Youth Music

Maple Ward

Maple Ward is a singer-songwriter based in Norwich, originally from Southampton. She performs regularly across East Anglia, and has previously performed at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, and Latitude Festival.

Maddie Ashman

Maddie Ashman is a singer-songwriter and composer based in the South East of England. She reached 3rd place in the International Microtonal Guitar Competition, as well as runner-up in BBC's Live Lounge Competition, and her music has been performed by Del Sol Quartet at the Pacific Pythagorean Music Festival. She has also created an audiovisual installation at Aldeburgh Festival, which was later shown at COP-27 and Dartington's Thrive Festival. Her music has received praise from artists and tastemakers including Floating Points, Nico Muhly, Tom Grennan, and BBC Introducing, who named her track '6AM' their Track of the Week. Furthermore, she has performed across the UK and Europe, including at Latitude Festival, in Amsterdam, and Madrid; and has opened shows for Alfie Templeman, Tom Rosenthal and Tom Robinson, among others.

M. Yesekaon

M. Yesekaon is a hip-hop artist from North Wales. He has received support from Beacons Cymru via their Honey Sessions, and was named a Future Disruptor for his work in the North Welsh music industry. His music has also received repeated recognition from BBC Introducing.

Livvy K

Livvy K is a singer, actress, model and presenter from Manchester. This year, she has worked on campaigns for Superdrug, Boohoo, Primark, British Fashion Council, and more. In October 2024, she was a host of our Youth Music Awards, and she supported Morgan on her UK tour in the same year.

Callum Kershaw

Callum Kershaw is a graphic designer, producer and DJ from Lancaster, who currently resides in Glasgow. He currently designs and art-directs for a variety of club nights around the UK. He is also the founder of Lune, a non-hierarchical record label and creative platform which works in distributing music and publications, and organising events. Lune aims to provide a collective outlet for marginalised/peripheral artists and divergent, genreless music.

JusHarry

JusHarry is a rapper and songwriter based in Scotland. His songs have been played across radio by BBC, Kiss Fresh and Reprezent, and he has toured across the UK and Europe - including in Glasgow, Aberdeen, and at New Skool Rules Festival in Rotterdam.

James Gillaspy

James Gillaspy is a music industry professional based in Merseyside. He works at local music venue Future Yard, organises DIY gigs with his self-founded company Odd Productions, and is the founder of AGAIN - a business which sources second-hand clothing to use as zero-waste, low-cost artist merchandise. AGAIN has been piloted at The Great Escape Festival, and has had a lot of success with individual artists, many of whom have sold out all their AGAIN merch in one gig.

Icey Stanley

Icey Stanley is a British-Zimbabwean artist based in Coventry. He raps, sings and writes songs; he is also the founder of the media studio, Ode Creatives. To date, he has racked up hundreds of thousands of views on his YouTube videos, and over 700,000 streams on Spotify. He has also completed five tours around the UK, and worked with established artists including Paigey Cakey and Ironik.

Hannah Paloma

Hannah Paloma is a Welsh singer-songwriter and composer. She has previously worked with Ty Cerdd, produced bilingual songs in collaboration with other Welsh artists including Eädyth, and worked with Tredegar Brass Band at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival. She has also received support from BBC 6 Music with Tom Robinson.

Freddy Gillmore

Freddy Gillmore is an alt-rock singer/songwriter based in Manchester. He frequently performs in the local music scene in addition to promoting gigs for other artists, and has headlined the Deaf Institute. He is currently working on his latest EP with the support of the NextGen Fund, which is due to release in 2025 alongside a launch show.

Frankie Jobling

Frankie Jobling is a neo-soul artist from Newcastle. She has performed at Kendall Calling and opened for The Pharcyde at their sold-out Boiler Shop show, been supported by We Make Culture and The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, and received praise and plays from Wonderland Magazine, BBC Introducing, ColorsXStudio and Deezer Editorial.

