“We Must Protect These Spaces”: Sam Divine on Grassroots Clubs and the 555 Tour

At a time when UK club culture is facing one of its most fragile periods in decades, Sam Divine is returning to the small rooms that first shaped her. More than 400 nightclubs have closed across the UK in the past five years, with grassroots venues among the hardest hit, eroding the spaces where local scenes form, artists develop, and communities gather. In response, Divine launched her 555 Tour, a series of five-hour, open-to-close sets in intimate venues across Liverpool, Bristol, Brighton, Exeter and Manchester, created in partnership with Save Our Scene.

The tour arrives alongside “The Groove,” her new single and the first release on her newly launched imprint, 555. Stripped-back and built for the floor, the track reflects the instincts of a DJ shaped by decades inside dark rooms rather than festival spectacle. First introduced during her Tomorrowland main stage set in 2025, it has since become a recurring centrepiece in her performances, bridging the scale of global stages with the intimacy of grassroots dancefloors.

Framed as both a personal and political gesture, the 555 project marks a full-circle moment in Divine’s 25-year career. With £5 early-bird tickets and a strict no-phone policy, the shows prioritise immersion, accessibility, and presence—reviving the long-form DJ set as a space for storytelling and experimentation. The project also coincides with a period of personal transformation she describes as “Sam 2.0,” shaped by sobriety, wellbeing, and a renewed relationship to nightlife.

As the 555 Tour continues through March, Divine reflects on what grassroots venues made possible in her early career, what is at stake as they disappear, and how returning to these spaces has reshaped her understanding of the dancefloor today.

The 555 Tour brings you back to intimate venues for five-hour open-to-close sets. Why was it important to build the concept around duration and depth rather than scale? 

I’ve always been big on storytelling in my career, and I’ve approached my 5 hours sets in the same way. Starting off low and slow around 119 bpm and building it throughout the night peaking to around 135 bpm. That takes a lot of skill, experience, and knowledge. I wanted to challenge myself whilst giving back to grassroots venues. 

Being in the industry for 25 years I think it’s easy to forget why you fell in love with DJ’ing in the first place and I wanted to take myself back to when I was a resident warm up DJ . I was so carefree . I didn’t care too much if I made mistakes , I was really experimental.

There wasn’t as much pressure as there is now as a headline DJ and everything that comes with that. Selling out big venues is amazing and I’ve worked really hard to get here. This grassroots tour is about giving back to the very clubs that gave me a chance when I first started out . 

Looking back at the early grassroots clubs that shaped you, what did those spaces give you that bigger stages can’t?

Taking people on a journey is really important to me. Creatively there’s only so much you can do of that in a 2-hour set. A set can go in so many different directions depending on the energy of the dance floor.

This way I get to set the tone from early doors leaning into my 25 years of knowledge and experience. Revisiting tracks that I never get to play anymore that I wouldn’t necessarily play on a bigger stage. I also learnt DJ etiquette.

Really appreciating the headline DJ. I always wanted to do a ‘good job’ warming up. This is how I earned respect from my peers.   

In practical terms, what does a five-hour journey allow you to explore musically that shorter sets don’t?

Trust. My audience trusting me but also trusting my intuition. Around hour 3 I find myself reaching for records that sonically shouldn’t go together but using my skill to make them work.

Taking the dance floor in different directions seamlessly because I already know where I want or need to get to . Bringing the vibe down for a couple of records so you can take the energy back up again . Longer sets should feel like a full body workout.

Leaving people guessing where you are going to go next, so they don’t want to leave the dance floor. Longer sets are such a joy. 

Touring at your level can be relentless. What does a typical day on the road look like for you now and how do you consciously unwind after a show?

I’m still to nail the winding bit down. It typically takes me 2 hours to fall asleep from the moment I plug out to the minute my eyes shut. I do have rituals before I play though. I like to sage and clean the energy of my space and say a prayer. Whether that’s a green room or lately the whole club before a 5-hour set. Touring abroad consistently is just in my blood now.

Sam Divine sets the pace for 555 with new single ‘The Groove’
The first release on her new 555 imprint lands as the UK tour kicks off with a call to protect independent venues.

The days leading up to the weekend are more important than on the actual day. Making sure I am going to bed early, self-care, packing, checking in for flights, social media for the show and prepping music is all done in the days leading up to the show now. Sobriety has unlocked a new superpower of being organised so on the day of the shows all I have to do is catch a plane and play music.

That can be disrupted sometimes with delays etc but keeping myself calm and not stressed in those situations is paramount so I don’t bring that energy to the decks. 

You’ve been open about your sobriety and recovery. How has that shifted your relationship with club culture and the dancefloor?

Sobriety has been such a huge blessing in my life. I feel hyper focused and really In-tune with the dance floor. Things you might miss when you are under the influence of alcohol.

In addiction you feel numb a lot of the time. You remember places and experiences and how you felt but you are never truly present and now I feel more present than ever. The club is my church, and the dance floor is my saviour.

With more than 400 UK nightclubs closing in the last five years, what do you think is misunderstood about what we lose when a grassroots venue disappears?

The statistics are shocking and I’m saddened by this as I had no clue how bad it was and is the whole reason for doing this 555 tour.  Some of my favourite clubs have shut down. I met some of my best friends in those clubs. They hold so many memories.

When these grassroots venues disappear, we’re losing the very foundations of what our culture is built from.

Scenes are born in these spaces; headline DJs are born from these spaces. When they close, the loss ripples outward. Fewer entry points for emerging artists. Communities are shattered . These smaller spaces are the very heartbeat of our cities.

If we opened your record bag right now for a 555 set, what are three records/tracks that would almost definitely be in there?

Frankie Knuckles - Tears 

Sam Divine - The Groove 

Sade - Smooth Operator 

Name three women in music who have inspired or influenced you?

My mum. I lost her 2 years ago and she’s still inspiring me with music. I just collaborated on a record with Capri using the sample of Billy Ocean - Caribbean Queen. It was one of her favourite songs. From an early age my mum always had music playing and it’s inspired me a lot in my sets over the years. 

Lisa Lashes. Lisa was a huge influence on me in my early days. I loved that she had her own record label as well as being a badass DJ. She was breaking the norm and flying the flag for female DJs over 2 decades ago and she’s still crushing it today. This game is all about longevity. 

Annie Mac. I was listening to her radio shows for as long as I can remember, I found so much new music and new artists from her BBCR1 show . I love her before midnight concepts. Bringing wellness into the music space. Annie has inspired me that there’s no limits you can do as a mom in the music industry.

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SAM DIVINE’S 555 TOUR: Tickets

TOUR DATES

6th Mar – Move, Exeter

14th Mar – Joshua Brooks, Manchester

30th - Ministry Of Sound , London (new)

Follow Sam Divine 

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Music Supervisor Julie Blake on Building AURA and What Artists Should Know About Music Licensing

Photo credit: Joe Watson

With more than two decades shaping how music meets moving image, Julie Blake has built a reputation as a leading creative voice in music supervision, working across film, television, theatre, and immersive projects. She was previously a partner at Third Side Music and led the sync and publishing operations for influential independent organisations including Ninja Tune and Erased Tapes, building a career at the intersection of creative storytelling, catalogue strategy, and sync licensing.

At the centre of her current work is AURA, the UK-based music agency she founded to bring a more curator-led approach to music supervision and licensing. Working closely with a roster of contemporary composers, AURA pairs distinctive musical identities with screen and stage projects while ensuring streamlined rights clearance and tailored creative direction. The agency’s newly announced independent sync collective further expands this vision, assembling hand-picked catalogues from leading independent labels and composers across Europe and North America to provide music supervisors with deeply curated, sync-ready repertoires.

Following the announcement, we spoke with Julie Blake about her path into music supervision, building AURA’s supervisor-first model, and what artists should understand today about preparing their music for sync opportunities.

What does a typical day look like for you at the moment?

My day always starts with a massive cup of tea. I have a saying: “no decisions before tea”. I like to ease into the morning and strategize, identifying my top two or three priorities for the day before the outside world sets the pace. I try to tackle those immediately, which usually involves creative work like reviewing artists’ new mixes, demos, or upcoming releases.

The rest of the day involves playlisting, searching for interesting tracks for particular scenes or projects, and then I try to reserve any meetings and admin (like reviewing contracts) for the afternoon. Because I work across timezones from GMT to PST, I have the odd video call in the evening, but I’m pretty strict about my schedule and “life/work” balance is really important to me. There are way too many burnt-out leaders out there, and you can’t captain a ship if there’s no gas in the tank. 

Can you tell us how you first started working in music and the key early experiences that shaped your career path?

My career began in the '90s record store era. It was a nostalgic time when shops were the true gatekeepers of new music discovery. I managed both a record store and a musical instrument retailer early on, which gave me a broad knowledge of genres, gear, and experience managing teams. I also learned a lot about listeners and musicians - how to genuinely connect with them and fuel their curiosity to check out that new album or effects pedal.

A major turning point in my career was when I moved to Montreal in 2004 and became an intern at the record label Ninja Tune. That role evolved into leading the startup of their new publishing venture (Third Side Music) in 2006.

Helping to build that company from the ground up set the tone for all of my future work in business development. Looking back, it taught me the value of learning through observation, being highly agile, and that a determined, hardworking attitude is the foundation of success.

Vox-Ton Studios - Photo credit: Claudia Goedke

From your perspective, what practical steps can artists take now to make their music easier to license, both creatively and administratively?

There are a few basics that you need to get right if you’re pitching music for sync. Make sure the music has good production value (i.e. is properly mixed and mastered, broadcast quality is usually 24-bit 48 kHz WAV), provide lyrics, instrumentals (and clean versions for anything explicit), have stems ready, and ensure that audio files are tagged with metadata like mood keywords, contact information and ownership details.

Think about how many mp3s a music supervisor might have in their music library - you don’t want yours to be “track 1” by “unknown”.

Don’t pitch music you don’t own, control, or that contains uncleared samples from someone else’s work. It makes a music supervisor’s work much more difficult if they have to go to more than 2 or 3 rightsholders to clear your music. They have to really like that track and have ample budget and time to want to do that.

So if you’re working with a variety of collaborators or partners, try to make an internal agreement that allows you to offer streamlined sync approvals. Any publisher or label you work with should be your proactive partner, helping secure opportunities, and responding quickly to licensing requests. Ask about their track record.

Creatively, my top tip when writing music for sync is to make sure the song has a very clear mood and vibe. It should give you an immediate feeling and sense of place - we’re on a beach sipping cocktails, we’re in an industrial nightclub on a big night out. Songs that build are fine, but a sudden shift, like a song that starts off sad and becomes happy, or a song that is too short (less than 2 minutes) can make it difficult to place within the context of a scene. 

For people hoping to enter the music industry today, what is the most important piece of advice you would give them? 

Music is a creative industry, but it’s still a business. I think people starting out in music get impatient and want to skip right to the “glamourous” roles like A&R, producing, or music supervision. I’ve also found a lot of musicians in junior roles who then got frustrated to be supporting creatives rather than creating music themselves.

Be clear about why you want to work in the music business, and appreciate that there is a lot of administration and marketing work to do, especially in entry-level positions.

I highly recommend interning before applying at a company to see what roles are available, and which ones genuinely appeal to you. Be an avid listener of all kinds of music, a hard worker, and keep up to date on relevant trends which are constantly changing the landscape of how listeners connect to our product.

Photo & Styling credit: Meriana Crespo @streetsugar

What is one habit or mindset that has helped you sustain a long-term career in the industry?

I think my brutal honesty has been what has allowed me to create both very high quality relationships and music over the years.

You can’t be afraid to mention it when a violin is slightly out of tune, even if it’s on a recording that has already been mastered… Or to say a song just isn’t good enough (yet, or ever). Or to fight for one that you believe is too good to cut from a project. When people aren’t being fair, good, or trying hard enough, I’m also not afraid to call that out and/or stop working with them. I’ve had to let go of some talented people and partners over the years.

There’s a bit of tough love that has to happen to create high value work, and to constantly push boundaries, or people’s capabilities. Honesty for me is also just about being an authentic, genuine person.

When I walk into meetings with clients, I’m the one asking about their kids, dogs and what matters most to them in life right now, before diving into the project. Once I know where they’re truly at, I can meet them there, and I’m much better positioned to offer something of true value. 

What are you currently listening to?

Just for fun, I’ve been doing a deep dive into all of the music released in 1999. It was a mind-bogglingly huge year in pop and electronic music, with Moby Play, Genie In A Bottle, Hit Me Baby One More Time, Backstreet’s Back, Slim Shady, Livin’ La Vida Loca, Say My Name, and tons of amazing hip-hop releases.

That exercise lead me to rediscover Sakura by Susumu Yokota which has been on repeat this month. I’ve also been listening to a lot of music by a harpist I work with, Nailah Hunter. Her albums ‘The Pavilion Of Dreams’, ‘Sleeping Sea’ and ‘IYUN’ are a wonderfully relaxing way to start or finish the day.

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Julie Blake on LinkedIn | Podcast

AURA on Instagram | Website

Award-Winning Presenter Abbie McCarthy on Good Karma Club and Building a Career in Music Media

Award-winning presenter, DJ and tastemaker Abbie McCarthy sits at the centre of the UK’s new-music ecosystem, with a career built on trust, curiosity and long-term artist development rather than hype. Best known for her work on BBC Introducing, McCarthy has been instrumental in discovering and championing emerging talent, earning a reputation as a reliable first listen for artists on the cusp of wider recognition.

Her impact has been recognised across the industry, including induction into the Roll of Honour at Music Week Women In Music Awards and a Silver ARIA for Best Music Presenter.

Alongside radio, McCarthy has become a familiar face on some of the UK’s biggest stages, making history as the first woman to host the main stage at Reading Festival and fronting coverage from Glastonbury, Abbey Road Studios and major red-carpet events. A sharp, instinctive interviewer, she brings the same depth to The Eras Podcast, where she explores the creative turning points that shape artists’ careers, with guests ranging from rising stars to established international acts.

McCarthy is also the founder of Good Karma Club, a critically respected live platform now celebrating its tenth year, known for championing artists early and pushing back against pay-to-play culture.

Beyond music, her work extends into sport and culture through presenting roles with BBC Sport, Chelsea TV and major live events, reflecting a broader approach to broadcasting rooted in personality, credibility and genuine connection. In this Q&A, McCarthy reflects on how it all began—and the values that continue to shape how she works today.

How did you first get your start in music and radio, and what helped you find your path early on?

My very first show was on student radio while I was at Warwick Uni. Presenting immediately made sense - I’m obsessed with new music, I’m a big talker and I love getting to know people. Realising I could combine all of that into one job lit a proper fire in my belly and I started applying for work experience at the BBC and volunteering at both community and hospital radio.

I got to intern at BBC Radio 6 Music for a month and loved it so much - I helped with show notes, I got to see Haim play in the Live Room and be in the studio observing some of the absolute best in the business. My cups of tea must have been top tier because when my placement came to an end, I was offered the opportunity to work as a freelance Assistant Producer across the network. Quite soon after that I was on air presenting music news and covering my local BBC Introducing show too. 

