YouTube Unveils Foundry’s Fall Class of 2026: Underscores, Zeina and 14 More

Back in 2015, YouTube Music launched Foundry, its flagship development initiative for independent artists. Since then, it has evolved into a worldwide springboard for musicians who want to build sustainable careers while retaining full creative control. Over 250 acts have come through the program, benefiting from financial grants, hands-on guidance from YouTube's partner team, preview access to experimental tools, and tailored promotional backing that reaches far past the video platform. The guiding principle has never changed: equip independent creators with what they need to last, without asking them to water down who they are.

Now the program is entering its latest phase. A fresh group of sixteen musicians, drawn from eight different countries, has been named to what YouTube calls the Foundry Class of 2026. The company says the selection was designed to span a broad mix of genres and local scenes, staying true to Foundry's long-stated goal of spotlighting original voices from around the globe. For a program that has already helped propel acts toward later critical and commercial success, this new cohort steps in carrying the weight of that legacy.

Why does Foundry's record carry so much weight? Because getting noticed is still one of the hardest obstacles for emerging independents. Streaming and social platforms have lowered the cost of distribution, yet cutting through an increasingly crowded market frequently demands either major-label support or substantial upfront money. Foundry aims to bridge that divide by combining funding with strategic visibility, letting artists expand their audiences without surrendering creative ownership. "Programs like Foundry function as a kind of accelerator for the independent sector, offering infrastructure that used to be available only through traditional label deals," one music industry analyst observed.

It is worth noting that Foundry is not YouTube's sole artist-focused project, though it is the company's longest-running and most internationally minded one. Its alumni now stretch across multiple continents and styles, from bedroom pop to experimental electronic music. That range has helped YouTube frame Foundry as an answer to critics who argue that major platforms profit from independent music without putting enough back into the artists themselves. The Class of 2026 will be counted on to keep that story moving forward, both as recipients and as evidence that the model still works at scale.

Here are the genre-defying artists joining the Foundry Class of 2026: