Billboard Launching ‘Up & Coming’ Music Podcast With SickBird Productions
Billboard ·
The new video podcast, hosted by Billboard staff writer Kyle Denis, will treat listeners to conversations with music's hottest breakthrough acts across genres.
Billboard has announced the launch of Up & Coming With Kyle Denis , a new weekly video podcast that brings listeners behind the key career moments of some music’s fastest-rising new stars.
Built on the foundation of its hit “Up & Comer of the Month” franchise, Billboard created the new show in partnership with SickBird Productions. The first episode of Up & Coming will go live Tuesday, Nov. 10, on all podcast platforms.
Breakthrough alt-pop singer/songwriter Bella Kay graces the first episode, which was filmed in the heart of Midtown in New York City and chronicles Kay’s rapid ascent to fame following the release of “The Sick” and “iloveitiloveitiloveit.” The 20-year-old, Texas-born hitmaker also discusses navigating the prickly world of social media virality, how she went from college coffeehouse performances to opening for Noah Kahan in stadiums, and the making of her impressively incisive debut studio album, My Reckless Abandon .
Kay made her Billboard Hot 100 debut earlier this year with “iloveitiloveitiloveit,” which soared to No. 17, while also reaching No. 2 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and No. 20 on Pop Airplay. The gut-punching midtempo single previewed her debut studio album, My Reckless Abandon , which she co-wrote entirely with close collaborator Alexis “Idarose” Kesselman, who helped her nail a unique blend of indie pop, soul, country, electronic and rock. My Reckless Abandon hit No. 14 on Top Alternative Albums, with more than 385 million official on-demand streams through Oct. 31, according to Luminate. Nominated for best new artist at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, Kay has also spent three weeks atop the Emerging Artists chart.
Up & Coming will highlight rising stars across pop, country, dancehall, R&B and more, allowing fans to get a closer look at the artists behind the songs dominating their streaming and social media algorithms.
SickBird Productions is onboard as Up & Coming ’s co-producer. Founded by Jade Watson , SickBird is an award-winning global production company that has launched more than 20 shows to date. Notably, Billboard and SickBird began their partnership with the launch of the hit music business podcast On The Record With Kristin Robinson in 2025.
Since joining Billboard in 2023, Up & Coming host Kyle Denis has become a leading music and culture journalist, covering all genres and how they intersect with politics and business. This year alone, Denis launched a monthly franchise highlighting burgeoning Caribbean artists and hosted a red-carpet livestream for the Trinidad-hosted Caribbean Music Awards, drawing tens of thousands of viewers. He has also received honors for his work, including a Certificate of Recognition from New York State Senator Kevin S. Parker and a nomination for excellence in Caribbean storytelling at the 2026 Island Icons Honors. When he’s not hosting red carpets or penning critical reviews and essays, he also writes cover stories for Billboard , including profiles of Leon Thomas, Shaboozey, Latto, Vybz Kartel, Druski and Sexyy Red.
“From entering music journalism through my own blog almost 10 years ago to my current tenure at Billboard , I’ve become intimately aware of how easy it is for an artist — and the human being at the core — to get lost in the throes of a runaway hit or viral moment,” says Denis. “My goal with Up & Coming is to properly contextualize music’s hottest new names and get to better understand their influences, origins and long-term goals in a game that moves faster than the speed of light.”
“Music and artist discovery is at the heart of Billboard , and Kyle has his finger on the pulse of everything that is new and noteworthy. We can’t wait to showcase his findings to the world, ” said Billboard co-chief content officer Leila Cobo . “As someone covering emerging artists on a daily basis, Kyle Denis is the perfect host to highlight their stories for this series — let him power your new music discovery!” adds Billboard co-chief content officer Jason Lipshutz .
Diona DaCosta , head of content at SickBird and executive producer of Up & Coming , says: “We’re excited to expand our partnership with Billboard and bring Up & Coming to life. There’s nothing more exciting than discovering an artist before they become a household name, and this show gives listeners an inside look at the talent and stories shaping the next wave of music. With Billboard ’s unparalleled access and SickBird’s approach to creating premium content, we’re excited to deliver a show that keeps listeners one step ahead of what’s next in music.”
Listen to Up & Coming With Kyle Denis on Apple Podcasts , Spotify and YouTube , and follow along with the show on Instagram and TikTok .
Check out the official show trailer below: