, Grimes and Lizzo? 

Everything you need to know about PinkPatheress

In her early teens, PinkPantheress was the lead singer of a rock band, which covered songs by My Chemical Romance and Paramore. 

The star from Bath began making music whilst at university in London, combing music genres such as drum and bass with pop and alternative rock. 

In December 2020, she started to upload clips of her music to TikTok after beginning on SoundCloud.

Her song 'Just a Waste' went viral on TikTok 10 months later and the platform named it the breakout track of the summer.  

She has since been signed for Parlophone Records and Elektra Records.

In October 2021, she modeled for Marc Jacob's Heaven collection and did three live performances in London. 

PinkPantheress said: “Thank you so much! I’m honestly gassed, my dad’s going to be so happy!

“This is kind of the reason I do music – it’s for other people as well as myself. It’s a great feeling and it genuinely does keep me going.”

Who else was nominated? 

Second place went to the Isle of Wight art-pop duo, Wet Leg, made up of friends Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, ahead of the release of their debut album in April.

Canterbury-raised, singer-songwriter Mimi Webb claimed third place after a year in which her music found new listeners on TikTok.

The top five artists for BBC Sound of 2022:

1. PinkPantheress

2. Wet Leg

3. Mimi Webb

4. Lola Young

5. Central Cee