When the famous band “The Chainsmokers” remixed Liverpool native EsDeekid’s famous song “4 Raws,” some may have taken it as a way to market themselves. EsDeekid, however, took no time to remove it from all platforms and tweet about his experience, “That chainsmokers remix is getting NUKED mate wow, please don’t remix my s***t and think it’s cool to release on all DSPs.” It’s for moments such as these that create respect for the UK underground and those considered overnight successes.
The history of the “overnight success”
Solidified in history as the catalyst to modern life, the internet was created on Jan. 1, 1983. With this newfound tool, people could share and experience whatever felt necessary to them. From cat videos to political opinions, the internet has an infinite plane of potential that spans globally.
However, no one could have guessed how lucrative and impactful the internet would be for modern art, specifically for music. One of the first instances occurred on Jan. 18, 2010, when a video swept across YouTube. This video would be the music video for Justin Bieber’s song “Baby.” Seemingly overnight, without regard to his years of musical training, a 15-year-old kid would become a global success, garnering millions of dollars, fans and a slingshot into stardom.
Years later, the internet-to-musical fame pipeline would become increasingly popular with the success of Olivia Rodrigo, Joji and Billie Eilish. The massive success of these artists created a phrase that would emerge, be tossed around profusely and act almost as an umbrella term for these artists who achieved fame almost instantly from this pipeline: “an overnight success.”
A changing landscape
Despite this path being unnecessary for their business, influencers are still willing to jump at the opportunity to make their own music, often leading to an oversaturation of another channel of art or income. Furthermore, with the introduction of TikTok and Instagram Reels and a focus on short-form content, more content is being pushed from bigger brands. However, with emerging artists from the UK underground, it’s different; they’re more concerned with the craft rather than another stream of income.
Another prime example of these respected artists is Vincenzo “Fakemink” Camille.
Growing up in Basildon, Camille started making music at 10-years-old, using FL Studio. She started rapping five years later at 15. With influences from the English singer and producer (for electronic music) Imogen Heap, as well as Kanye, Drake and Dean Blunt, who’s an English hip-hop producer and songwriter, Camille was able to create his own unique sound signature.
To market his music, he would utilize the importance of short-form content and the internet-to-music pipeline, releasing snippets of his music. Little by little, he would build a foundation for himself, releasing several singles such as “MAKKA,” “truffle,” “fever,” and an EP titled “Wild One” along with his first album, “London’s Saviour.”
As a byproduct, people were heavily drawn to this amalgamation of old and new artists so much that in 2025, when Camille released “Easter Pink,” he would gain nationwide recognition, only increasing from that point on with his first big commercial hit, “LV Sandals” with EsDeekid.
On July 12, 2025, Drake brought out Fakemink for the Wireless Festival, later co-signing him after the show. Additionally, the elusive Frank Ocean would take notice of Camille and co-sign him in late August to early September, as seen via the Instagram stories of both artists in Japan.
Another artist who utilized this pipeline was Travis “Feng” Feneley. Born in Purely, England, Feneley grew up listening to contemporary rappers, such as Kid Cudi and A$AP ROCKY, as well as alternative and indie pop artists like M.I.A., Foster of the People and Santigold. In an interview on the Chris Heyn Show, Feneley says, “[I like] people that make music that sounds like pop but is not really pop—it’s on the edge—I hate pop— if you’re going to make pop [music] don’t make it so sanitized.”
This differentiated view of music would be a clear influence on Feneley’s music. While every song is short, its bright and grimy production astonishingly pairs well with Feneley’s positive lyrics. Creating a unique sound that impressed American and UK audiences alike.
His first hit came in 2024 with the single “Devil horns in a halo.” It was later topped by three other songs, “Walk in the Park,” “M.I.A.,” and “XOXO,” heavily used as TikTok audios, further solidifying himself as another great name that emerged from the internet-to-music pipeline.
With all of these emerging talents, what differentiates them from others within the same creative lane or other UK artists such as Adele, Skepta, and Sam Smith? The answers lie in their creativity and their ability to take risks with the sound of their music.
The production is never polished or “sanitized,” it’s messy and crammed with harsh synths, lying on a foundation of heavy bass, tied together by less than understandable lyrics. This is heavily reminiscent of the electronic scene. Both put more of an emphasis on production rather than the lyrics themselves. For this reason, it creates a large division between the artists of the underground and mainstream artists.
The future of contemporary music
With the addition of rappers such as Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, 2hollis and OsamaSon following and pioneering a similar production route, the UK underground has quickly adapted and become respected in the American mainstream for their similar sound. For example, EsDeekid’s famously remixed song “4 Raws” remained at the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks and even caught the attention of Timothee Chalamet and was used for official marketing for the actor’s latest movie, “Marty Supreme.” While Fakemink and Feng did not receive this prestigious spot with their songs, their talent has been heavily exemplified on various tracks that swept social media.
2025 was a huge year for UK rappers, and it’s no surprise why. Due to their unique sound, prioritization of the craft, and innovative use of the internet-to-music pipeline, it was only a matter of time before one of the artists would explode.
These artists blew the manhole cover off the underground scene, unleashing a series of new wave artists ready to influence and work their way into the American mainstream. This begs the question: how long will EsDeekid, Fakemink, and Feng remain in the mainstream, and who will take on their mantel after they’ve left?
