FENDER ANNOUNCES FIFTH ANNUAL 'FENDER NEXTtm' CLASS, SHOWCASING DIVERSE GLOBAL ARTISTS INFLUENCING GUITAR TODAY

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) today announced the fifth annual class of artists joining Fender Nexttm, an artist development?program designed to elevate rising musicians that are pushing guitar forward in music and culture. The new artist landscape has been indelibly altered since 2020. The Fender Nexttm program extends beyond removing barriers to industry-leading gear and marketing tools, but also guides new members through the changing landscape of today's music industry. Over the last four years, Fender Nexttm has recognized and empowered talented artists who have launched into critical acclaim and commercial success including Sam Fender, Omar Apollo, Wet Leg, Blu DeTiger, Phoebe Bridgers, Ed Maverick, MAY-A, Japanese Breakfast, Anly, Madison Cunningham, the Black Pumas and more. This year, Fender Nexttm has expanded its depths of diverse genres that reflect the landscape of players globally.

"As we celebrate the fifth year of our Fender Nexttm program, we're watching many of our alumni achieve monumental career success. The ways in which artists find their rise are evolving and Fender is committed to evolving with them as a brand," said Matt Watts, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Fender. "We celebrate the new class of 2023 Fender Nexttm artists, who represent a diverse range of genres, cultures and styles with confidence that they will go on to lead, inspire and define the industry. Fender is honored to be a part of their journey."

This year's Fender Nexttm class includes 25 rising artists from North America, Australia, Europe, Asia and  Latin America that span genres, generations, genders and backgrounds, each elevating guitar in?their respective communities. After an open call and record number of 800+ submissions from aspiring musicians and A&Rs across the country, the 2023 roster was hand-selected by Fender's best-in-class artist relations team as representative of the future of guitar and the wider industry. As part of the process, Fender partnered with key industry leaders at record labels, management companies, streaming services, talent agencies and other music entities. Discover the Fender Nexttm Class of 2023 along with a curated Spotify playlist of each artist's top singles.

The Fender Nexttm Class of 2023 Includes:

• Dayglow (U.S.)
• Cafune? (U.S.)
• Jean Dawson (U.S.)
• Bartees Strange (U.S.)
• Adi Oasis (U.S.)
• Momma (U.S.)
• Wallice (U.S.)
• Yahritza y Su Esencia (U.S.)
• DannyLux (U.S.)
• Devon Gilfillian (U.S.)
• 49 Winchester (U.S.)
• Cecilia Castleman (U.S.)
• Luna Li (C.A.)
• Bratty (M.X.)
• Samm Henshaw (U.K.)
• The Mysterines (U.K.)
• Ruti (U.K.)
• Deyaz (U.K.)
• Tommy Lefroy (U.K.)
• Grentperez (A.U.)
• Ruel (A.U.)
• BREIMEN (J.P.)
• Chili Beans. (J.P.)
• Sunset Rollercoaster (T.W.)
• Wen Zhaojie (C.N.)

"I am so excited and shocked to be selected as a Fender Next artist. I know so many phenomenal artists who've been picked in this program, so I'm pinching myself a little. I've played Fender guitars for my entire guitar life. The first electric guitar I bought with my own little kid money was a Fender Stratocaster. I played that guitar in my bedroom, in my mirror, for many years before buying Teles, Jazzmasters, Jaguars, and the list goes on. I'm honored and extremely excited to work with a brand that's stepped up for me many times over and I look forward to the collab," said Bartees Strange, Fender Next Class United States.

"I'm truly truly honoured to be part of Fender Next this year. It came around completely unexpectedly!" said Ruti, Fender Next Class United Kingdom.

"I feel absolutely honoured to be part of Fender Next 2023. It's an absolute thrill to be part of this next class of creatives, to be able to share my music more intently with the guitar community. Whilst my skills aren't entirely the most refined, I definitely add my personality into each progression and melody I play," said GrentPerez, Fender Next Class Australia.

"Esta es una de las cosas que me hace sentir muy afortunada, ser parte de una marca tan importante como Fender, representar como una artista mexicana, gracias por la confianza, emocionada por lo que viene," said Bratty, Fender Next Class Mexico.*

"Fender???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????girl in red?Wallows?beabadoobee?SE SO NEON???Fender NEXT????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Chilli Beans.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????," said Lily from Chilli Beans., Fender Next Class Japan.**

"???????Fender Next 2023????????????Fender????????????????," said Sunset Rollercoaster, Fender Next Class Taiwan.***

Fender will drive increased exposure for the new class of Fender Nexttm artists through the brand's award-winning content, advertisements and select social channels which boast more than 13 million followers worldwide. Fender Nexttm artist benefits include:

• A welcome pack curated with FMIC items will include a guitar from the Player Series loaded with a commemorative gold pickguard, a Custom Fender Road Case and guitar strap, a Mustang Micro, a pedal from Fender's Hammertonetm series which will be selected to match to each artists unique sound as well as a PreSonus® HD9: Professional Monitoring Headphones.
• Amplification through Fender's industry-leading marketing efforts to bring fans even closer to their favorite artists through a social content series that will live on Fender's TikTok and Instagram exploring who artists are behind the music with rapid fire 'Next Questions'.
• Inclusion on Fender official?playlists through its music streaming service on Spotify and on Netease Cloud Music in China.

For headshots and bios for each artist, click HERE. Access additional imagery, including logos and a graphic with 2023 Fender Nexttm artist names by countries/regions HERE. To find Fender products or to find a retail partner near you, visit ?www.fender.com. Join the conversation on social media by following?@Fender.

ABOUT FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION:
Since 1946, Fender has revolutionized music and culture as one of the world's leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers and distributors. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) ? whose portfolio of owned and licensed brands includes Fender®, Squier®, Gretsch® guitars, Jackson®, EVH®, Charvel®, Bigsby® and PreSonus® ? follows a player-centric approach to crafting the highest-quality instruments and digital experiences across genres. Since 2015, Fender's digital arm has introduced a new ecosystem of products and interactive experiences to accompany players at every stage of their musical journey. This includes innovative apps and learning platforms designed to complement Fender guitars, amplifiers, effects pedals, accessories and pro-audio gear and inspire players through an immersive musical experience. FMIC is dedicated to unlocking the power of musical expression for all players, from beginners to history-making legends. In 2021, Fender celebrated 75 years of giving artists "wings to fly," carrying on the vision of its founder, Leo Fender and connecting players through a shared love of music.

FENDER (standard and stylized) are trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and/or its affiliates, registered in the U.S. and other countries. Hammertone and Fender Next are trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and/or its affiliates. All other product and company names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by or of them.

*"This is one of the things that makes me feel very lucky, being part of such an important brand as Fender, representing as a Mexican female artist, thanks for the trust, excited for what's to come," said Bratty, Fender Next Class Mexico.

**"I have always wanted a Fender because all of my favorite international artists use them, and Fender is my main guitar now! Many of the artists who have been selected for Fender NEXT, such as Girl in Red, Wallows, beabadoobee and SE SO NEON just to name a few, are artists that I love, and we are very honored to be among these great creators. As a band, we want to be exposed to various kinds of music and forge a path of our own. I believe this will be a great opportunity for us to engage with artists from different countries and broaden our horizons. We look forward to trying many new things with Fender!"    said Lily from Chilli Beans., Fender Next Class Japan.

***"We are honored to be admitted into Fender Next Class 2023. Sunset Rollercoaster is ready to take the Rock & Roll ride with Fender to the golden music wonderland." Sunset Rollercoaster Fender Next Class Taiwan.

SOURCE Fender Musical Instruments