What does a typical day in your life look like?

No two days are ever the same, which is honestly one of my favourite things. There’s usually lots of listening to new music, then there’s deep research for upcoming guests on my music interview series The Eras Podcast, curating lineups for my gig night Good Karma Club, calls / meetings, going to gigs, DJ sets and of course, some real life & silliness with friends and family in between. 

BTS photos - Mercury Prize interview - Cat Burns

What’s one lesson you learned early in your career that still shapes how you work today?

I was lucky enough to work with some of my favourite broadcasters as a producer before fully pursuing presenting myself, and they showed me two things that have really stuck - the importance of being a genuinely nice person and to always be authentic.

We’re in an era now where people are constantly looking for shortcuts, quick wins and overnight virality, but as hard as it can be, be patient! You’re learning so much along the way and when that dream opportunity arrives you’ll be more than ready for it and true authenticity always wins out. 

When you’re choosing which new artists to support, what makes you stop and pay attention?

Artistry. I want to feel something - whether that’s vulnerability, escapism or joy. It’s less about polish and way more about personality and intent. If it feels like an artist really knows who they are, I’m listening. A strong song will always cut through, but great artistry, world building and true fan connection is what keeps me invested. 

What inspired you to start Good Karma Club, and what have you learned about spotting potential in new artists?

Experiencing live music is one of the best things ever and I wanted to find a way to further support the new artists I was playing on the radio. When I was breaking into the industry, there were so many nights in London where artists had to pay to play, which is so wrong! I wanted to create opportunities open to everyone. 

Intimate shows are where real artists shine. They’re not hiding on a massive stage with epic production but showing up and riding the feeling that this could be the start of something. Honing their craft, building that confidence and road testing their music. 

The nights where you spot real potential and songs connecting in real time are such a rush, wish you could bottle up that feeling! I remember Olivia Dean playing at Colours in Hoxton for us and performing ‘OK, Love You Bye’ live for the first time and everyone in the crowd just looking at each other like ‘wow’.  

This year we’re celebrating 10 years of Good Karma Club! I’m SO proud of the night and the community that we’ve built & am excited to see where it goes next… 

Tips for anyone who wants to get into your industry… 

Don’t wait for permission, start! If you want to be a presenter, launch your own online radio show or youtube channel and learn as you go. If you want to be an artist, start recording videos of you playing your songs at home. Don’t wait around for someone to give you an opportunity when you can create those first sparks yourself. 

Honestly, shoot your shot babes! Everyone remembers what it’s like to be at the very beginning, and more often than not people are happy to reply to your message, share advice and help where they can. 

The most important one - never be anything other than yourself. Trends change, platforms come and go, the industry is always chasing the next thing, but if you lead with authenticity and integrity, you’ll always win. The moment you try to mould yourself into what you think people want, you lose the thing that makes you unique. 

3 things that you can’t live without in your bag. 

Headphones (obvs)

A notebook - so my ADHD brain never forgets an idea ! 

A lil snack - must keep the hanger at bay… 

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Abbie McCarthy on Instagram

Good Karma Club | LinkedIn

Artist Manager and Newspaces Studio Founder Agnese Ghinassi on Aiming to Build Longevity in Artist Careers

Photo credit: Johanna Kirsch

Agnese Ghinassi is part of a new generation of managers whose work moves fluidly across music, fashion, and contemporary art.  Based in Berlin and originally from Rome, she launched Newspaces Studio in 2025—a management and creative consulting agency shaped by her experience in artist development, creative strategy, PR, and fine arts project management. 

Ghinassi’s professional grounding was formed during her years at Modern Matters, where she progressed from intern to assistant and eventually into a key role as Artist Manager. During this time, she developed a broad operational and strategic skill set spanning artist management, PR and press, project and label management, alongside day-to-day management. Her work included supporting artists such as VTSS and LSDXOXO, handling press for clients ranging from composer Danny Elfman to producer and DJ GiGi FM, and overseeing label management for Klockworks alongside PR for Ben Klock.

Today, Ghinassi manages NYC-based transdisciplinary artist Agnes Questionmark, producer SALOME and Cuban-Spanish DJ TOCCORORO. Ghinassi’s practice also extends into the contemporary art field through her management of Agnes Questionmark — a contemporary artist working across installation, sculpture and performance. In this role she has overseen complex works including the 13-day performance CHM13hTERT & Cyberteratology presented at the 60th Venice Biennale, to name a few. This experience, together with her background in music management, PR and artist development, provided the groundwork for Newspaces Studio, which represents a curated roster of artists whose practices develop across different creative contexts rather than within a single industry lane. 

Your background spans artist management, PR, creative consultancy and large-scale art project management. How did you get your start in music?

I started as an intern at Modern Matters during my studies in Berlin. I was about to finish university, and in order to be able to write my thesis, I had to complete six months of practical work “Pflichtpraktikum”. I was studying Media and Business Psychology at the time, in German, (tough one). I’ve always been passionate about music, and one of my mentors, someone I really respect in the industry, suggested a few different companies for me to consider.

I remember telling her that I didn’t want to “just bring coffees or watch from behind” (very 23-year-old me ready-to-take-on-the-world phrase). The truth is, I wanted to actually do the work. That’s when she suggested I look into Modern Matters. I ended up leaving university without finishing my degree and stayed at Modern Matters for five years. I began as an intern, quickly became an assistant, and gradually worked my way up.

Assisting roles are often underestimated, but they’re where you build an incredibly broad and practical skill set. Working closely with my former boss allowed me to define myself early on as a generalist. I was exposed to many different sides of the industry from PR, press and label management, royalties, record deals to more administrative tasks like invoicing, tax systems, artist statements. That hands-on experience helped lay the foundation for what I’m looking to do at Newspaces Studio. I will always cherish that opportunity. 

Photo credit: Johanna Kirsch

From intern to founder in just over 6 years is a big achievement. Looking back, what skills or instincts proved most transferable as you moved from assisting to leading, and which ones did you have to actively unlearn?

As wild as it sounds, the biggest skill I had to unlearn was multitasking. When you launch your agency and start working independently, you want to do everything at 100% and feel in control of your business, your tasks, and practically everything around you. But multitasking doesn’t necessarily equal control; more often, it means doing many things at once and delivering them at 60, 70, or 80 percent instead of fully.

In assisting roles, multitasking is a powerful skill because the tasks are less decision-heavy. When you go independent, though, learning when to slow down, prioritize, and focus is what ultimately allows you to lead with clarity and intention. That doesn’t mean I don’t multitask at all, I just aim to execute faster and more efficiently. It’s a learning curve.

The most transferable skill, for me, was learning how to read a room and communicate with people coming from various professional backgrounds, from artists to agents, label owners, creative directors, business managers, and editors, etc. It taught me how to adapt fast, translate ideas across different worlds, and move quickly between creative and business spaces.

You’ve spoken about the importance of understanding an artist’s “message.” Practically speaking, how do you intend to help artists articulate what they stand for when that clarity isn’t there yet?

In my approach, I will aim to give artists a safe space where they feel supported enough to explore what they want to express, without pressure to adapt to a standard.

A lot of that can start with conversations, understanding their references, instincts, and characters, and what feels natural to them. I intend to help them through the process of individualising their strengths and how they want to convey who they are to the world around them. Once that starts to take shape, I work with them to find a structure that feels intentional and purposeful. 

I wouldn’t say it has to be a specific “message” , it's more about understanding what differentiates you as an artist from others, what you bring to the table, what you do differently, and leaning into that.

Practical examples of questions I would ask:

– What moves you?

– Why?

– Who inspires you, and who do you see as your peers?

– If you’re thinking big, where would you like to be in five years?

TOCCORORO Birthday During Fred again.. Event

Many artists struggle with brand collaborations for fear of diluting their identity. From a management perspective, how do you evaluate when a brand partnership adds depth to an artist’s profile rather than noise?

From my point of view, a brand collaboration adds depth when it’s genuinely aligned with the artist and develops in an organic way.

One way to ensure this is by building connections with brands the artist is already passionate about, whether that’s clothing brands they already wear or designers they admire, or production tools and platforms they already use in their creative process. The goal is for the collaboration to feel like a natural extension of who the artist already is, what they like, and what they want to represent, rather than something imposed.

Additionally, to make a brand partnership more meaningful and to ensure it feels like a true collaboration rather than just a ‘branded deal’, I always make sure that the teams involved, especially on the brand side, understand that they’re working with a talent who has a clear vision, aesthetic, and personal taste that needs to be respected and conveyed for the collaboration to be successful on both sides.

Newspaces Studio aims to establish itself at the intersection of music, art, and fashion. What do you think sustainable growth looks like in that cross-disciplinary space, especially when visibility can arrive faster than infrastructure?

As I start building my own agency, I’m realizing that sustainable growth often comes from learning, as a manager (together with your artist), when to say “no” to certain opportunities and trusting that the right ones will come back around. There’s so much pressure to move fast and capitalize on momentum, especially when visibility starts picking up and it feels like there’s a clock ticking in the background. But you don’t actually need to do everything at once.

Sometimes it’s more effective to slow things down, be intentional, and focus on what really needs attention at a specific moment in an artist’s journey, especially when working across music, fashion, and art, where opportunities can multiply very quickly.

Something I aim to work toward in my approach is longevity. Doing everything and being everywhere over a short period of time can result in being counterproductive and sometimes, maintaining a sense of exclusivity around an artist’s profile is actually one of the strongest things you can build. The goal I’m aiming for while building artists’ careers alongside them will be to keep things interesting and evolving in the long run.

Agnese & Agnes Questionmark

Mental health is often discussed, but less often operationalised. What does care actually looks like inside a working artist–manager relationship, especially during intense touring or production periods?

During intense touring and production periods, it’s all about streamlining communication and setting designated days off so the artist has time to properly rest. We try to organize the calendar in a way that allows for enough time off between work commitments, and if that isn’t possible, we make sure the artist can take a larger break afterward for example, three weekends of stressful touring followed by one week of no communication/deadlines & weekend off from touring.

In general, I usually avoid communicating with my artists on Mondays after a touring weekend. If something is really urgent, I’ll send an email. If it truly can’t wait and is career-changing or there’s a hard deadline, I might text, but Monday is a day off. We also try to lock in catch-ups once a week and avoid unnecessary WhatsApp communication.

It’s very easy to end up talking 24/7, so it’s important to agree on designated times, days, and channels for communication. Not only for them but also for you. The hows and whens however, is also something that needs to be discussed with each artist individually, as everyone is different and requires different kinds of care.

For managers or artists considering going independent, timing is everything. What signals tell you that it’s the right moment to make a structural move, rather than an emotional one?

When you outgrow things and realise that the places you’re in are no longer aligned with your principles or your view on things, that’s when your vision starts to sharpen and you’re ready to take the lead for yourself.

Agnese at Agnes Questionmark studio

In more practical terms, it’s when you realise you’ve learned and taken everything you could from an experience, and are ready to shape your own. 

What inspires you at the moment?

Industry: the way marketing has evolved over the past few years has been incredibly impactful. Looking at the campaigns behind albums like Charli XCX’s “Brat” or Doechii’s “Alligator Bites Never Heal”, Rosalia with “Lux” (her hair!!!!!) still stands out to me.

It really shows how powerful thoughtful marketing can be, especially when it’s connected to a clear artistic vision. You can feel when someone knows exactly what they’re doing and there’s something magnetic about it. 

Life: the concept of neuroplasticity. I’ve been reading a lot about it, and it’s been particularly relevant for me at this stage of my career. Books like Atomic Habits and podcasts (Huberman Lab) around the topic have genuinely influenced how I think about growth, habits, and long-term development. It has also helped me discover new structures and workflows that I now rely on in my work.

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Agnes Questionmark Exhiled in Domestic Life installation

Connect with Agnese Ghinassi on LinkedIn

Newspaces Studio | Agnes Questionmark

TOCCORORO | SALOME

Dialled In’s Mahnoor on Building Lasting Culture Led Brand Partnerships Through Authentic Connections

Mahnoor Hussain is a culture marketing strategist, DJ and the founder of SUP SUPPER CLUB, a non-profit platform using food and music to support displaced communities through storytelling, solidarity and cultural exchange.

Mahnoor’s cross-functional career spans music, social impact, travel, live events, lifestyle and night-time hospitality. She has held roles across major cultural institutions including Ministry of Sound, where she worked on global club culture campaigns, and most recently on the 2025 edition of Red Bull Culture Clash at London’s Drumsheds.

She is currently Head of Marketing at Dialled In, where she leads culturally rooted experiences centred on South Asian identity while developing brand partnerships that prioritise authenticity, community and long-term cultural value. Alongside her commercial work, she is increasingly focused on advocacy around ADHD, particularly for women working in dance music.

How did you first find your way into music and culture marketing?

I was always doing music bits on the side while working full-time in travel marketing. I loved being able to tell fun stories about exploring new worlds through a global lens. It felt really fresh at the time. But then Covid hit just as I became more senior in that career, which tanked things a bit.

When I pivoted into corporate marketing, I just wasn’t enthused by it. I struggled to stay motivated because the creative alignment wasn’t there. After being diagnosed with ADHD, I realised this made sense. People with ADHD are usually highly motivated when they’re genuinely passionate about something. So I decided to redirect my skills into something that felt purposeful to me: cultural marketing.

I self-funded my Marketing Week Mini MBA in Brand Management, applied for a couple of jobs, and landed my first brand manager role at one of London’s most iconic venues. That’s where I combined my traditional experience with my “creative lens” to help rebuild the venue’s cultural resonance. I didn’t initially think of it as culture marketing specifically - for me, it was about making campaigns as effective as possible by applying solid marketing and branding principles in ways that resonated culturally, made people care about our stories, and built a real connection with the brand.

What experiences shaped the way you now approach brand partnerships and creative strategy?

A lot of my foundational knowledge around partnerships comes from my time in a very corporate role at American Express, working on multi-million-pound airline partnerships. It taught me the value of strong relationships and having proper data and proof of concept behind proposals. It sounds elementary, but since crossing into the creative industries, I’ve realised we often prioritise “vibes-based” proposals over data.

My time working on airline and travel partnerships showed me how important data actually is. It helps brand partners sell the proposition internally, and with brand budgets becoming more competitive, that’s essential. You can then use that data alongside other audience research to build a creative strategy that genuinely responds to your audience’s or your partner’s needs.

My broader approach to creative strategy stems from a kind of cultural symbiosis: my experiences, my perspective, and my desire to try new things, hoping they will inspire me in return.

You’ve worked across everything from global club culture to social impact projects. How do you connect those worlds in your work?

At first glance, those worlds might seem completely different, but for me, they share a common foundation: Building authentic cultural connections and communities

My social impact work actually came first. That’s where I realised I could draw on my cultural fluency and people skills - being in different spaces and around diverse communities - to connect with asylum seekers, grassroots chefs, and aspiring entrepreneurs, and make them comfortable sharing their stories. Bringing people in through storytelling is something I’ve naturally carried into club culture spaces, too.

