ADJUA

Wales
 

ADJUA's NextGen Fund grant will support the second track off of her upcoming EP, 'Everything is Beautiful'. The track, "Clarity," is a blend of afro-beat guitar, drum and bass rhythms, and ethereal, psychedelic vocals. "The song explores my experience struggling with mental health and the beauty of coming back to yourself."
 

Pronouns: she/her
 

AFRODITETOOLIVELY

East of England
 

AFRODITETOOLIVELY's NextGen Fund grant will support the creation of a five-track UK Garage EP. She would then like to put on an EP listening event.
 

Pronouns: she/her

Astrid Lucia

South East
 

Astrid Lucia will use her NextGen Fund grant to finish her second EP. She also wants to develop a live set that uses Ableton Live (for effects and production on future projects) to promote the EP and more closely align with her artistic brand.

Pronouns: she/her

Bennettiscoming

North West

Bennettiscoming's EP, 'Late Bloomer' will chronicle the isolation of being a virgin in the gay community, faced with unrequited love and body dysmorphia. The journey through obsession, to acceptance to self hatred. An extremely honest and vulnerable account of true events, with spellbinding storytelling written and performed by the artist.

Pronouns: he/him

Carnelian Seville

South East

Using the Plant Wave synthesizer which converts the electromagnetic frequencies of plants into music, Carnelian will write and produce a track collaborating with an “orchestra” of mushrooms, documenting their process in a short film which they will screen locally.

Pronouns: they/them

Celia Grace

North East

Celia will use the NextGen Fund grant to create an EP consisting of seven songs, working with various different musicians and instrumentalists.

Pronouns: she/her

Duncan Colquhoun

Scotland

Duncan will create a five-track debut EP for release under a new pseudonym. Currently underway, he will use the grant to finalise recording, refinement and funding the EP's promotion.

Pronouns: he/him

ÉABHA

Northern Ireland

'An Dóitéan' is the name of ÉABHA's upcoming debut EP which I they are in the process of writing following their debut single 'Strangers'. It will consist of five tracks, which will be recorded at STIÚIDEO FEIRSTE, Belfast.

Pronouns: they/them

Ebenezer Good

North East

Ebeneezer plans to release three new singles (including his debut) periodically over 2025. He will also book DJ Sets at UK Garage and DnB events, perform/host guest mixes on his social media platforms and on radio using his production experience and existing network, with marketing via social media and merchandising.

Pronouns: he/him

Elizabeth J. Birch

West Midlands

Elizabeth will create a music label that does things differently and whose core mission is to challenge the music industry. She wants to experiment with unique and accessible ways of writing, recording, releasing, and promoting music and media.

Pronouns: she/her

Erin O'Callaghan

East Midlands

Erin will make an EP of four songs that capture growing up in your early 20s, falling in and out of love and discovering who you actually might want to be. She will also put funding towards a marketing campaign and visual world for her music, and a focus on growing and connecting with her audience.

Pronouns: she/her

Exojay

East Midlands

The project will be a self-produced six-eight song EP (HipHop, RnB) for the summer. Exojay's goal is to create a visual aesthetic to accompany his sound by shooting cinematic content.

Pronouns: he/him

FEE

Yorkshire and the Humber

FEE will record and release an EP called 'Dancing Flames', which she will release towards the end of this year. She plans to celebrate this release with a headline show.

Pronouns: she/her

Gabriella Bongo

Greater London

After releasing her debut EP this year, songwriter, producer, DJ and recording engineer Gabriella would like to release three singles to gain further traction and establish herself more in the music industry.

Pronouns: she/her

George Bone

East of England

George will use the funding for two lead singles, forming part of his upcoming EP, and essential equipment. He will spend the budget on session musicians, marketing, a 35mm camera, CD production, and merchandise. 

Pronouns: he/him

HabibTati

Greater London

The project will focus on integrating sounds and instruments from HabibTati's Southwest Asian heritage, developing them for several performances within London’s electronic music community. Additionally, HabibTati aims to collaborate by having events that celebrate these diverse sounds and the rich musical traditions they represent.

Pronouns: they/them

Honey Keenan

Greater London

As a talent manager, Honey is focused on helping their artist with the release of their next album. Her goal is to meet with the right people, promote the album effectively, and get it in front of the right audiences to ensure it reaches its full potential and receives the attention it deserves.

Pronouns: she/her

Isabel Maria

North East

Isabel plans to record a five-track EP, with funding going towards the recording, mixing, and mastering of four of those tracks. She intends to work with a photographer for images but wants to learn the transferable skills like video editing herself in order to create additional promotional material.

