The World Soundtrack Awards has named Mari Fukuhara, Paris Hurley, Hannah Peel, Kangding Ray and Sam Slater as nominees for its Discovery of the Year prize, which recognises emerging film composers. The award has previously gone to Gustavo Santaolalla, Michael Giacchino and Nicholas Britell, as well as more recent winners Daniel Blumberg and Jerskin Fendrix, whose careers illustrate its record of identifying talent.

The article profiles the nominees’ varied routes into film scoring, including Fukuhara’s classical, jazz and pop background and Hurley’s work as a violinist and live performer. Peel developed a distinctive approach mixing acoustic and electronic sounds; the supplied article text ends partway through her comments and does not include the profiles of Kangding Ray or Sam Slater.