Global club culture is also deeply intersectional. It brings together people from different backgrounds, genres, and countries — sometimes experimentally — and a lot of the magic comes from uniting things that seem disparate. Whether that’s building line-ups across genres, working with diaspora artists at Red Bull, or merging chefs from displaced communities with artists of similar heritage at SUP?, I’ve learned that creativity thrives where worlds collide.

Diversity of background - in taste, culture, worldview - is a strength. It sparks creativity, empathy, and new forms of social engagement. Creativity comes from the margins, from intersectionality, lived experience, and the influence of multiple identities blending into something new.

What do you think makes a brand activation or partnership truly authentic to a music community?

Authenticity usually comes when a brand already has some organic visibility or cultural exchange within a music community, before trying to capitalise on it. Audiences are much smarter now. When a brand doesn’t have that connection, or doesn’t involve the right cultural creators, it shows immediately.

The most forward-thinking brands bring key cultural voices in-house, as advisors, collaborators, or sometimes colleagues. These are the people who can spot nuances others miss, understand the cultural codes, and translate meaningful insights into compelling creative work.

What inspired you to create SUP SUPPER CLUB, and what have you learned about using food and music to build solidarity?

SUP? was inspired by my time living in France, where I worked as a school teacher and used my English and Arabic skills to support young asylum seekers learning French. Hearing their stories and seeing immigration from a French perspective made me realise how little awareness there was in the UK, and when there was awareness, it wasn’t coming from the voices of displaced people themselves.

SUP? became a space where people could gather, hear stories directly from displaced communities, and break bread in a welcoming environment. We’ve worked with partners like Ben & Jerry’s and Refugee Week UK, which has helped us support displaced chefs while fundraising for charities I used to work with in France and London. My favourite thing is inviting people from the asylum seeker community to join us; the intimacy of supper clubs creates space for meaningful connection.

Music has always been part of SUP?, from darbuka performances at our Yemeni supper club to Syrian folk singing. I’m constantly thinking about new ways to help people connect with immigration experiences creatively, so I launched Paired by SUP? — pairing refugee chefs with musicians of shared heritage to create one-off menus together. Our first one, with Chef Majeda and Big Zuu, celebrated their Levantine roots and really resonated.

Food and music are incredibly powerful cultural connectors, and I’m excited to keep building on that. The next one is going to be very special, with an artist from South London and a community close to my heart.

You’ve worked on large-scale productions like Red Bull Culture Clash and grassroots events like Dialled In. What’s your approach to creating experiences that feel both high-impact and culturally grounded?

It can be challenging to balance scale and cultural grounding, especially if you don’t have the right people in the room. The first step is defining what “impact” actually means. It’s not just big crowds or flashy production; it’s resonance. It’s cultural integrity.

Scale and cultural nuance aren’t opposites; they’re complementary. You can do both if you’re telling the right stories and working with people who understand the culture you’re representing.

With Red Bull Culture Clash, we had a massive advantage because the entire marketing team was made up of people of colour, many with Caribbean heritage, who’d grown up with soundsystem culture. We understood the cultural playground we were curating. You’d be surprised how many cultural campaigns are built without consulting the communities they centre.

When that knowledge isn’t already in the room, you have to actively seek it out: research, speak to the community, listen, and curate for them rather than creating a simple spectacle. It sometimes means pushing back on global teams — for example, explaining why the “biggest” artist isn’t always the right fit if they don’t resonate with people on the ground.

Spotlighting bigger names alongside emerging talent helps keep things authentic and gives younger artists the amplification they deserve. It’s about crafting the right story, not the loudest one. Long-term cultural impact matters more than a one-off spectacle.

What advice would you give to emerging curators or marketers trying to create inclusive, community-led events?

Come with a collaborative mindset. Learn to navigate differences in opinion respectfully. If you want to create inclusive, community-led events, you need to listen to the community and understand what they genuinely want from a space.

Spaces like DAYTIMERS and Dialled In have allowed me to work with incredible people and build a shared vision — none of it would’ve been possible alone. Collaboration and mutual respect are essential.

When you’re creating inclusive events, you also need to consider people who don’t drink. If an event only works when people are intoxicated, it’s not actually an inclusive experience. The real litmus test is whether the space is fun, connected, and culturally vibrant without alcohol.

Keep your ears to the ground. The cultural landscape shifts quickly. What communities wanted five years ago isn’t necessarily what they need now. For example, when I first started SUP?, people wanted to share their stories and heritage. Now, in a much more hostile climate, many simply want a space where they aren’t othered. You don’t know until you listen.

And finally, community work is rewarding, but it is labour. When you care deeply, it’s easy to burn out. Set clear boundaries from day one. Many community-led projects happen outside your day job, so know your capacity and protect it.

You’ve been vocal about ADHD and women’s experiences in the dance music space. How has that shaped the way you work or lead teams?

I was diagnosed with ADHD at 25, so it’s only in the last few years I’ve properly understood how it affects my work. I’ve become more aware of how my hormonal cycle impacts ADHD symptoms — especially foggy days — and I now plan around that.

When leading teams, empathy is key. One of the women on my team also has ADHD, which makes open communication important. I try to understand people’s working styles so I can manage expectations fairly. In corporate spaces, I used to hide my ADHD, but now I’m upfront about how my brain works. It gives colleagues context.

I also get overstimulated easily, so I often wear headphones or work in a quiet corner. Letting people know why helps, although women with ADHD are still judged harshly, which speaks to how unforgiving society can be toward our symptoms.

I’m still learning, and I wish there were more accessible spaces to learn about ADHD - especially in the dance music world. I want to help create something more approachable than a 50-minute podcast: real-life, interactive sessions where people can take away tangible tools to navigate ADHD in this industry.

What are you listening to at the moment?

I’m loving everything by Amil Raja, especially his new track swings n roundabouts. His sound takes me back to my adolescence but still feels really fresh — very inspired by Mssngno.

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Mahnoor on Instagram & LinkedIn | Built By Sound

Daphne Oram Centenary: The Overlooked Pioneer Who Shaped Electronic Music and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

Daphne Oram giving a presentation at East Surrey College. Red Hill in 1980 - Photo Credit Keith Harding

2025 marks the centenary of Daphne Oram, the electronic music pioneer who co-founded the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and invented the Oramics system, one of the earliest graphic sound technologies.

To honour her legacy, nonclassical has partnered with the Oram Trust and the Oram Awards on vari/ations – Ode To Oram, a new compilation built entirely from Oram’s archive: more than 280 tapes recorded between 1956 and 1974, including material that has never been publicly heard before.

The release brings together leading and emerging electronic artists—TAAHLIAH, Marta Salogni, Deena Abdelwahed, Arushi Jain, Nwando Ebizie, Lola de la Mata, xname, afromerm & abi asisa, among others to create new works shaped directly by Oram’s sounds, processes and ideas.

Alongside the album, a live performance at the Barbican on 4 December, where composers worked with Oram’s original reel-to-reel tapes, custom-built instruments and the Mini Oramics machine. The centenary programme has also included a UK grassroots tour produced by the Oram Awards, supporting women and gender-expansive artists and expanding access to electronic and experimental practice.

For this Q&A, shesaid.so speaks with The Oram Trust as well as contributing artists Nwando Ebizie, Lola de la Mata and afromerm, to explore the archive, the creative processes behind the compilation, and what the “next step” for Oram’s legacy looks like in 2025 and beyond.

When you revisit Oram’s archive today, what aspects of her thinking or methodology feel most radical or forward-looking?

Her music continues to sound unique in terms of pure timbre - no one else sounds like her. I think this underscores the fact that Oram wanted to create new sounds as well as new ways to compose with them.

his is a tendency that lies at the heart of late 20th century music making, both avant-garde and popular, and something first made possible with post-war tape recording technology. 

Several recordings in the archive are being heard publicly for the first time through this project. Can you share which specific tapes or sound materials have been newly opened up?

In terms of the archive, Sarah Angliss and Ian Stonehouse sifted through a huge range of material for this project, including source tapes that were used to make final mixes. So, a lot of what you are hearing are individual component sounds used to create finished pieces, both commercial commissions and her own experimental explorations.

These sounds haven't been heard before in this form, whether it be a test recording of a theme played on the Oramics machine or a sound effect for a headache tablet.

The compilation brings together established and emerging electronic artists interpreting Oram’s archive. From the Foundation’s perspective, what feels significant about the range of voices involved in this centenary release? 

These radical, experimental and electronic artists have all approached Oram's archive  from different directions, often bringing their own lineage in electronic and electroacoustic music into conversation with Daphne's archive, offering fresh approaches to her work. Their variety of approaches reflects the curiosity, lateral thinking, inventiveness, and the polymath aspect of Daphne's work.

The Trust wants to continue this lineage and legacy, as it remains relevant – we are looking after her part in the conversation now, and maintaining her legacy into the future.

Daphne Oram and the Oramics Machine - Photo Credit: Fred Wood

The Oramics system was radical in its vision of drawing sound. How would you describe its significance today in the lineage of sound synthesis, digital interfaces and graphic composition tools?

You can read about its significance relating to other technologies here.

Many of the artists on the compilation speak about Oram’s philosophical approach to listening, perception and the body. How central is this dimension to how the Foundation positions her legacy today?

Listening and perception, and to some extent the body, are central to her legacy, yes.  

** Responses from The Oram Trust and the Awards, answered by Jennifer Lucy Allen, Ian Stonehouse and Karen Sutton.

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Photo credit: Joby Catto

Nwando Ebizie

Nwando Ebizie is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans experimental performance, music, neuroscience and African diasporic ritual. Drawing on her own neurodiversity, she explores perception, Afrofuturism and speculative worlds through research-led, immersive practice.

Her projects include the sensory environment Distorted Constellations, her pop-performance persona Lady Vendredi, and the long-term operatic work Hildegard: Visions. Her work has toured internationally, with performances in Tokyo (Bonobo), Rio de Janeiro (Tempo Festival), Berlin (Chalet), Latvia (Baltais Fligelis Concert Hall), Zurich (Blok), and major UK venues such as HOME Manchester, the Barbican and the Southbank Centre.

Working across media and genre, she creates interconnected mythic and scientific narratives that invite audiences to consider alternate realities and expanded states of perception.

When you revisit Oram’s archive today, what aspects of her thinking or methodology feel most radical or forward-looking?

The first most exciting element for me was engaging with her essay - An Individual Note. 

I was inspired not only by Oram's music, but by the way she lived, the way she dreamt and thought and drew together a theory of sound, electronics and what it is to be human. I wanted to draw all of these elements together into a sonic reality. 

I feel very at home with her conception of sound - she talks about not wanting to create an ‘inhuman sound with a clinical quality, lacking the possibility of subtlety and nuance’. For her electronic music should be alive and breathing. Listening to her sound palette - this really struck me - that everything was constantly moving, exploratory. 

Oram’s archive contains both highly refined compositions and fragments of pure experimentation. How did artists navigate the tension between honouring her sonic language and pushing it into entirely new aesthetic spaces?

I wanted to create a finished piece that was its own island in the world of Oram's Archive. So I wanted it to reflect the sounds and feelings whilst being its own piece of music. I was guided by these worlds from An Individual Note:

‘To visualise a human being in this way we would need a most wonderful mixture of fundamentals, harmonics and overtones, all subtly changing from moment to moment… a whole spectrum of resonate frequencies which are never at rest, never in a steady state, but are vibrant with pulsating tension.’

I structured the piece around this quotation - trying to capture the feelings within her words. Oram posed the question “What is the next step?” in An Individual Note. Looking ahead, what does the Foundation see as the “next step” for the Oram legacy creatively, technologically, or institutionally?

The next step continues on in her vision - drawing together modes of thinking and practice so that practitioners can better understand perception and creativity. Drawing together neuroscience, philosophy, engineering and art into new forms. Reaching into the future whilst reaching backwards into lost forms of knowledge.

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Lola de la Mata

Lola de la Mata is a conceptual sound artist, composer and musician (theremin/violin/voice) based in Liverpool. She takes the anarchic being - the ear, as her muse, while tinnitus and aural diversity are at the core of her research practice, her quiet, teetering on the inaudible and imagined sounds emanate from self-made glass and metal instruments.

In 2024 Lola won an Oram Award and a Sound of the Year Award for her experimental debut album ‘Oceans on Azimuth’ released to much acclaim (The Quietus, Electronic Sound Magazine, New Scientist, BBC Radio 6, Crack Magazine), with broadcast on BBC 3, BBC 6, NTS and Resonance FM.

She has received commissions from the Riot Ensemble, Lisson Gallery, Zubin Kanga, Spitalfields Music Festival, and crafted soundtracks for experimental film, documentary and the award winning feature film STOPMOTION (2024) by Robert Morgan.

What kind of creative challenges or discoveries emerged from engaging with Daphne Oram’s material? 

At first I instantly recognised Oram’s signature, and although I knew I wanted to find a way to duet with her and meet her in her own sounds, I also didn’t want to ‘remix’ one of her tracks. I was after her in-between sounds, or samples which surprised me were made by her hand. The biggest discovery? Her echoing spring bass beats!

Oram’s archive contains both highly refined compositions and fragments of pure experimentation. How did you navigate the tension between honouring her sonic language and pushing it into entirely new aesthetic spaces?

I am often told my work is intense, I guess I tend to look in, sink into my body - but my aim is to be joyous, not make anything ‘too’ serious. In Oram’s archive I found a similar humour emerging from her playful approach to the iterative process and so the character of the piece emerged quite organically. Perhaps somewhat uncanny…dark pools, ghosty sounds - punctuated by Oram’s upbeat, bright voice and unexpected beats.

Oram posed the question “What is the next step?” in An Individual Note. Looking ahead, what do you see the “next step” of the Oram legacy, creatively or technologically?

More women and gender non-conforming artists developing technology perhaps?  Let's be honest, we're rebellious innovators at heart! By that I mean new instruments, be it analogue or digital - more tools as well. Plug-in companies and studio houses almost exclusively have men at the helm.

Wouldn’t it be fantastic to see the industry expand? I’m so grateful to Nonclassical for working with mastering engineer Katie Tavini (Weird Jungle). This is the way forward. 

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afromerm

afromerm is the solo project of Oram award-winning composer and sound artist, Cecilia Morgan.

Her work draws from contemporary, jazz, and experimental disciplines, blending electronic elements with live instrumentation, field recordings, spoken and sung vocalisations, and her self-built motion-reactive instrument, Juniper, to create electroacoustic soundscapes that immerse us in the elemental mythology of her project. afromerm has been platformed by BBC Radio 1 (described as a ‘sonic innovator’), BBC Radio 3, NTS Radio and The Line of Best Fit.

Her live work has found audiences at the likes of Le Guess Who? Festival, London Jazz Festival, ICA and Cafe OTO. Composition credits under Cecilia Morgan span independent film, contemporary dance, theatre and fine art media, with notable clients including Tate and The Fitzwilliam Museum.

