Youth Music

Boo

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

Blades

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

Athena Aperta

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

Ambrose Hill

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

Alex James

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

Zeitgeist

Zeitgeist is a producer and DJ from the East of England. He is currently working on an 8-12 track drum-and-bass album which branches out across jungle, UK garage, drill, soul, reggae and new school R&B. He has worked with a number of other rising artists and creatives in the UK music scene, including Young Athena, spoken word poet Yemi Yohannes, and Nia Archives.

Y Shadey

Y Shadey is a rapper from a Nigerian-Christian background, who has already garnered a growing fanbase of 300,000 monthly Spotify listeners, and has just finished a tour across Australia. He now has 100,000 followers on Instagram and over 300,000 on TikTok; and his Spotify listeners have streamed his music from 170 different countries.

Trees.R.Good

Trees.R.Good's musical work is geared towards inspiring listeners to better connect with nature to understand and combat the climate crisis. To date, they have taken part in various artistic programs such as Manchester Jazz Festival Soundcheck, Nubya Garcia’s Residency (Brighter Sound) and Manchester International Festival. They have also sold out their first Manchester and Brussels headline shows, accompanied by an 8-piece live band. The NextGen Fund has been supporting them to master, create visualisers for, and market their latest 7-track EP, 'Trees Are Good'.

Tommy Phillips

Tommy Phillips is a house music DJ who has toured around the world in 2024, including across Latin America, and in China. He released his debut EP, ‘Foolish Stuff’, in October 2024.

t.e.d

t.e.d is an artist based in Gloucester. Over the past few years, she has performed at a variety of shows and festivals around the UK, including Wychwood, Witcombe, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Sounds of Stroud, and a headline show at The Louisiana Bristol. The NextGen Fund is currently supporting her to mix, produce and master her upcoming four-track EP, 'Neophyte'.

Susi Pagel

Susi Pagel is an alt-pop artist from Belfast, who released her debut EP (‘can you hear me now?') this November, with the support of the NextGen Fund. She has toured across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in 2024, in collaboration with Output Belfast, PRS for Music, Electric Picnic Festival, and more.

StudioWyzz

Featuring coveted samples from artists like FKJ and Shiloh Dynasty, StudioWyzz's music has racked up over 200,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, with his song 'No Drop' hitting over 1 million streams alone. He has also received support from BBC Introducing, and this year was shortlisted for Rising Star (Artist) in our 2024 Youth Music Awards.

simon a.

Since starting to release his music, simon a. has performed at Tramlines Festival, headlined his own show at Notting Hill Arts Club, and been featured in magazines including Clash, Notion and GUAP. In 2024, he released his EP ‘the show’, and performed at All Points East Festival on the Amex Unsigned stage in partnership with Levi’s UK.

Signal

Signal is a sound engineer, producer and DJ from Birmingham. They also produce and facilitate creative projects and teach women and non-binary people within music technology. They are part of ‘Sisterhood’, a nationwide DJ collective for women and non-binary DJs, and organise DJ mix meetups for ‘High Key Records’ in Birmingham.

melba

melba is a DJ, producer, video editor and graphic designer from Newcastle. She is also the founder of a club night called 'Club Cetera', and runs workshops teaching women and gender-non-conforming people in the North East how to DJ. She is currently working on an EP of underground electronic music with a distinctly feminine influence, which will be fully produced and mixed by herself.

Serena Jasmine

Serena Jasmine is a singer from the West Midlands. With the NextGen Fund, she has been working on her latest EP, 'Everlasting', which is about legacy, memory and generational stories. It will bring South Asian sonic and cultural influences into her sound for the first time.

Sarah Barron

Sarah Barron is the co-founder of Index, a comprehensive regional music industry directory based in the North East of England. Index seeks to bridge connections and demystify regional services, key contacts and venues; promoting collaboration and spotlighting the vibrant musical landscape of the region.

Harvey Leacock

Harvey Leacock is the founder of Resistance, a DIY hardcore/punk platform which focuses on supporting underground musicians within heavy and alternative music. He has worked with bands such as Apogee, Gutter and more.

Ralph

Ralph is an artist and teacher. The NextGen Fund is supporting him to release his next EP, which will delve into themes such as self-discovery, growth, gratitude and staying true to oneself.

Marcus Frame

Marcus Frame is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer based in Glasgow. He is a commissioned producer for anam creative, and has composed projects in collaboration with fellow NextGen Funded artist Naafi. He also runs a monthly live groove jam at Hillhead Bookclub.

ManLikeVision

ManLikeVision is a rapper from Newport. His debut album 'Boy From the South' was nominated for a Welsh Music Prize. He is a frequent live performer, and has performed at Immersed!/BBC Radio 6 Music Fringe, and supported artists like D Double E, Young T and Bugsey and Lady Leshurr.

Mairi Sutherland

Mairi Sutherland is a contemporary folk singer and visual artist from Scotland. The NextGen Fund is supporting her to release her latest EP, 'Paint-slinger', where she will combine rich sounds and visual elements, such as hand-drawn animations, to create an immersive experience for listeners.

Lori Asha

Lori Asha is a producer, singer and instrumentalist from Brighton. She has performed alongside Etta Bond and Jaz Karis, and received support from BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 1Xtra. The NextGen Fund will support her to release her latest EP, 'Sugar Free', in 2025.

Lia White

Nottingham-born singer-songwriter and producer Lia White balances electro-soul and acoustic melodies in her music. She has collaborated with brands like Akai and Novation, and has recently worked on her projects in Limoux, Berlin and Norway.

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

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Next Gen

NextGen Community Events

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

funding

NextGen Fund

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

Funding round opens 10/01/2025