Pronouns: she/her

Karis Jade

North West

Singer-songwriter Karis Jade's project will consist of three tracks. These tracks will take you on the very raw and emotional journey through the last two years of her life with a sultry, vulnerable, raw and vibey sound.

Pronouns: she/her

kfromkway

South East

kfromkway's project is a fearless celebration of Black British music, fusing R&B, dancehall, soca, soul, garage, hip hop, and jazz. It unravels Gen Z love—digital dating, fleeting connections—and the turbulence of early adulthood, set against a world in crisis. Bold, raw, and timeless, it captures humanity’s unyielding hope.

Pronouns: he/him

Lucas Assagba

Yorkshire and the Humber

'the Solution', is the sequel project to Lucas' first EP, 'the Resolution'. Where 'the Resolution' focused on what it means to heal, 'the Solution' deals with the aftermath of healing, and everything that comes next. Lucas plans to finish the EP and promote it with the NextGen Fund.

Pronouns: she/they

MARACHÉ

Greater London

MARACHÉ's upcoming debut EP will showcase her songwriting and versatile blend of Afro R&B, soul, and pop. With honest lyrics and catchy melodies, it will explore relatable themes of love, friendship, hardship, and growth, engaging listeners through authenticity and a captivating fusion of sounds.

Pronouns: she/her

Mason Talbot

Yorkshire and the Humber

Mason will continue to grow his independent record label, Redefy, using the NextGen Fund to help to promote the music, as well as label event parties and pay for press shots/video shoots.

Pronouns: he/him

Monica Wat

South West

'Gaslight' is the sophomore and twin EP following Monica's debut EP 'Fairylights'. Fusing indie folk/country-pop with lyrical storytelling and ethereal vocals, the collection of songs will explore themes of grieving a homeland and loved ones, making ends meet while losing oneself, feeling alienated due to racial identity and beyond.

Pronouns: she/her

NuAloe

Greater London

NuAloe's project will be in the form of an EP that navigates love, honesty, nostalgia, growth and so much more as a Black queer Masc-presenting woman. There will be visuals to go alongside the songs.

Pronouns: she/they

Peter McMahon

Northern Ireland

'QUEUEING FOR ONE' is an EP of songs walking through the journey of self-hatred to acceptance that queer/neurodivergent folks tend to go through in their formative years. The songs will be accompanied by a series of creative music videos that coalesce into one cohesive short film following someone discovering themselves.

Pronouns: he/him

retropxssy

Greater London

A friend’s death due to mental health system failure was the catalyst for this album and release campaign which expands the world of retropxssy's live sets and visuals. Surreal storytelling explores hidden disability and wider themes of marginalisation, power and fantasy to a soundtrack of hip-hop, jungle and booming bass.

Pronouns: she/her

Samantha

Wales

Samantha is creating a 10-track afrobeat album which will be featuring artists such as manlikevision, truth, Jessica Kaay and Sharmeela Bragg. This project will be a doorway to express the celebration and struggles of the Black Welsh youth, discussing subjects of poverty, internalised racism and more.

Pronouns: she/her

Sunny Side Down

West Midlands

"This album is an emotional picture of me and the people around me over the last three years. Though personal, I'd like to hope it will resonate with others and capture how it feels to let yourself be constantly learning," Sunny Side Down explains.

Pronouns: they/them

Superlate

North West

Superlate has EPs planned for 2025, and will be focusing on maximising opportunities for editorial playlist support, integrating his brand into real-world contexts, driving exponential growth on social media, and enhancing the quality of his recordings as a producer.

Pronouns: he/him

Surafeal Bruke

Greater London

GRADIENT is a platform celebrating the UK's vibrant and diverse music and creative scenes. Like a gradient, we add depth and dimension by supporting and showcasing the full spectrum of emerging talent, creating opportunities for artists and creatives to thrive while reflecting the city’s dynamic cultural identity.

The Yard Woman

South West

The Yard Woman is transitioning from her established work in Melodic Techno to explore new creative and professional possibilities in Melodic House. With support, she plans to produce and release a two-track EP, bringing a fresh narrative-driven sound to the genre.

Pronouns: she/her

Yemi Yohannes

South East

After releasing her debut spoken word album, Yemi plans to create a solo EP exploring spoken word with jungle music, as well as a specific focus on choral sounds and storytelling. This EP will be a musical journey combining poetry with live instruments, vocals and digitally produced beats.

Pronouns: she/her