Working directly with Oram’s tapes, instruments and sonic gestures can be an intensely tactile experience. what kinds of creative challenges or discoveries emerged from engaging with her material in such a hands-on way?

Visiting Oram's archives was fascinating; the sheer volume of material was overwhelming. I was struck by her beautiful construction of language in her letters. Her description of 12-tone equal temperament as a "rectangular.

grid, imposed on an uncharted continent as a makeshift means of administration and surveying”, alongside the mountainous curvature of her hand-drawn Oramics slides, informed our approaches to pitch and form.

Oram’s archive contains both highly refined compositions and fragments of pure experimentation. How did you navigate the tension between honouring her sonic language and pushing it into entirely new aesthetic spaces?

We did a great deal of listening, but rather than sampling Oram's archive, abi asisa and I chose to interpret two Oramics slides as graphic scores, so our honouring of Orams sonic language was rooted more in process than material. Emulating the analogue uncertainty of Oram's work in a digital environment was a challenge that I addressed through the liveness/immediacy of my audio processing.

Oram posed the question “What is the next step?” in An Individual Note. Looking ahead, what does the Foundation see as the “next step” for the Oram legacy  creatively, technologically, or institutionally?

Daphne Oram interrogated what it meant to be a composer and foresaw what a huge impact technology would have on composition. The Oram Awards specifically is helping to both document and create a largely overlooked part of sound/music history, and like many of my fellow Awardees, my composition practice has been shaped heavily by the increasing accessibility of audio technology. I'm curious to witness how this might evolve throughout my lifetime.

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Follow Nwando Ebizie | Lola de Mata | afromerm

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Centenary Celebrations

The 31st December 2025 is Daphne Oram’s 100th birthday. This is a great opportunity to celebrate her unique contributions in lots of different ways. We hope that you will have an opportunity to hear some of her music live at various events of listen to recordings on some of the new releases out this year. In response to this Centenary year composers from the electronic music community are also producing exciting new compositions and performances that draw on the influence of Daphne Oram.

vari/ations - Ode to Oram by Various Artists / Daphne Oram is out now

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Oram/100 Tour

Vari/ations – An Ode to Oram Thu 4 Dec 2025, 19:30, The Barbican Hall

There will be a free pre-concert talk with Arushi Jain, Lola de la Mata and Jennifer Lucy Allan at 6:00pm in the Fountain Room. Due to illness, Cosey Fanni Tutti is unable to speak at tonight’s pre-concert talk. Arushi Jain will be replacing her. Please note that the capacity is limited and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Stick around after the show for ClubStage performances from Lola de la Mata and afromerm + abi asisa.

Stage times:

6.00pm - Pre-concert talk in the Fountain Room
7.30pm - First Half
8.20pm - Interval
8.40pm - Second Half
9.45pm - Aftershow Clubstage performances

Info & Tickets

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12 Dec 2025, St Vincent’s Church / Stockbridge / Edinburgh

Workshop & Performance Tickets via Hecate

Workshop: Improvised Music Tech Jam - Hosted by Luci Holland & Tinderbox Lab - more info to follow.

Performances: The Silver Field / Vocifer / Justyna Jablonska / Aurora Engine / Bell Lungs / SLY DIG
Panel Discussion: Luci Holland (Tinderbox Lab), Karen Sutton (Oram Awards), Dr John Hailes (Napier University) + more

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Founder & CEO of EBONIX Danielle Udogaranya Presents Black Lines of Code

Photo Credit: Ayo Oduniyi (A&O Studios)

For nearly a decade, Danielle Udogaranya — Founder and CEO of EBONIX — has reshaped how Black identity is seen, coded, and experienced across gaming and digital culture. Her work first took root in 2015, when her Afrocentric custom content for The Sims 4 offered Black players something they had rarely encountered in virtual worlds: themselves, fully and accurately represented.

What began as a community-led practice has since grown into a global creative-tech force, marked by partnerships with The Sims, Dark & Lovely, Samsung, Meta, Xbox, Sky, and Farfetch; recognition as an HSBC Top 25 Black Entrepreneur to Watch (2024); and invitations to speak or judge at SXSW, Afrotech, London Games Festival, BAFTA, D&AD, and more.

Danielle’s latest project, Black Lines of Code, expands that mission. The exhibition marks ten years of EBONIX and examines what happens when digital systems fail to reflect the full spectrum of Black identity and what becomes possible when Black creators rewrite the visual language of those systems themselves. Through immersive installations, playable experiences, and mixed-reality works, the exhibition spotlights the artists and technologists who have embedded Blackness directly into the architecture of digital space.

What is the core concept that Black Lines of Code aims to achieve?

Black Lines of Code aims to interrogate and reframe the presence of Blackness within digital worlds and culture, spotlighting the creatives who have challenged systemic absences in virtual representation.

By centering the work of creatives who have both imagined and enacted new possibilities, the exhibition seeks to expand the cultural lexicon embedded in algorithms, code, and immersive environments. It offers a critical space for reflection, celebration, and dialogue, bridging art, technology, and cultural identity to address the historic and ongoing erasure of Black narratives in digital worlds.

Black Lines of Code is a decade-long view of digital identity. For music executives focused on digital rights and artist IP, what is the most important commercial takeaway the exhibition offers regarding the long-term value of culturally specific digital assets?

I have a question for them. What transpires when the very mediums we consume fail to equip us with the means to author our own image, or to recognise ourselves in any substantive or affirming way? Identity becomes fractured.

It is so essential to provide meaningful, nuanced and intentional representation across all mediums, whether it be gaming, music, literature, film, in order to reaffirm the value a person builds around their sense of self as they establish their identity.

Thinking back to the early days, before EBONIX was formalised, how did you initially go about getting your start in this intersection of gaming and cultural technology? What was the first major industry door you had to kick open?

Interestingly enough, kicking down industry doors was never part of the plan. The key route I took was establishing a meaningful connection and relationship with my community. The people who EBONIX was created for.

I started out in 2015 with posting my mods on Tumblr, which gained a lot of traction within the Sims community, who finally felt seen because they had access to assets that were relatable to their lived experiences! It wasn’t until 2019 that I went full-time to pursue filling this gap, and started to live stream on Twitch.

By 2020,  I was the first Black British Woman in the UK to become a Twitch Partner and by 2021 the first Black British Woman in the UK to become a Twitch Ambassador. It happened extremely naturally and quickly, because I’d already established a community. The livestreaming space for BB women was (and still is) a sparse and aggressive place, but that definitely felt like my first introduction to an “industry door” that was kicked down, that did not allow us visibility to thrive.

Your work has fundamentally changed the landscape of Black representation in gaming. For music industry professionals, what is the most crucial, practical lesson they can draw from your experience?

Remain so unapologetically rooted to your “why”. I have referenced the woman in my community who approached me about what my work meant to her 10 year old niece. Noone can ever call to question what is important to me, because I make it so clear at every opportunity what my why is.

My why came before my what and how. It’s rooted in every opportunity I’ve taken. In every collaboration or brand deal I’ve done.

I never took a ‘no’ as a reason to stop. You’ll come to realise that  some no’s are blessings in disguise, because they redirect you towards what you’re actually supposed to be doing.

You operate at a high level, collaborating with global brands and judging major awards. What is your most effective strategy for networking?

Believe it or not, I was once one of the shyest people I knew. I had a friend who I’d call my “hype woman” because she’d big me up and I’d try to shy away from my truth. That I’m really someone making a difference. So, my most effective strategy for networking was walking in and owning my truth.

Once I took off the mask that I was trying to hide behind, that was a humbling version of myself, who was riddled with imposter syndrome, networking became second-nature. I’m my most authentic self when I talk to people.

But you have to also remember that, you’re networking with people that you align and have synergy with. Don’t waste time or energy if that isn’t there.

3 people that inspire you. 

Doechii, Murjoni (@mvrjoni) and… Black children who need reminders that their skin, hair and features are the most beautiful things in the world.

What are you listening to at the moment?

In preparation for the exhibition, I’ve been listening to a lot of jungle! When you really look into the history of some of the older music in games, it’s inspired by UK Jungle! So I’ve been listening to a lot of Natty Congo, Roni Size, Shy FX, Goldie etc. Most of the posts I’ve made around the exhibition will have that junglist sound to it!

And also, to calm my spirit, a bit of gospel. In particular No Greater Love – Rudy Currence, Chrisette Michele

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Exhibition Details:

Dates: 11th – 20th December 2025

Location: Copeland Gallery, Peckham, London

Curated by: Danielle Udogaranya (CEO & Founder, EBONIX)

Presented by: EBONIX in collaboration with Electronic Arts, British Council, Ubisoft, XBOX UK and other partners from art, gaming, and creative tech industries

Info & Ticket Link HERE

Full list of artists:

Prof A.M Darke

Qimära

Atigré Xia

Rings-Many-Bells

EBONIX

Render Goddess

Eneni

Gus

Isaac

Yelzkizi

Unorthodox

Dwayne Jones

Kiko

Coco

IndigoChyld

Naomi Chidozie

Munorr

Quincy Woodard

Tolu Coker

VinceJG

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Doe Paoro on New Album ‘Living Through Collapse’ Owning Her Masters and Building a Sustainable Artist Career

Sonia Kreitzer, the visionary multidisciplinary artist known to the world as Doe Paoro, is fundamentally guided by a profound belief: that music is a "wisdom technology." This philosophy, rooted in her study of Lhamo, Tibetan Opera singing, defines a career that spans five full-length records, collaborations with artists like Justin Vernon, and a mastery of ritual facilitation and sound healing.

In an era where many artists struggle for control, Doe Paoro is a model for sustainable artistry, having achieved critical recognition from NPR to Pitchfork and prioritizing her creative autonomy. The true masterclass for fellow musicians lies in how she's structured her business: by fiercely maintaining creative control and owning her masters after navigating the major-label system.

Her highly anticipated new album, Living Through Collapse, arrives after a seven-year gap as a profound work of reckoning. Bolstering this release is the single, ‘Teach Us of Endings’, a track that channels a sublime energy, backed by a cinematic video directed by AnAkA (FKA Twigs, Janelle Monae) and filmed in Costa Rica.

Your new album Living Through Collapse is your first full-length release in seven years. What story were you hoping to tell with it?

This is a record about tending to the sacred calling of grief and sitting with the question of what it means to become a conscious ancestor. The embryo of this album is miscarriage. When I miscarried two years ago, the most shocking part was having an experience of feeling life and death simultaneously pulse, within the framework of my body.

It was such a profound deepening in expanding my own capacity to hold multiple truths at the same time, which has been serious medicine, given the polarity of the times we are living through. These songs are my learning from this time. They’re an invitation to honor the complexity of our era: holding grief for all the suffering in one hand and a radical commitment to creating a more life-affirming world in the other.

At its heart, the album tells the story of my body over these past years, navigating illness, loss, and identity dissolution, a journey that mirrors what I see unfolding collectively, as we reckon with unprecedented climate consequence as the result of an extractive mindset that has objectified both the Earth and each other. Things are composting structurally and existentially on a massive scale right now. My hope is that this music helps us turn toward that awareness, to be with the unraveling, and to listen for how each of us might be of service to the calling and the crisis of this moment.

You’ve previously released music through major and independent channels. What have you learned about navigating release strategies and maintaining creative control?

Maintaining creative control and owning my masters is how I have been able to have a sustainable career. My time at a label showed me how doable it was to be independent - it broke down the fantasy that being on a label was going to do anything for me that I couldn’t do for myself, which was extremely useful. On a practical side, I have learned the importance of having a plan and releasing singles and finding ecosystems for each song to seed and grow in.

What advice would you give to independent artists trying to build sustainable careers while staying true to their creative vision?

Trust that each artist’s path is uniquely their own, full of strange miracles and timing that is completely unpredictable, so there is no use in comparing your path to anyone else’s because it could never be the same.

Continue to make good art that you respect and own your masters. Making money from ways other than music is nothing to be ashamed of - in fact, this can take a lot of heat off the idea that your music has to be a success financially, which can corrupt the purity of what you’re making.

I worked so many jobs before I got to the point where my music could sustain itself and creating a big body of work in that time while I was working other jobs is what allows me to be full time with my art now.

As someone who’s worked across both artistic and wellness spaces, what have you learned about the business side of building a community around your work?

The people who are going to resonate with your music are likely in the same spaces that you already enjoying spending time in; that’s how resonance works. For me, it was such a massive gift to realise how appreciated my music was in various healing and ceremonial spaces because this is where I loved being and had devoted so much time apprenticing in, outside of my career as an artist. When I share my music in these contexts, they become embedded in a community and the music becomes part of a context, a family, and a memory.

Find the groups you are naturally gathering with and share your music with them. I had a big unlock during the pandemic when I shared a video on TikTok that went viral, and at the end of it I had mentioned I was holding a free virtual healing circle online. About 2,500 signed up to join that Zoom though an Eventbrite link I had put in my bio; I had to upgrade my Zoom subscription!

Suddenly, I had a whole new email list. Because Eventbrite shares all the emails of folks who sign up for any event with the organiser, I find it a great platform for building out community. Consider offering some free events to build your mailing list that way and share your music locally.

How do you approach networking in a way that feels genuine and long-lasting?

I’ve never really resonated with the idea of networking, it feels transactional and disconnected from the heart of why I make music; I have really done my best to opt out of that way of relating. I’m lucky to have an incredible community of friends and collaborators, many of whom I’ve worked with for years. For me, relationships grow out of shared values, curiosity, and devotion to the work itself.

When I need to connect with someone new, like recently when I was looking for a graphic designer and a new lawyer for my record, I tend to trust the mycelial nature of my community. I’ll reach out to my close circle, and somehow the right person always seems to be within a couple of phone calls.

What do you think artists often overlook when it comes to the business side of their careers?

The music industry is very confusing, by design. The truth is, the friends I have seen rise to stardom were always very savvy business-wise, from their early days - it was not coincidence or sheer talent that those folks made quantum jumps in their career; they made a series of informed, well-measured and strategic business decisions that scaffolded a path to success.

It can be very empowering to learn the business side of music and also extremely boring so if you don’t have the motivation to do that, make sure you partner with a great lawyer or manager whose guidance you can trust. It’s so important to have mentors too. Also, this is such a simple thing but share your chords! Make it easy for folks to play and cover your music.

You recently wrote about navigating endometriosis while releasing your record. How did that experience shape your relationship with your work and your pace as an artist?

Thank you so much for this question. 5 days after I released Living Through Collapse, I went in for surgery to remove endometriosis on 5 of my organs. It has honestly been very sad….this was a time that I thought I would be celebrating and touring my record, but instead it has been a period of grief, reflection and healing. And at the same time, I wrote a record called Living Through Collapse, and I accept that there is some poetic architecture to this period of collapse being how the release went; I really do trust the workings of the great mystery.