Eli Ellis

Eli Ellis is a musician, producer and mixing engineer currently based in Nottingham. He is currently working on a series of R&B/soul singles with the support of the NextGen Fund, which he will be writing, producing, mixing and mastering himself.

Ekkinz

Ekkinz is a Manchester-based producer and creative. He has curated his own club night, hosted a successful radio series across multiple stations, and created a conceptual hybrid live performance of his work. With the support of the NextGen Fund, he has been working towards releasing his self-produced EP 'Glimmer'.

DJ PEBZ

DJ PEBZ is a DJ from London, and the founder of Square 1 Sessions. S1S is a music platform for young people in East London who are aspiring artists, where they can create their own music, meet new people and get insights into the music industry.

DEELA

DEELA is a Nigerian artist who has recently released her NextGen Funded album, ‘Good Girl No Dey Pay’. She has collaborated with renowned artists including Flo Milli, Coco and Clair Clair, BXKS and Len; and performed around the world from London (Southbank Centre), to Lagos, to Toronto.

Cherry Seraph

Cherry Seraph is a musician and music producer from Bradford. She has performed across the UK and in Paris, has had support from Help Musicians, Launchpad and Bradford Producing Hub, and had press support across channels including BBC Introducing.

Charlotte Forman

Charlotte Forman is a singer based in North East England. She has received media attention in local and national newspapers, had clips of hers go viral on TikTok, and received further plaudits from BBC Introducing, Mark Ronson and The Script.

Catriona Bourne

Catriona Bourne is a singer and multi-instrumentalist from the West Midlands. She has composed a series of five songs for the electric harp, electric guitar, drumkit and bass, which the NextGen Fund will be supporting her to release as an EP this year. She will then be looking to take this EP on tour, at jazz and folk festivals across the UK.

Branwell Black

Branwell Black is a musician based in London. They have performed at Croydon Pride, Liverpool Sound City Festival, O2 Academy Islington, Camden Assembly and headlined 93 Feet East. Also a model, they have modelled for Vogue Italia, London Fashion Week, and more.

Boo

Boo is a musician and DJ, and the founder of Ghetec, a label and club night which platforms local artists. She has been named one of BBC Radio 1's 'Next Wave Future Artists', has received support from Jaguar on BBC, and performed at BBC's Big Weekend in May 2024. She has also previously collaborated with Boiler Room, and has booked big names for her shows including OK Williams and Elijah.

Blades

Blades is a singer, songwriter and producer from Leeds. The NextGen Fund is currently supporting her to produce and release her first EP, followed by a release show.

Athena Aperta

Athena Aperta is a singer and songwriter from South West England. They have been a finalist for the Fred Perry x Nicholas Daley Music Grant, organised music events across the UK, and performed around Europe - including Luxembourg, Berlin and Switzerland.

Ambrose Hill

Ambrose Hill is a British-born, Nigerian Afro-fusion artist and producer. They experiment with genre-specific sounds and niches to create unique Afrobeat soundscapes, which leap across geographical and sonic borders. With the support of the NextGen Fund, they are currently working on their latest EP, 'Silent Paparazzi', which repackages their lived experience of intense paranoid psychosis into the story of a star, who is constantly watched by the world but never acknowledged for their gifts.

Alex James

Alex James is a singer based in North East England, and the frontman of Alex James Band - the world's first alternative rock band fronted by a musician with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Alex turns his pain into triumph as he takes to the stage in his electric wheelchair, inspiring others to share their art (especially those who are disabled) and calling attention to the need for widespread accessibility across the music scene.

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We offer funding, networking events, and paid roles and training opportunities for those who face barriers. Our goal is to make the future of the music industries more accessible, more diverse, and more creative.

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Next Gen

NextGen Community Events

Our NextGen Community events give attendees aged 18-30 the chance to connect with other creatives in their local city, listen to panel discussions from industry experts and watch performances from emerging artists.

funding

NextGen Fund

Grants of up to £3,000 for 18 to 25 year olds creatives (aged up to 30 for those who identify as d/Deaf, Disabled or neurodivergent) in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Next funding round opens 29/08/2025.