Irish music stars CMAT, Fontaines DC frontman Grian Chatten and hip hop artist Jordan Adetunji have made Forbes magazine’s prestigious 30 Under 30 list of the “most talented and influential individuals under 30 making waves” across Europe.
Irish writer-director Ronan Corrigan also appears on the list, which was put together by judges including Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee and English singer-songwriter Sam Smith.
The Irish names join honourees including actor Harris Dickinson and singer Lola Young.
The judges noted that CMAT had topped the Irish charts and hit number 25 in the UK with her sophomore record, Crazymad, for Me, earning Mercury Prize and Ivor Novello nods. They also acknowledged her RTÉ’s Choice Music Prize-winning debut, If My Wife New I’d Be Dead, which they said showcased her knack for wrapping humour in sunlit melodies.
I’d been insured for just one week when I crashed into a shiny black BMW
Easter activities: 10 family-friendly days out and events to enjoy over the holidays
Hyrox, the soaring fitness trend: ‘You meet so many different people, all shapes, all sizes’
The Last of Us review: Prepare to be shocked by this compelling new season
“Need proof?” they said. “Look no further than her riotous 2025 Jools Holland’s Hootenanny performance, where she turned break-up anthem Have Fun! into a big band celebration.”
Grian Chatten, the judges said, “remains one of the most compelling voices in contemporary rock.” They recalled Fontaines DC’s 2020 breakthrough, A Hero’s Death, earning Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello nominations, while 2022’s Skinty Fia topped Irish and UK charts.
“In 2023, Chatten ventured into solo territory with Chaos for the Fly, which reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart,” they said.
The judges said Belfast artist Jordan Adetunji had “pulled off pop’s ultimate flex in 2024″, by writing a viral hit about Kehlani and getting the Grammy-nominated star herself “to hop on the remix”.
“The result? A global smash that topped the UK Hip Hop/R&B charts, hit number 8 on the UK Singles Chart, and went platinum in the US.”
They noted that by 2025, the track had earned the Belfast artist a Grammy nomination.
Spotlighting Ronan Corrigan, the judges said his debut feature film, Life Hack, starring Georgie Farmer and Yasmin Finney, premiered at SXSW 2025 in the Narrative Spotlight category.
“Corrigan’s previous work has been selected for both Bafta and Oscar-qualifying festivals, and in 2022, he won the Best New Director Award at the Kinsale Sharks,” they said.
“He’s also the winner of a Webby Award for his work with Boiler Room, and earned multiple UKMVA nominations for his music video direction, later directing the Coldplay video Tearjerker.”
Previous names on the 30 Under 30 list include Judge Smith, actor Florence Pugh and Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa. Normal People star Daisy Edgar-Jones has also featured, as has Leo Woodall, of Bridget Jones fame.
Behind the scenes, this process of building the list spans months of thorough research, evaluating thousands of candidates and examining details of their achievements.
The youngest honouree to make this year’s list is 14-year-old Aftersun star Frankie Corio, who starred in the film alongside Paul Mescal.
Other names include 28-year-old actor Ella Purnell, best known for starring as Rhiannon in the TV series Sweetpea and playing Emma in the supernatural fantasy film Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children.
Purnell also stars alongside White Lotus star Walton Goggins in the dystopian TV series Fallout, which follows her character Lucy MacLean in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles as she seeks to find her father.
British singer Myles Smith, best known for his hit song Nice To Meet You, also made the list alongside pop singer Mabel, rapper Big Zuu, also known as Zuhair Hassan, and actor India Amarteifio, best known for portraying a young Queen Charlotte in the Bridgerton prequel spin-off series.
The list spans 10 categories including social impact, entertainment, retail and ecommerce and technology.
Sports and games is also one of the categories alongside science and healthcare, media and marketing, art and culture, manufacturing and industry, and finance. – PA