My illness has forced me to finally learn how to put my health first after years of bypassing my body to meet the demands of my work, touring and teaching all over the world and ignoring my own exhaustion, etc. Surgery is so violating; the body doesn’t necessarily understand that it has consented to the process, and I think a lot came up that I wasn’t expecting. It has really slowed me down, but I think that has been corrective. The world is speeding up, and I am finding a quiet recalibration in this sacred pause.

Your upcoming retreat Activating the Voice blends music, embodiment, and community. What inspired this idea, and what do you hope people take away from it?

The gathering is based on my insights from my years as a singer and as a mentor and coach of the voice to others and the recognition that much of what creates disempowerment in the voice is the unacknowledged personal, cultural, political and ancestral landscape, as well as the stories that have been cast as spells over a lifetime (stories like “you’re not a good singer” or “children should be seen, not heard.”) I love this work and helping others tap into the joy and power of their voice; it lights me up.

My wish is that the folks who are joining will leave feeling more liberated and brave in their self-expression, and more in touch with their own inner-song, because we all have so much music inside of us and sharing that music is a gift to both your ancestors and to the world.

What are three values that guide your life and creative work?

Seek truth, be of service, be compassionate.

Connect with Doe Paoro Instagram | Substack | Website

Grammy-Nominated Engineer and Artist The BLK LT$ on Building Confidence in the Studio

The BLK LT$ is a Grammy-nominated engineer and artist described by Flaunt as “one of hip-hop’s secret weapons.” Her technical and creative fingerprints can be found across collaborations with Drake, Future, French Montana, Kodak Black, Saweetie, DMX, and more.

A rare female presence in hip-hop recording rooms, The BLK LT$ built her career through relentless self-education, locking herself away for weeks to master new gear and production techniques. That dedication eventually caught the attention of one of hip-hop’s most influential architects, RZA, who signed her to his 36 Chambers imprint.

Now stepping out from behind the console, she is preparing to release her forthcoming album Honey: The BLK LT$ Meets The Killa Beez (out now). The project marks a full-circle moment for her: as a seven-year-old, she copied Return to the 36 Chambers by ODB onto cassette and listened obsessively.

Now based in Atlanta, she continues to expand her creative universe producing for other artists, scoring documentaries, directing under her BLK LT$ Media Group imprint and releasing her own work through 36 Chambers.

How did you get your start in music?

My parents are true music lovers and used to play music all the time. They were both dancers on a disco TV show in Canada in the late ’70s, so music always filled our house. My father was also in a reggae band, and we used to hear them practice with so many amazing talents. That energy always made me feel something unlike anything else, and I knew music was the path I would take. I started playing piano at three years old, and it all grew from there.

Honey: The BLK LT$ Meets The Killa Beez is reimagining Wu-Tang classics you grew up on. What was the creative or emotional spark behind this project?

The emotional spark came during the COVID lockdown. The world felt so dark and uninspired, and I just wanted to create something fun to keep my mind off things. Once I started, it took on a life of its own. I’ve always been inspired by Wu-Tang and wanted to express how their music influenced me both lyrically and musically, something I hadn’t done with their sound before.

The Wu-Tang influence runs deep in your work. Beyond nostalgia, what lessons from that golden era of hip-hop still matter for new generations of artists?

I feel that raw, vulnerable expression is something hip-hop truly embodies, and I always want to apply that to what I create. There was a time in hip-hop when much of the focus was on materialistic or shallow themes, and not everyone can relate to that. I hope hip-hop continues to open up to real stories and genuine perspectives on life, ones that fans can truly connect with.

Working with artists like Drake, Future, and RZA puts you in some of the most competitive creative spaces in hip-hop. What are some of the top lessons you’ve learned?

Oh man, first and foremost, be yourself. Stick to the vision you have until you get your point across. These guys created molds that didn’t exist and that’s the wave I’m on. I try my best to bring my authentic self to the forefront every time I turn on my equipment.

Being one of the few women in hip-hop recording rooms, how have you navigated those dynamics and built confidence in your own sound and decisions?

Sometimes it’s hard, at the beginning, it was even harder, but I think being down to earth and showing my expertise has always helped people feel at ease when working with me, whether they’re men or women. Times have definitely changed over the years, and it’s funny because now, it’s often the men asking the women in the room if what they’re saying connects with them, since they’re creating for us, you know? Lol. I give them the edge they might be missing when it’s needed on a song.

You’re self-taught and spend weeks mastering gear and engineering techniques on your own. What would you say to young producers who feel overwhelmed by the technical side of music creation?

I say take it day by day and try to learn something new every day. Technology and techniques are expanding every year, especially with the rise of AI. It’s important to know the basics and master your own sound and craft, but there are now so many more platforms and people to learn from.

What's one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you began?

Trust your gut!!! Especially in the beginning. When I started professionally around the age of 11, I had a lot of people in my ear, which is understandable, but there were times I knew what I wanted and got talked out of it, only to see a bigger artist do the same thing months later and have those same people call it amazing. I eventually learned the lesson, but it took a lot of growing pains to get there.

How important is it for artists today to understand production and engineering, even if they don’t plan to do it themselves?

I think it’s important for artists to have an understanding of music creation so they can clearly communicate their creative ideas to engineers or producers. When you can’t explain what you want, it takes so much longer to get there. Knowing the names of different effects or BPMs, or having references and influences ready, makes it easier for both parties to reach the final result smoothly.

3 things you can’t live without in your bag. 

My Fenty lip gloss, hand lotion, and mini Gucci perfumes are always in my bag.

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Follow The BLK LT$ on Instagram | YouTube

12B Streams, Co-Writing for Britney and One Direction: GRAMMY-Nominated Hitmaker RuthAnne Unveils "The Moment" and her First Book

Dublin-born songwriter, artist, mother, and now author, RuthAnne has spent two decades shaping the sound of modern pop. At 17, she penned JoJo’s Too Little, Too Late, a Top 5 US and UK hit that launched her into the global songwriting spotlight. Since then, she has written era-defining tracks for Britney Spears (Work Bitch), One Direction (No Control, Where Do Broken Hearts Go), Martin Garrix and Bebe Rexha (In The Name of Love, 1.5B streams), and many more.

As an artist, RuthAnne’s debut single The Vow (2018) has become a modern classic, hitting No.1 in Ireland, entering the UK Top 40, and soundtracking weddings and celebrations worldwide. In 2025, she returns with her second album The Moment—a deeply personal record exploring love, loss, motherhood, resilience, and womanhood. Its lead single, The Way I’m Wired, tackles her lived experience with endometriosis, a cause she also champions as an ambassador for Endometriosis Ireland and through her schools project, Endo&ME.

This year also sees RuthAnne publish her first book, It’s Not Just a Song, a candid guide for young artists navigating the music industry. Balancing life as a mother of two with her work as a hitmaker and advocate, RuthAnne continues to create music and stories rooted in truth, connection, and the human condition.

You’ve been writing hits since you were 17. Looking back, what do you know now about songwriting that you wish you’d known then?

I think the main thing I wish I’d known back then was how important the dynamic of the writing room is. It can really make or break the song on any given day, and learning how to navigate those dynamics is key.

You’re a singer, songwriter, author, advocate, and mother of two. What advice would you give to creatives trying to juggle multiple roles without losing their artistic core?

My biggest advice would be to trust the process and stay true to yourself. Don’t  compare yourself to others. Lean into your passions, focus on your own journey, and trust that process. Take one thing at a time, one day at a time, and it’ll all work out in the end if you put the work in  

Your book It’s Not Just a Song includes conversations with writers like Amy Allen, Emily Warren, and Dan Wilson. What are the biggest common threads you noticed in how great songwriters approach their craft?

I guess the biggest common thread through interviewing the biggest songwriters was understanding that the best songs usually come from the conversations in the room that day. They stem from the real things that the creatives are experiencing. The key is to embrace that, to talk, to hang out, then the song will come. 

What’s one lesson about the music business you feel every emerging artist should learn early, even if it’s tough to hear?

That it’s a game. Those who know how to play the game smartly usually are the most successful. At the end of the day, it’s a business, and that can be hard for creatives because we make art. Art and business don’t mix well, so it’s learning how to navigate that and thrive in it. And remembering, talent alone is not enough. You need determination, a great work ethic, and to be able to play the game.

With over 12 billion streams across your catalogue, what do you think separates songs that quietly come and go from those that travel the world and keep resurfacing, like The Vow?

I think it’s anything that has a universal sentiment. Songs that have that will always resurface and have impact. With ‘The Vow’, the lyrics have an emotional impact for a lot of different types of love - love between couples, between parent and child, or between best friends. It makes people feel something they’ll always remember. If a song is empty, it won’t last. The songs that last are the ones that mean a lot to people, people will carry those songs with them throughout their lives.

Mentorship is a strong theme in your work. For artists who don’t yet have access to mentors, what practical ways can they create their own “support system”?

I think being a part of the music community. Get yourself and your music out there. Create that support system around you and really be a part of the community in whatever way you can. It’s going to open mic nights, finding collaborators, going to music events, joining the music societies that have panels, talks, and resources.   

Your upcoming album The Moment was written in the most personal corners of daily life: breastfeeding, commuting, acupuncture tables. How did writing in those “in-between moments” change the way you see creativity?

Writing the album this way reminded me that you truly can write, be inspired, and create anywhere. You don’t need big budgets or fancy recording studios, you can literally write anywhere at any time. It brought me back to being a teenager in my bedroom, just writing because it was my passion.

You’ve written across so many genres for other artists. How do you decide what’s a “RuthAnne song” versus one you’d give away?

It used to be hard deciphering what song is for me versus what songs to give away because in my earlier years I was still figuring myself out as an artist. But now it’s very clear. When I go in with an artist, I’m writing for their project and helping them tell their stories, and I love doing that. Then I write a lot of my own songs either alone or with producers where the lyrics and melodies are very much my story. The time I spend on my records is intentional, focused time where I’m writing for myself, so it’s easy to separate the two. I get creative fulfillment doing both. One can’t really exist without the other.

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New Album THE MOMENT Out October 10

Debut Book It’s Not Just a Song & Book Playlist

Kerry O’Brien on Founding YUAF and Building a Fairer Music Industry

Photo credit - Elizabeth Lenthall

Kerry O’Brien, BEM, FRSA - artistically known as Indigo Reign - is a visionary creative, changemaker and founder of the Young Urban Arts Foundation (YUAF), an award-winning UK charity that empowers young people through music, creativity, and outreach. Her flagship double-decker studio bus brings access to communities with little or no connection to the arts, acting as a lifeline at a time when youth clubs continue to close across the UK.

An influential figure in the UK’s underground music scene and a multi-award-winning artist, Kerry was also one of the first prominent female MCs under the name Lady MC.

Kerry helped carve space for women in jungle before evolving into Indigo Reign, a project that channels lived experience into lyrical truth while bridging culture, healing, and grassroots empowerment. Alongside YUAF, she has released music on major labels and hosts her own show on Rinse FM.

Through both her artistry and her activism, Kerry O’Brien has built a platform that confronts inequality, exclusion, and mental health stigma head-on, proving that creativity is not just an outlet, but a force for revolution.

What pushed you to move from pursuing your own career to founding YUAF back in 2009?

The truth is, I didn’t plan to start a charity, I kind of fell into it. As one of the few female MCs in jungle, I became a role model without realising it. MC Angel guided me into delivering workshops in schools, and little did I know it was my true calling.

Music had always been my lifeline, it gave me the feelings I never had at home or in school. When I saw myself reflected in the kids we worked with, it set me on my own healing journey. Honestly, for the first five years I didn’t fully see it, I was at the peak of my career and sometimes resented the sacrifice. But when your calling is your calling, you have no choice but to follow it.

Looking back, YUAF saved me as much as it’s saved others. And now, I’m balancing both, I’ve had major label releases this year, I host my own show on Rinse FM, and Im getting ready for a string of East African shows in the winter months.

With so many youth clubs closed, the YUAF bus has become a lifeline. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from taking creative spaces directly into communities?

That creativity saves lives. The bus isn’t just a studio on wheels, it’s a sanctuary. I’ve seen young people step on with anger, pain, or no sense of direction, and within an hour they’re smiling, writing bars, producing beats, and most importantly, being seen.

What I didn’t expect was how much I’d see myself in them. Their stories mirrored mine, growing up feeling different, misunderstood. I thought I was building this for them, but it was also healing me. The bus showed me that talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t. When you take the space to them, they flourish.

And honestly, they’ve taught me as much as I’ve taught them, resilience, patience, and the importance of staying connected to your truth.

You began your career in music as Indigo Reign, formerly Lady MC. How did those early experiences shape the way you navigate the industry today?

My start as Lady MC taught me resilience. I was stepping into a male-dominated jungle scene, often the only woman in the room, and I had to fight to be heard. Those years gave me thick skin, but they also gave me purpose,  if I could carve space for myself, I could open doors for others.

Indigo Reign is the evolution of that. It’s not just about proving myself anymore, it’s about owning my craft, protecting my energy, and showing others, especially women and people of colour,  that they can take up space unapologetically.

Networking can feel intimidating for young people. What’s your best advice for building real, lasting relationships in this industry?

Networking was never scary for me, being on stage from a young age gave me confidence to hold my space. But I know for others it can feel intimidating. What I’ve learned is that real relationships aren’t built on business cards, they’re built on energy and authenticity.

Don’t think, *what can I get?* Think, *what can I bring?* Sometimes it’s ideas, sometimes it’s support, sometimes it’s just good energy. That’s what people remember. And for women, especially in industries that test us, the most powerful thing you can do is show up as yourself with confidence and integrity.

You’ve worked with everyone from grassroots community groups to major artists. What qualities do you think make people stand out and get noticed?

Consistency, integrity, and self-belief. Talent gets you in the room, but character keeps you there.

I’ll be real, in my younger years I was rebellious, and it didn’t always serve me. Substances, late nights, pushing limits, it might feel like connection in the moment, but it doesn’t build respect. I wish I’d had a mentor to guide me through that, because being professional, looking after yourself, and knowing how to carry yourself is just as important as the art.

Once I became more conscious, I saw how much that changed how people experienced me and my music. That’s why I put so much into mentoring now, because when you pair talent with discipline and self-awareness, that’s when you truly stand out.

You meet a lot of young people with raw talent. What’s the first step you encourage them to take if they want to turn that spark into a career?

Raw talent is a spark, but to turn it into a career you need discipline and self-awareness. When I started as Lady MC, I thought hype alone would carry me. But without structure, you burn out fast.

The first step is knowing who you are and why you’re doing it,  your ‘why’ carries you through the tough times. Then it’s about consistency: practising, learning, showing up even when no one’s watching. Talent opens the door, but professionalism and character keep you in the room.

I always tell them,  discipline doesn’t kill your creativity, it protects it.

For someone starting out now, what’s the most realistic way to break into music or the creative industries without traditional connections?

When I was starting out as Lady MC, I didn’t really know anyone,. I didn’t come from the industry, so I built my own lane. I put myself out there on pirate radio, I kept showing up at raves, and eventually people couldn’t ignore me.

