It takes a village to create the stars of tomorrow, and any young musician can benefit from a community to lift them up. This is what we learned from our trip to the Youth Music Awards in London earlier this month, which celebrates some of the most exciting and forward-thinking artists and grassroots leaders that have blossomed because of Youth Music's funding. (Youth Music is a national charity helping marginalised young people to make and monetise music. Every year, they raise over £10 million to fund inspirational grassroots projects and support aspiring young creatives up and down the UK.)
At the Awards, we spoke to a wealth of names for a special episode of the Drowned in Sound podcast, from CEO Matt Griffiths to artist Jayahadadream to explore just how much these organisations can change lives, and what we as fans can do to help in a time where 41 per cent of projects are threatened with the potential of closure.
These projects open up a pipeline of talent, offering space for young people to grow in confidence and explore what sort of creative they might want to be. If any rising artist epitomises what a difference they can make, it’s ALT BLK ERA. Sisters Nyrobi and Chaya Beckett-Messam grew up going to Community Recording Studio (CRS) in their hometown of Nottingham and took courses with Inspire Youth Arts during lockdown, paving the way for them to create a project that was primed to blow up.
They’ve had a huge year after releasing their debut album in January, their achievements now encompassing everything from appearing at Glastonbury and popping up on both Later… With Jools Holland and Sunday Brunch, and soundtracking Joe Swash running through a field in a rabbit costume on the BBC. If any more proof was somehow needed, they’re in Germany as they dial in to chat with us in the middle of a UK and Europe run supporting Pendulum. In our conversation, they reflected on their own roots, the importance of creating in a communal, low-pressure environment and how it inspired the fluidity of their own sound…
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You were involved in inspire Youth Arts and Community Recording Studio in your hometown of Nottingham. How did those projects help you discover what sort of artists you wanted to be?
Nyrobi: “So much of our positive music experiences have come through Inspire Youth Arts and the Community Recording Studio, and it was actually our first exposure to music that wasn't structured and formal. A really big thing for us was that the progression wasn't measured by exams so being able to create freely and experiment with our voices, with different instruments, different genres was crucial in those early years for us. We were able to create without judgment and without stress. We’ve got so much confidence now because of the early projects that we've had and been involved with.”
Chaya: “You felt seen, doing your thing. They had loads of instruments just set out and [they said] ‘Just pick one that you want to do today.’ I think it's helped us be flexible in our artistry. It's not kept us boxed in, and we're not boxed in right now. So it's just really filled us with the confidence to do what music we want to do.”
Nyrobi: “It’s a non-traditional way of learning music and I really wish it was more popular because I remember the first time I did piano lessons at school, I think I was like eight, and I was really stressed about this grade one exam. I really love music but it just didn't feel like natural fun. So it wasn't until we found these youth projects where I could learn to play a song that I listen to on the radio, and I can maybe try and mess around with my own chords. I think that level of experimentation really gave birth to our creativity.”
How did they benefit your life in ways beyond building a career?
Nyrobi: “Beyond the music, the projects, I guess, helped us with our mental well-being during lockdown and it just gave us a sense of purpose, and we were able to connect and have a little bit of a routine when everything else felt so disconnected and chaotic. It was crucial in so many, in so many ways, and we're just so grateful that we've been able to turn this into a career, and do it full time outside of lockdown.”
Why do these projects matter?
Chaya: “Not everyone has access to studios or mentors or photographers, videographers, music video directors, so it was like a pipeline to bigger things, and it gave people a safe and creative space. I think it's just so important as a young person to have people around you that are really rooting for you and are really just helping you because they want to.”
Nyrobi: “The music industry can be such a scary place, [especially if you’re] jumping in head first, with no other idea about how the industry works. Me and Chaya wouldn't have known anything about the record industry, about publishing or whatever else, if it wasn't for these youth organisations to lay those first stones. I think that it's also so nice to work with people who don't have an ulterior motive, who aren’t going to make money from you directly, if that makes sense. They are going to just support you, push you, love your artistry, without, I guess, going into business with someone at an early age. I think that side of it is quite special. I think it's what young people need to create freely - without being afraid of contracts.”
Youth Music’s Rescue The Roots campaign has highlighted that 41 per cent of grassroots youth music projects are at risk of closure. What can ordinary fans do to help these projects?
Nyrobi: “Aside from donating directly, fans can make just a huge difference by just spreading the word about it. Attending showcases, going and supporting small venues. We haven’t been in the industry that long, and then we became adults in the industry. We hadn't been able to go out much to venues and music venues as such. So when people were talking about supporting the grassroots, we hadn't experienced them, but now we're a bit older and going out to those 200-500 cap venues, and really understanding how special they are and how much they like mean to the community that they're in, I'd encourage more and more people to keep going out, keep supporting the bands at their early stages.”
Chaya: “Even if you have a talent like sound engineering, or you're interested in lighting, it would be great to see volunteers talk to the young people, because we've had loads of people come in from Inspire Youth Arts to talk about what they do and how you can get into it and talk to them afterwards. I think that's really important as well.”
Nyrobi: “A big hope would be that more people see the value of grassroots venues, but then also organisations that support the youth, so that we can actually have a more fulfilled community. Because when it comes to music, it's always seen as a hobby – ‘Oh, you’re a musician, that's cool. What's your real job?’ I feel like having a really solid foundation, with organisations like Youth Music, Inspire Youth Arts and CRS can really build up how the industry is perceived, I think, and showing that you can make it work. And you don't just have to be an artist like Chaya said – you can be a sound engineer, photographer, videographer, there's so many different jobs.”
ALT BLK ERA's new single 'Okay (Cyber Racing)' is out now via LAB Records. They are on tour with Pendulum across the UK from 1-9th November 2025.
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