The blessing for this generation is you don’t need permission anymore. You can build your own audience on TikTok, YouTube, SoundCloud,  whatever feels authentic. The key is consistency and showing up as yourself. Talent gets attention, but community and authenticity create longevity.

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self about entering the music industry, what would it be?

I’d tell my younger self: *trust your worth and protect your energy.* Back then, I was so focused on proving myself in a male-dominated scene that I ignored my intuition and let other people’s opinions weigh heavier than my own.

I’d remind her that her difference was her power. She didn’t need to fit in, her story and her voice were already enough. I’d tell her to pace herself, to care for her wellbeing as much as she cared for the music, because balance is what brings longevity.

And I’d tell her to never be afraid to ask for help. Mentorship and community are everything. You don’t have to carry it all alone.

Looking ahead, what kind of industry do you hope the next generation of young creatives will inherit, and how do we start building it now?

I want the next generation to inherit an industry that truly reflects the world we live in, diverse, fair, and full of opportunity for everyone, not just a chosen few. An industry where women and people of colour don’t have to fight twice as hard to be heard, where authenticity is valued more than numbers, and where creativity is nurtured instead of exploited.

To build that, we have to invest in grassroots talent and create spaces where young people can experiment, fail, and grow without fear. We need mentors who pass down not just skills but wisdom about how to thrive without losing yourself.

The YUAF bus is one glimpse of that future,  taking creativity straight to communities that are often overlooked, and showing young people their voices matter.

My hope is that in the years ahead, young creatives aren’t trying to squeeze into an industry built on old rules that they’re building a new one. Inclusive, sustainable, and rooted in community. That’s the legacy I want to help create

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Connect with Kerry O’Brien

Instagram & LinkedIn | YUAF Website

Volumo CMO Julia Afanasieva on Building a Fairer Digital Music Store for Artists

Julia Afanasieva has spent more than a decade shaping digital marketing strategies that cut through the noise, leading global campaigns, managing major budgets, and building teams that deliver results. Today, she’s bringing that playbook to electronic music as Chief Marketing Officer of Volumo, the independent digital store positioning itself as a fairer alternative to Beatport and Traxsource.

Launched in 2022, Volumo puts artists in control of pricing and presentation while offering DJs a curated catalog free of clutter and pay-to-play bias. Under Julia’s watch, the platform has quickly gained traction with both underground talent and established names.

How did your career in marketing and the music industry lead you to your current role at Volumo?

My career has always been about building and scaling digital projects in competitive industries. Over the years I’ve developed a strong mix of data-driven marketing, product thinking, and creative execution. When Volumo came along, it felt like a natural fit: here was a platform that combined culture with technology. What excited me was the chance to use my experience to help shape a fairer, more innovative space for DJs, artists, and labels.

What’s a day in your life like as CMO of Volumo?

Every day is different, but the focus is always the same: growth. I start by diving into analytics campaigns, funnels, conversions  and then shift into strategy: testing new creatives, exploring audiences, and refining positioning. It’s a constant cycle of experimenting, learning, and scaling what works. The fast pace keeps things exciting, because every day we take Volumo one step further in redefining how DJs and artists connect with their audience.

What inspired the creation of Volumo, and which gap in the market were you aiming to address?

It all started when two of the co-founders, both professional DJs. They realized that no single music store could meet everyone’s needs, and there was room for different approaches to finding and purchasing music. Around the same time, they began producing their own tracks and noticed that the industry’s push toward streaming didn’t work well for every artist. Eventually, a third co-founder, the tech guy, joined the team, and that’s when the idea for Volumo truly began to take shape.

In some sense, Volumo was born from a simple question: What if there was a place that treated music not as a product to push, but as something to be genuinely discovered? Most platforms just throw the same popular stuff at you. We thought: what if there was a place where you could actually find music on your own, not what’s being pushed, not what everyone else is listening to, but tracks that really speak to you?

How does Volumo support emerging artists differently from other platforms?

Volumo gives emerging artists both visibility and fair economics. Artists keep 75% of every sale, set their own prices, and aren’t buried under paid placements or algorithmic bias. Our curation team highlights music for its quality, not its marketing budget, while features like DJ Charts let tastemakers push fresh tracks into the spotlight. And because Volumo is download-first, every sale gives artists meaningful income instead of fractions of a cent.

What’s the biggest challenge in building an independent music platform in a market dominated by giants like Beatport and Traxsource?

The biggest challenge is breaking through habits. DJs have been using the same platforms for years  Beatport, Traxsource, Juno Download, Volumo is now starting to join that list for some.

Competing with giants isn’t only about catalog size, it's about trust, visibility, and proving that we offer something truly different.

For us, the solution has been to stay authentic: no pay-to-play visibility, no inflated hype, just a platform that genuinely helps DJs discover music and helps artists get paid fairly. It’s harder to grow this way, but it builds a stronger foundation. Every time a DJ finds a hidden gem on Volumo or an artist sees real income from a track, it confirms that we’re moving in the right direction.

How do you see the role of independent music stores evolving over the next five years?

I believe independent music stores will become even more important as counterbalance to the dominance of a few global platforms. DJs and artists are increasingly looking for authenticity, fair economics, and spaces where discovery isn’t driven by algorithms or advertising budgets.

Over the next five years, independent stores will thrive by focusing on depth rather than scale: curated catalogs, niche genres, and communities that feel personal rather than mass-market. They’ll act as cultural hubs where underground scenes can grow and where artists don’t have to compete with corporate marketing spend to be heard.

For Volumo, that’s exactly the path we’re on: building a platform that puts fairness, identity, and discovery at the center, and proving that independence can be a strength, not a limitation.

What drives you personally to keep innovating in this industry?

What drives me is the belief that platforms shape culture. If discovery is dictated only by algorithms or paid placements, the scene becomes shallow and predictable. But when you create a space where artists can be fairly rewarded and DJs can truly discover new sounds, you’re helping the culture grow in an authentic way.

For me, innovation isn’t about adding shiny features, it's about making sure technology serves creativity instead of replacing it. Every time I see an artist getting real income from their music on Volumo, or a DJ finding a track that transforms their set, it reminds me why this work matters. That’s what keeps me moving forward.

What’s your proudest moment so far?

One of the proudest moments was when Volumo was officially recognized by the Association for Electronic Music as one of the leading DJ music platforms worldwide. For an independent project, standing alongside established industry giants was proof that our vision matters.

Another highlight is the feedback we get from DJs and artists  when someone tells us they discovered tracks they couldn’t find anywhere else, or that their music finally started generating real income through Volumo. Those moments remind us why we built this platform in the first place.

What advice would you give someone who wants to launch their own platform in the music industry or work in the music/tech space? 

Start by making sure you’re solving a real problem. The music industry is full of ideas that sound exciting but don’t actually address what artists, labels, or DJs need. Talk to your audience early, test small, and move fast. The feedback loop is more valuable than a perfect plan.

Second, don’t underestimate how tough this industry is. Passion is essential, but you’ll also need resilience and the ability to measure everything you do. Build with sustainability in mind: think about how artists will benefit, how fans will engage, and how the platform will generate revenue without compromising its values.

Finally, remember that culture comes first. Technology is a tool, but if it doesn’t serve the music community authentically, it won’t last. The projects that succeed are the ones that respect both sides: innovation and the scene itself.

What have you been listening to on repeat at the moment?

Lately, I’ve been vibing to “What I Need” by Naarly, Sickluv & Thabza De Soul. Its groove, soulful chords, and emotional depth create this hypnotic energy, the kind of track that you press replay on without even realizing it.

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Connect with Julia Afanasieva on Instagram | Volumo

Sisu’s Collective Approach to DJ Culture, Community, and Inclusive Dancefloors

When DJ, producer and promoter Malissa Kains first began learning to mix, it was on borrowed decks at after-parties, snatching a tune or two before being pushed aside. The experience was isolating and frustrating, and it highlighted how few spaces there were for women to practise without judgement.

Out of that gap came Sisu; a platform dedicated to supporting, educating, and showcasing women and non-binary DJs and producers. What started as an idea for peer-to-peer practice sessions has grown into a grassroots network with real impact across the UK and Europe.

Sisu now runs workshops on DJing and production, curates events that put underrepresented artists at the centre, and hosts regular radio shows that give emerging talent space to experiment. Their DJ roster spans genres and identities, reflecting a belief that the value of a community lies not in one sound but in the connections it makes possible.

At the heart of Sisu’s work is a refusal to accept the industry’s old barriers. By creating entry points for new DJs, building mentorship pathways, and holding festivals and promoters accountable, the collective has become both a launchpad for artists and a critical voice within electronic music. The focus is not only on representation but on reshaping structures, pushing for fairer opportunities, greater visibility, and long-term investment in diverse talent.

Nearly a decade on from its beginnings, Sisu has seen its members progress from their first hands-on workshop to festival stages and international bookings. But the ethos remains the same: create spaces where women and non-binary artists can take up space, experiment, and grow together.

Why did you start Sisu? What gap in the music industry were you determined to fill?

Malissa: I found learning to DJ difficult, not having my own equipment I was learning at after parties getting the chance to play one tune before someone else was swiftly wanting to play another tune.

I was always the only girl in a line of boys at the afters, not being able to smoothly mix it was dismissed and so I wanted to create a welcoming space to be able to make mistakes and just practise with no pressure.

Little Hats

Your roster spans so many sounds and identities. What’s your process for curating who joins?

Little Hats: Sisu has never been defined by one sound or aesthetic. We are eclectic and welcoming. What unites us is the eagerness to share the journey, and to lift one another up. Our community is cyclical: we take, and we give back—each at their own pace.

Since launch, many have come through our beginners’ courses, placing their hands on CDJs for the first time. The same people attend our nights, meet like-minded individuals, and see relatable role models behind the decks. Some secure their first gig, radio slot, or collaboration through the community.

Fast-forward: they invite Sisu to support them at their first major booking, or to join a night they themselves are curating. We have seen many such journeys unfold, and we curate for this mindset rather than for any particular sound.

What’s the most rewarding change you’ve seen in the scene since Sisu launched?

((( CLEOPATRA ))): Women taking up space in the DJ scene!! More workshops and people becoming students - it’s great to see a level of jamming and education behind peoples inspiration to start DJ-ing.

Holy C

What’s your best piece of advice for DJs looking to break into the industry?

Holy C: Get to know your sound and DJ style. Figuring out what makes you unique takes time, passion and patience. Enjoy every moment! Having clear goals you’d like to achieve is very helpful.

If there are dream parties I want to be playing, I’ll start curating a set specifically for this, record it and get in touch directly. When looking to break into the industry, it’s important to have a thick skin, and self-belief. Don’t be afraid to cash in a favour if it’s offered! Also, having creative headshots that represent you as a DJ is essential!

Little Hats: Begin with vision. Picture your ideal dancefloor the sound, the crowd, the energy and work towards bringing it to life. Seek out opportunities that fit that vision. Decline those that do not. Grassroots projects often provide the space to have more curatorial agency, and to steer the night into your own vision.

Adapt to the context: the slot you play, who comes before and after, who is in the room. But always find ways to let your own identity shine through. Stay true to your sound while catering to the occasion: the balance is what marks a thoughtful DJ. Find your tribe. Collaborate with those who share or complement your taste, and support each other as DJs and fans alike.

((( CLEOPATRA )))

((( CLEOPATRA ))): Start collecting music!! Create a Bandcamp account! Support and buy music when you can. Don’t be afraid to perform for yourself of one person it’s not about the crowd it’s about the story you’re telling with music!

As a small collective, how do you see your role in challenging festivals and the wider industry to be more accountable for their partnerships and investments?

Dolça van Leeuwen: As a grassroots collective, our strength lies in community, transparency, and values-driven action. We may be small in scale, but we’re deeply connected to the people and ideas that are shaping the future of electronic music. That gives us the power to ask hard questions about who gets platformed, where funding comes from, and how inclusive spaces really are.

We see our role as both a support system for emerging talent and a critical voice that holds institutions to account. By leading with integrity in our own work; from who we collaborate with to how we structure our events — we hope to model alternatives to extractive or performative industry practices. Festivals and larger players need to recognize that true accountability goes beyond optics; it’s about long-term investment in equitable ecosystems. And we’re here to keep that conversation active and loud.

Lucine

If Sisu could make one change to the global music industry overnight, what would it be?

Lucine: A fairer redistribution of resources whether that’s fees, opportunities, or visibility.

Too often the industry is structured to favour the same few, when there’s so much incredible talent everywhere that deserves support.

Little Hats: To make mainstream what we have nurtured at grassroots level.

For years we have worked to:

• Raise awareness of the gender gap and turn awareness into action.

• Create entry-level opportunities for new DJs.

• Build mentorship structures with clear pathways for growth.

• Become a recognised focal point for promoters who want to diversify line-ups but do not know how.

• Promote collective collaboration among marginalised groups, rather than competition—curating group line-ups, sharing opportunities, and making decisions together.

• The effect is a more diverse and inclusive music scene, one that benefits dancers as much as DJs. (Little Hats)

• Our aim is that these principles should no longer be confined to community movements, but should penetrate the industry at large.

Dolça van Leeuwen

What’s next for Sisu? Any projects or events you’re especially excited about? 

Dolça van Leeuwen: We’re really excited about expanding our showcase series, bringing together DJs, producers, and creatives from across the electronic music scene.

Our focus continues to be on nurturing emerging talent through hands-on skill-sharing, mentorship, and community building. We’re also working on curated events in new cities and a few collaborations we can’t wait to announce. As always, it’s about amplifying diverse perspectives and pushing the culture forward.

What is Sisu listening to on repeat right now?

Dolça van Leeuwen: Right now, Sisu is deep into a mix of hypnotic techno, breakbeat, and experimental club sounds. Artists like VTSS, Anz, and SHERELLE are on heavy rotation, anything with high energy, bold textures, and forward-thinking production.

We’re especially drawn to tracks that blur genre lines and bring fresh perspectives to the dancefloor. Whether it's a driving 4/4 rhythm or a broken beat that catches you off guard, it’s all about sounds that move both body and mind.

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Sisu on Instagram | Website

Next Sisu event @ Kapsule, Liverpool - 19th Sept | Tickets

with Ellie Stokes, Malissa, Willow, Ysanne

Ellie Stokes

Malissa

Willow

Ysanne

444 Sounds’ Izzy Parrell on How to Pitch Music That Stands Out on DSPs

Izzy Parrell is the Director of Streaming & Digital Partnerships at 444 Sounds, the boutique management and label services firm founded by industry veteran Joe Aboud. She leads digital strategy across a roster that includes JORDY, ADÉLA, and Michaela Jaé, and works closely with DSPs to build long-term artist growth.

Before joining 444, Parrell spent several years at Apple Music, where she helped shape the platform’s global editorial voice through Viral and Pop playlist curation. She’s also led digital campaigns for artists including 4x GRAMMY-nominated Mickey Guyton and Elijah Blake known for blending authentic storytelling with data to deepen fan connection.

444 Sounds, whose work has been spotlighted by Billboard and Variety, continues to build a reputation for creative digital strategy and artist-first management.

How did you get your start in the music industry, and what led you to focus on streaming and digital strategy?

After graduating from university I moved to Los Angeles in early 2020 to pursue a career in the creative industries. Just two months later, the pandemic hit, and like many others, I found myself job-hunting in a time of major uncertainty. I eventually landed my first industry role through mutual connections at a digital marketing agency, working directly with artists and managers on social media and music rollout strategy. While I’d managed social accounts on the side for years, I knew I didn’t want to stay in that lane long-term. Finding a role that combined music and digital strategy felt like the perfect fit, and about a year later, that path led me to Apple Music.

What does a typical day look like for you as Director of Streaming & Digital Partnerships at 444 Sounds?

Honestly, every day looks a little different, which is what keeps it fun. My job is really about making sure our artists are getting the support they need across all the streaming platforms. That can mean anything from pitching new releases to building timelines, checking in with DSP partners, working with artists, or brainstorming digital ideas with the team.

Some days are super meeting-heavy and I have lots of calls with partners and artists. Other days I’m deep in the weeds on campaign planning, getting assets, or helping shape the narrative around a project. It’s a mix of creative problem-solving, relationship management, and making sure we’re being thoughtful about how and when we show up. I’m always bouncing between the small details and the bigger picture, and that balance is something I really enjoy! 

You’ve worked on campaigns that blend storytelling with data. What does that process look like in practice?

Storytelling is a huge part of pitching music. I spend a lot of time crafting narratives around our artists so partners can understand who they are, what drives them, and why their music matters. I think stories help break down the barrier between audiences and artists, making people’s connection to the music feel much deeper.

When I pitch, I always start with the story,  a hook that draws people in and gives context to the music. Then I look for data that supports it. That might be streaming numbers showing growth, fan engagement in certain territories, or insights about specific listener groups in different places. Using data this way makes the story feel real and shows that there are people and fans behind the music. The story brings the music to life, and the data shows that the timing is right.

How can independent artists build strong relationships with streaming platforms without a major label behind them?

I think being authentic is one of the most important things when you’re trying to build relationships with streaming platforms. Without a major label backing you, you don’t have all those big resources, so what really makes you stand out is just being real about your music, your story, and your connection with your fans. I often find myself drawn to artists who have a clear sense of who they are and an energy that actually fits the music they make. That kind of authenticity just sticks with you.

What are some common mistakes you see artists or teams make when pitching to DSPs or playlist editors?

Having worked on both sides of the industry, I’ve come to really appreciate how important the little details are when pitching to DSPs. Editors get SO much music every day. It’s a full time job just to sift through it all. Anything you can do to make your song accessible and quick to listen to goes a long way.

They’re often listening to hundreds of songs, so making sure your pitch has clear info, simple listening links, and any useful data can really make the difference between your track getting noticed or getting lost in the shuffle. 

3 Values that guide your life

Connection, Compassion, and Authenticity :)

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Connect with Izzy Parrell on LinkedIn | 444 Sounds Website

Leila Fataar on Culture-Led Brands and Business Transformation

Few brand strategists can claim a 30-year career that spans global giants like adidas and Diageo, the launch of two independent companies, and a pioneering role in shaping how brands connect with culture. Leila Fataar is one of them.

As the founder of Platform13, a London-based cultural communications and creative production studio, she helps brands unlock cultural relevance through fandoms, communities, and storytelling, translating business objectives into real-world resonance.

Her book, Culture-Led Brands: Drive Growth, Build Resilience and Cultivate Resonance (Kogan Page, June 2025), distills decades of international experience into a practical guide for leaders navigating today’s volatile business and cultural landscape.

Drawing on real-world work with adidas Originals, Guinness, YouTube and more, the book lays out why cultural relevance isn’t a marketing trend but a strategic imperative—and how brands can embed it across everything from innovation and internal operations to storytelling and trust-building.

What does a typical day look like at Platform13?

No day is ever the same… and that’s how I like it! Within a day, I can be hosting a Cultural Voices POD, running to be on a panel, doing a business talk around my book, Culture-Led Brands, delivering a global campaign or cultural insights for big brands and going for dinner with a client or contact. Or some days, I could also be updating our website, commenting in a trade publication, writing our newsletter as well as planning and creating content for our socials. And these mix and match. 

Your book Culture-led Brands spans everything from marketing and innovation to politics, tech, and inclusion. What connects all of that under a culture-led approach and why does it matter right now?

Culture has always been impacted by politics, the media and technology and brands can no longer ignore that if they want to be relevant. But knowing how to analyse and read the RIGHT shifts that impact a brand's audience, and then for that brand / business to act accordingly, is why it's necessary for brands to thrive… or even survive this era. 

For someone picking up Culture-led Brands for the first time, what’s the key idea or shift in thinking you hope they take away from it?

A brand’s culture-led strategy is an input that must be brought upstream as part of your business strategy. This means the right behaviours and decisions run through your business and reflects in the work that your consumers see. What it’s not, is a marketing channel output like a trending topic on social media.

For CEOs, CMOs, and growth leaders navigating constant change, what’s one principle from Culture-led Brands they should be applying right now but often overlook?

I’ll give you two: Break your internal silos, break your marketing formulas.

What do the most culturally fluent brands consistently get right? Where do others go wrong?

They ensure they have the right voices in the room, not only in their marketing output. They ensure those voices are in the ideation and decision making process too. This is where inclusivity plays a big role and where there is still a ton of work to do in big brands.

What’s one thing you wish more leaders in music or branding understood about building trust with communities?

It is the only way to drive resonance with your audiences. Building trust means adding value to those communities, not just extracting from those communities for commercial gain.

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Connect with Leila Fataar: Website | LinkedIn & Instagram | Platform 13 | Culture Led Brands

Dina LaPolt’s ‘Street Smart’ Lessons for Women in Music

Dina LaPolt is one of the most influential attorneys in the entertainment industry and the founder of LaPolt Law, P.C., the only major law firm of its kind founded by a sole female lawyer. Since opening her firm in 2001, she’s built a powerhouse roster of recording artists, catalogues, film and TV talent, and entrepreneurs across music, fashion, and beauty.

LaPolt is widely known for her work at the intersection of law, policy, and artist advocacy. She was helpful in moving the Music Modernization Act (2018) through Congress and securing COVID relief for creators through the CARES Act (2020).

She co-founded SONA, successfully sued the U.S. Department of Justice to protect songwriter rights, and continues to advise U.S. lawmakers on legislation like the RAP Act and the No Fakes Act, fighting for protections around artistic expression and AI.

One of her first clients was the estate of Tupac Shakur and she co-produced the Oscar-nominated documentary Tupac: Resurrection.  

A longtime educator and fierce advocate for equity and sobriety, LaPolt has earned top industry honors including Billboard’s Power 100, Variety’s Power of Law, and the Recording Academy’s Service Award. Her debut book, Street Smart: Tips for Succeeding in a Man’s World, is out in October 2025.

You’ve been called fearless, a real boss, and “street smart” in every sense. What does being ‘street smart’ mean to you and when did you first realize you had it?

To me, being street smart means knowing how to hustle, how to read people, and how to survive, especially when there’s no safety net and no one coming to save you. It’s about trusting your instincts and learning how to move through the world with awareness and adaptability.

I think I first realized I had that in me when I packed up my car, left everything I knew behind, and drove across the country to California. No job lined up, no real connections just a music degree, a head full of dreams, and a gut feeling that I had to go. I wasn’t sober yet (that journey came later) but even then, I was already leaning on my instincts. I figured out how to connect with people, spot opportunity, and make myself useful, even if I didn’t have the résumé yet. That’s what street smarts are about: surviving, adapting, and knowing how to move forward even when the path isn’t clear.

You move between boardrooms, Congress, courtrooms, and creative circles. What does a typical day look like for you if there even is one?

Honestly, there’s no such thing as a typical day and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I thrive in the chaos, but I anchor it with structure where it counts. My mornings start early. I need that first hour to myself; to have my coffee, meditate, and check emails and messages. It’s how I get centered before the whirlwind begins.

After that, I usually squeeze in a workout, and then the day takes off. I might be on the phone with a member of Congress or a lobbyist in D.C., then jumping into calls with my law partners to strategize across multiple deals. A few times a week, I will have a lunch meeting with a colleague, and afternoons are typically stacked with Zooms, calls, and in-person meetings.

But no matter how busy things get, I always carve out time for my twin boys and for my recovery meetings. My kids and my sobriety that’s my foundation. Everything else runs on what I call controlled chaos. And I always begin my day with a gratitude check-in. It’s my way of remembering what really matters before the world starts pulling in every direction.

Street Smart drops October 6, 2025. What’s one chapter or lesson you think every young woman entering the music business should read first and why?

Honestly? Every single chapter. Street Smart is designed like a toolkit and each of the ten chapters holds a different key. The lessons come straight from my own journey; raw, unfiltered, and hard-earned. From being diagnosed with dyslexia, to navigating alcoholism, to not going to the “right” law school, I’ve faced my fair share of setbacks. But I turned every one of them into fuel.

This book is for the young person who walks into the room feeling underestimated and walks out owning it. It teaches you how to navigate high-pressure environments, whether you're in a studio, a boardroom, or a negotiation table. It’s about learning to trust your instincts, sharpen your emotional intelligence, and lead with both heart and strategy.

Throughout the book, I discuss the importance of doing the grunt work and building your foundation, because without a strong sense of self, it’s easy to get knocked off course especially in business.  Chapter six dives into how to build a core skill set while also honoring your values. Any high stakes business can be chaotic and cutthroat, but if you know who you are and what you bring to the table, that’s your superpower.

This book isn’t just about survival; it’s about standing tall in your own voice and learning how to play the game without losing yourself in it.

The book’s subtitle is ‘Succeeding in a Man’s World'. What’s the most common mistake women make when trying to navigate power structures in this industry?

One of the most common mistakes I see women make when navigating power structures (especially in male-dominated industries) is believing they have to emulate the same behaviors that have traditionally held power.

There’s this pressure to “play the game” as it’s been defined by men: to be aggressive, to suppress emotion, to sacrifice authenticity for acceptance. But the truth is, our power doesn’t come from mimicking that model it comes from challenging it.

In my own work, whether it's pushing for legislation like the Music Modernization Act or all the COVID Relief legislation, I've seen the most progress happen when we lead with authenticity, collaboration, and persistence.

Women often underestimate the power of their unique perspective, or they’re told it's a liability. But when we lean into who we are, instead of who we think we’re supposed to be, that’s when we actually shift the culture not just survive it.

You’ve built a firm from the ground up and stayed independent. How much of the book is memoir, and how much is playbook?

Great question, it’s actually a mix of both. Street Smart: Succeeding in a Man’s World blends personal storytelling with practical, actionable advice. The structure was inspired by a book I’ve always loved: Never Wrestle with a Pig by Mark McCormack.

That book is packed with no-nonsense insights drawn from his experience in sports and celebrity management, and I wanted to create something similar—but through the lens of a woman who’s had to fight her way into rooms, build something from scratch, and stay independent in industries not built for us.

So while Street Smart does include pieces of my own journey what I’ve overcome, what I’ve learned, the heart of the book is about giving women tools they can use, no matter what field they’re in. Each chapter delivers real-world lessons, the kind you usually only get from lived experience. It’s part memoir, part playbook and 100% designed to help women not just survive, but lead and thrive on their own terms.

You write about defusing emotional triggers and sharpening instincts. What’s one high-stakes moment in your career where that mindset made all the difference?

One that really stands out is when a client and I set out to help get a privacy law passed in Hawaii to protect high-profile individuals from aggressive paparazzi tactics. At the time, it felt like a total David versus Goliath moment. I’d never been involved in the legislative process before, let alone lobbied for something this public and yet, the issue was incredibly personal to me. In California, we have statutory protections in place, but Hawaii didn’t. And what the paparazzi were doing wasn’t just invasive it was dangerous.

We’ve seen the tragic consequences of that kind of behavior, like what happened to Princess Diana. The stakes were sky-high professionally, emotionally, and reputationally. There was a lot of media attention, and I knew I couldn’t let fear or self-doubt take the wheel. That was one of those moments where staying grounded, defusing emotional triggers, and trusting my instincts made all the difference. I treated it like any other negotiation: stay prepared, listen more than you speak, and never let your emotions do the talking in the room.

My firm actually ended up drafting the legislation, and I worked side by side with local lawmakers, pushing through a lot of resistance. It didn’t pass the first time which was heartbreaking but we stayed at the table, built relationships, and kept showing up. And that persistence ultimately helped shape how future privacy laws were developed.

That experience taught me that real progress isn’t always quick but when you pair emotional clarity with purpose-driven action, you become unstoppable.

Negotiation is at the heart of Street Smart. What’s your #1 rule for walking into a negotiation and walking out with what you want?

Be the most prepared person in the room. That’s my golden rule. Know the deal backwards and forwards, every variable, every possible outcome, every piece of leverage.

When you walk in with that level of preparation, you carry a quiet confidence that changes the energy in the room. You’re not reactive, you’re strategic. You can stay cool when things get tense, because you’ve already anticipated the pressure points.

And here’s something people often overlook: silence is powerful. Don’t rush to fill it. When you leave space after making a point or an ask, you force the other side to sit with it and that’s when the real movement often happens. Negotiation isn’t about being the loudest voice. It’s about being the calmest, the sharpest, and the most grounded person at the table.

What’s your non-negotiable for staying grounded?

My recovery. I’ve been sober since 1998, and that’s the foundation for everything I do. Without my sobriety, I wouldn’t have my career, my children, or even my emotional peace. When I start feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or self-doubting, I pause and ask myself, What’s right in my life? That simple question helps me reset and gain perspective.

Another non-negotiable for me is acts of kindness. Helping someone else whether it’s a friend, a colleague, or even a stranger helps me get out of my own head and back into alignment. It’s a constant reminder that my purpose goes beyond myself, and that keeps me grounded, no matter what else is happening.

You helped shape the Music Modernization Act and fought for independent creators under the CARES Act. What’s the next policy battle the industry should be preparing for?

I’m currently involved in two major legislative initiatives that I believe are pivotal for the future of the industry. The first focuses on protecting creative expression from being unfairly used as evidence in criminal cases. Specifically, the practice of using song lyrics as evidence of guilt disproportionately targets Black men and that’s something that absolutely needs to be addressed.

Along with the Black Music Action Coalition, California Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, and Governor Gavin Newsom, we helped pass the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act in California. This legislation has now been adopted in several states including, surprisingly, Louisiana and Missouri. When we frame the issue through the lens of the First Amendment and freedom of speech, it becomes a bipartisan issue, which gives it real momentum. We’re now working on a federal version of this bill, called the Restoring Artistic Protections (RAP) Act, in partnership with U.S. Congressman Hank Johnson.

The second initiative I’m heavily involved in is the creation of a federal right of publicity, which is crucial in today’s digital landscape. This year, our Human Artistry Campaign comprising the Recording Academy, Songwriters of North America, the Black Music Action Coalition and many other organizations worked to reintroduce the No Fakes Act. This bipartisan bill, when passed, would establish a federal right to control one’s voice and likeness. It’s especially urgent with the rise of AI and deepfakes, as it would provide essential protections not just for public figures, but for everyday people too.

These legislative efforts will fundamentally reshape how we protect creativity and identity in the digital age. I think the industry should be preparing for these conversations to ramp up, as these issues are only becoming more urgent as technology evolves.

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Connect with Dina LaPolt on Instagram | Website

Pre-order Street Smart

Jayda G and Annie Mac on Motherhood, DJing and Club Culture

Two iconic names from the dance music space, Annie Mac and Jayda G, sat down at AVA London Conference 2025 for an honest conversation about music, motherhood, the challenges of working in the industry, and going against expectations.

Jayda G opened the discussion by sharing that this was her first public event since becoming a mother, speaking openly about sleep deprivation, “mama brain,” and the physical and emotional demands of DJing while pregnant. She reflected on the lack of visibility for mothers in club culture and the importance of working in ways that feel safe and intentional.

Annie Mac spoke about how the pandemic shifted her relationship with touring, leading her to step back from late-night DJ sets and eventually launch Before Midnight (her early-ending club concept), designed for people who still love clubbing but can’t do 4 a.m. finishes.

Together, they explored how motherhood has reshaped their identities, the pressures of visibility in a male-dominated scene, and what it means to build a career that works on your own terms.

Listen to the full conversation to learn how they’re finding new ways to make it all work.

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Jayda G | Annie Mac | AVA Festival

Neijah Lanae and Arniesha Williams on Building Groove Theory Project

Groove Theory Project is a platform for dialogue around music and culture. Co-founded by Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and editorial writer Neijah Lanae and film producer and DJ Arniesha Williams, the podcast combines informed musical analysis with personal insight, examining how sound intersects with memory, identity, and community.

Neijah’s training in vocal performance—developed at Oakland School for the Arts—and her work in editorial writing position her to approach music as both structured discipline and social commentary. Her lens is shaped by storytelling, with a focus on cultural context and lived experience. Arniesha, a DJ with a background in performance and a deep grounding in music history, brings a precise, archival approach to sound, shaped by her work in entertainment production and a strong curatorial ethos.

Together, they’ve created a platform that revisits foundational figures in music while spotlighting emerging voices. In this Q&A, they reflect on creative process, intergenerational continuity, and the courage required to speak publicly with intention.

What inspired you to create Groove Theory Project and how do you define its mission in your own words?

I think the seed of the idea was planted by a conversation we had at a music-lover’s event called Vinyl & Vino. We were there to explore and analyze Erykah Badu’s debut album Baduizm and its cultural relevance. We bonded over our love and appreciation of neo-soul and the theoretical interest of music, art, and process. Neijah later presented the idea of a podcast and we began the ideation process soon after.

Through engaging experience, including our podcast that dives into culture, research, and artistry, we aim to inspire meaningful conversations about music’s role in shaping our world. 

Describe your creative roles behind the scenes. How do you divide the vision, sound, and storytelling between you?

We partner closely on all we do. We have similar perspectives and a clear vision of what we want to do, and our individual backgrounds are a huge help in fine tuning what we put out. We both pitch creative ideas, help refine and execute them, edit, and research.

Your podcast celebrates both legends and emerging artists. Why is that intergenerational dialogue important right now?

It’s always important to know the history behind something you love. There is so much rich history in music and it always informs where it is going in the future. Speaking to legends often helps ground topics and give a broader perspective of how music has evolved and how newer artists are carrying the torch in their own way. 

Neijah, as both a singer-songwriter and editorial writer, how do you see your voice shifting between music and the written word?

As an independent musician, I have full creative control over what I write and how I express myself. My voice is entirely my own, shaped by personal experience, emotion, and intuition. In contrast, my editorial writing lives in the world of marketing, where creativity is guided by brand strategy and larger business goals. While I still bring my unique voice to that work, it’s always in service of a broader vision beyond my own.

Moving between these two spaces has taught me how to be flexible with my voice. I’ve learned when to lead with instinct and when to shape it around a specific message or audience. Having experience on both sides has been valuable in unexpected ways. Each side sharpens the other: music keeps my writing grounded in feeling, while editorial work strengthens my clarity and discipline.

Arniesha, you’re a DJ with a deep knowledge of music history and performance. How does that shape the way you curate sound?

Understanding the roots of different genres lets me tell a unique story with each DJ set. Because I know where sounds come from and how they’ve evolved, I’m intentional about how I mix genres. I don’t like to just throw tracks together… I think about the significance behind them and how they relate to the story I want to tell. I love weaving deep cuts and unexpected edits into my sets. I like to find obscure tracks and reintroduce them in fresh ways. I try to take the crowd on a sonic journey with the sounds that I curate. My style of Djing is largely about context and discovery. 

Tips for anyone who wants to start a community-centered music platform or podcast? What do they need beyond a mic?

Definitely a period of development to explore and hone in on your purpose, content structure, logistics, distribution, and overall branding. It’s nice to be intentional about starting a podcast, there are so many of them out in the world. 

What’s been the most surprising lesson from building Groove Theory so far—creatively or personally?

One of the most surprising lessons has been realizing just how much courage it takes to share your thoughts and opinions publicly. Even though the conversations on Groove Theory Project feel natural and honest, there’s still a level of vulnerability that comes with putting our perspectives out into the world. 

It’s also been a personal lesson in patience and practice. Articulating complex ideas about music, culture, or our own lived experiences doesn’t always come easily in the moment. Over time, we’ve both learned to trust our voices not just in what we say, but in how we communicate and collaborate with each other. That trust has helped us grow more confident in how we express our thoughts on the podcast, and it's made our conversations feel more grounded and intentional.

A day in your lives; what does it look like balancing independent music, storytelling, and production work in LA?

It takes lots of time management, lots of scheduling, and lots of intentionality to pour into the things that matter. We took a lot of time to develop this concept before releasing it to the world, which helped a lot with the episode shoots and editing process when it came time to execute. 

While we do have busy lives day-to-day, working on Groove Theory Project often feels rewarding because it is something we are building ourselves and feel passionate about.

Three values that ground how you approach creativity and collaboration.

Intentionality, preparation, and communication. 

What do you want people to feel or walk away with after listening to an episode of Groove Theory?

We want them to feel inspired to continue the conversations that we start, create their own dialogue, and engage in their own ways with the same topics. 

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Groove Theory Peoject Website | Podcast Instagram

Neijah & Arniesha Instagram

Ms Mavy: Building a 100K+ Global Community with Afroplug

Harvard certified, MBA in marketing, and founder of Afroplug—a groundbreaking music tech platform with 100K+ users worldwide, built independently with no outside investment—Ms Mavy is shaping the future of Afro-diasporic music and culture.

“I’m originally from Guadeloupe and Cameroon, but I was born in France. At the age of 6, I moved back to Guadeloupe with my parents, and that’s where I truly built my first musical roots.” Her journey began with classical music—studying flute at 3 and piano at 6—eventually representing Guadeloupe in international competitions. But it was the sounds of Timbaland, Aaliyah, Afrobeats, and soulful electronics that pulled her into DJing and music production.

With a distinctive sound blending Afro, Future Beats, Latin, and Caribbean rhythms, Ms Mavy now captivates global audiences—and powers a community of creators through Afroplug. The platform has secured major partnerships with Splice, BandLab, LANDR, and more, offering tools, visibility, and opportunity to underrepresented artists worldwide

How did you get your start in music?

I started with flute at 3,  classical piano at 6 in Guadeloupe and was competing internationally representing Guadeloupewhen I was young. That world taught me discipline, but I needed more freedom. I fell in love with Local Music, Afro-Amercican Music (Timbaland, Aaliyah, Missy Elliot) lAfrobeats, hip-hop, and soulful electronic sounds—music that spoke to my identity. That’s how I naturally shifted into DJing and producing.

Your journey from a classical pianist in international competitions to a DJ, producer, and music-tech innovator is extraordinary. What was the defining moment that led you to create Afroplug?

The moment I realized there were barely any music tools that reflected our Afro-diasporic sound, I knew something was wrong. We were shaping global music culture but not being represented in the tech behind it. Afroplug was born out of that gap—with a clear mission: make our sound visible, valuable, and accessible : now we have 100 K + Clients organically in 4 years worldwide. including Producers of Beyoncé, Davido, Drake, Sean Paul & More.

What excites you most about how Afro-diasporic music is evolving on a global scale?

It’s finally being recognized for its true influence. Afro-diasporic music is not a trend—it’s a foundation. What excites me is how artists from different parts of the world are blending genres and building bridges between continents. The sound is becoming more diverse, innovative, and proud.

The intersection of music and technology is constantly shifting. What innovations or trends in music tech do you believe will have the biggest impact on artists in the next five years?

AI-assisted tools for creation are already changing everything. They help artists move faster, stay inspired, and collaborate globally. I also believe tools that support better rights management, mobile creation, and fairer revenue models will deeply shift the power back into the hands of artists.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned that artists and producers should apply to their own careers?

Be yourself and show up consistently. People connect with energy, not just products. You don’t need to be viral—you need to be real. Your audience will grow if you speak to them with purpose and give them something valuable they can feel.

For artists and producers looking to break through in 2025, what’s the one piece of advice you wish someone had given you at the start of your career?

Don’t wait for permission. Create your own lane, your own platform, and your own rules. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect—start where you are with what you have. And study how the music business works. That knowledge protects your art.

Tips for anyone who wants to get into your industry

* Learn both the creative and the business side.
* Build something people need, not just something cool.
* Protect your mental health—it’s a marathon.
* Be patient, but stay visible.
* Don’t just follow trends—start movements.

3 things you can’t live without in your bag

My iPhone, my ideas, and my MAC lipstick. That’s all I need to make things happen—wherever I am.

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Afroplug: Music Tech Startup | Samples Label | Events

Founded by Maëva / Ms Mavy – DJ, Artist & Producer

Ebonie Smith: From Engineering Cardi B’s 'Invasion of Privacy' to Founding Gender Amplified

Photo Credit: Matt Fajardo

Ebonie Smith is a celebrated music producer, audio engineer, and singer-songwriter based in the vibrant hub of Los Angeles.

With an impressive track record in the industry, she most recently served as senior audio engineer and producer at Atlantic Records, contributing to iconic projects like the Broadway cast album of Hamilton, Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer, and Cardi B’s Grammy-winning Invasion of Privacy.

As Co-Chair of the Producers & Engineers Wing of The Recording Academy, Ebonie is a driving force for innovation and inclusion in music production. She’s also the founder and president of Gender Amplified, a nonprofit she launched in 2007 that’s dedicated to celebrating and empowering women and gender-expansive music producers.

With a master’s degree in music technology from NYU and an undergraduate degree from Barnard College at Columbia University, Ebonie brings both academic rigor and real-world experience to everything she does — making her a true leader and inspiration in the music world.

In this Q&A, we sit down with Ebonie to explore her journey, her mission with Gender Amplified, and her vision for a more equitable future in music.

How did you get your start in music?

I got my start in music through a deep love for sound and storytelling. From an early age, I was drawn to instruments and the way music could shape emotions and experiences. My formal journey began with playing piano and experimenting with production tools, eventually leading me to engineering and production. That curiosity and passion set the foundation for everything I do today.

How did your experience at Barnard spark the vision for Gender Amplified, and what’s changed most since you started it in 2007?

Barnard was where the vision for Gender Amplified took root. Studying in an environment that emphasized women’s empowerment made me keenly aware of the disparities in music production, particularly for women and non-binary creatives. What started as my thesis project became a movement to carve out space for underrepresented producers. Since 2007, the industry has evolved—there’s more visibility and conversation about gender equity—but access and real opportunities are still a challenge. Gender Amplified has grown into a platform that not only uplifts but actively creates opportunities for the next wave of producers.

‘In Bloom’ is Gender Amplified’s first official EP — what did you want it to represent for your community, and what are you most proud of?

With In Bloom, I wanted to showcase the power of collaboration and the brilliance of gender-expansive producers. It’s a sonic statement that says, “We are here, we are creating, and our work deserves to be heard.” I’m most proud of how it brings together different voices and styles while staying true to the mission—elevating talent that often goes unrecognized in mainstream spaces.

You've built space for gender-expansive producers to thrive — what advice do you give to those trying to break into the production world right now?

My advice is to start where you are and build with what you have. Learn your tools, experiment fearlessly, and stay consistent. Community is everything—find your tribe, collaborate, and support others. Most importantly, own your sound and trust that there’s a place for your voice in this industry.

What’s the biggest misconception about what a music producer actually does — especially when it comes to women and non-binary creatives?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that producers just press buttons or that they play a passive role in music creation. In reality, a producer is the architect of a song’s entire sound. They shape the arrangement, guide the artist’s performance, and bring a vision to life. When it comes to women and non-binary producers, there’s often a false assumption that they aren’t as technical or hands-on, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

You’ve balanced major label work with grassroots organizing — how do you navigate both worlds and keep your mission grounded?

It’s a balancing act, but for me, the two worlds inform each other. My work with major labels gives me insight into industry structures, while grassroots organizing keeps me connected to the people who are shaping culture from the ground up. Staying grounded comes from always returning to the why—am I creating access, am I opening doors for others, and am I using my position to uplift? That’s what keeps me aligned.

The CTRL Room Series helped birth some of the tracks on the new EP — what makes these camps so powerful for creative development?

The magic of the CTRL Room Series comes from the energy of the room—when you bring together talented producers, artists, and songwriters in a space that fosters experimentation, incredible things happen. These camps remove the pressures of the industry and allow creativity to flow organically. That freedom and exchange of ideas are what make them so powerful.

As Co-Chair of the Recording Academy’s Producers & Engineers Wing, how are you working to create more equity in the industry from the top down?

One of my focuses is ensuring that policies and initiatives prioritize inclusion, not just in conversation but in real decision-making. That means advocating for fair crediting, increasing representation in studio spaces, and pushing for more educational resources that level the playing field. It’s about making sure that underrepresented producers have a seat at the table and the tools to thrive.

Can you share a moment in your career that affirmed you were on the right path — even when it wasn’t easy?

There have been so many moments, but one that stands out is seeing an artist or producer I’ve mentored go on to achieve success. When someone tells me that Gender Amplified, a studio session, or a piece of advice I gave changed their trajectory, it’s a reminder that this work matters. Those moments make the struggles and setbacks worth it.

What do you want the next generation of producers to believe about their power and their place in the music industry?

I want them to believe that they belong. Their ideas, their creativity, and their unique sound have value. The industry is shifting, and there’s more room than ever for new voices to redefine what music sounds like. The key is to own your artistry, build your community, and never wait for permission to create.

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Website: Gender Amplified | Ebonie Smith on Instagram