Ian Sims

Senior Label Relations Manager, Amazon Music

Ian leads the relationship between Amazon Music and Universal Music labels in the UK. Ian started his Amazon Music journey in 2017 within the Physical Music team, and has been in the Digital Music team since 2020 where he negotiates mutually benefitting artist partnerships and owns priority projects across emerging artists (Breakthrough) and catalogue music. Some recent achievements include: Consumer Innovation Award Finalist 2023 (Music Week), Best Marketing Campaign List 2022 (Music Ally), seven figure views on numerous Twitch livestreams, and Top 5 OCC chart finish with Amazon Original Christmas track.

James Giddings

Co-Founder, DeLaMouche

James is the Co-Founder of DeLaMouche, which is made-up of 3Sixty Music and Media. As a company, they harness their significant network to work with major IP owners, brands, Governments, investors and artists across the globe to harness the power of music and media. DeLaMouche's recent work includes programming the music and performances at the FIFA World Cup as well as ongoing projects with brands such as MOBO, BBC, Marshall and many more. DeLaMouche also represent a roster of already successful and up-and-coming artists.

Jamie Spinks

Head of A&R, Columbia Records

Jamie Spinks has achieved remarkable success signing some of the biggest and most ground-breaking artists and singles in the industry. While at Polydor, he worked with high-profile artists such as RAYE, Jax Jones, Mura Masa, Ellie Goulding, and Celeste. In 2022, he moved to Columbia Records, where he founded the 'Room Two' joint venture and was promoted to Head of A&R.

In his time at Columbia, Jamie signed multi-platinum band Rudimental and emerging artist Venbee. As Head of A&R, he is responsible for overseeing the direction of the A&R strategy for Columbia Records, signing and developing the next generation of talent for its iconic roster.

Joe Goddard

Band member, Hot Chip

Member of Hot Chip and the 2 Bears, songwriter, producer, DJ, Grammy-nominated remixer and co-founder of the Greco-Roman label. All of the above are elements of the biography of Joe Goddard, an artist now firmly established as part of the lineage of British producers whose raison d'être lies in the synthesis of the perfect vocal, the right beat and the energy levels felt in the centre of the dancefloor. The optimism and sense of community Goddard's music provides, however, is his alone.

Jordss

DJ

Jordss is a London based DJ and producer, who plays recognisable favourites infused with electronic twists. Never afraid to throw a curveball or three, Jordss draws influences from her Caribbean roots and blends them with gritty London garage, soul and dance.

Jordss is also the founder of ‘Girls Can’t DJ’, a community and database made to eradicate gender imbalance in the DJing community by encouraging womxn to learn how to DJ and promoting existing female and non-binary talent.

With 6 boiler rooms, 21 international shows and her recent HÖR Berlin set, Jordss is a music lover and tastemaker making waves in the music industry.

Joy Crookes

Artist

Joy Crookes has fast become one of the UK’s most exciting new artists. Her unique approach to storytelling within her songs has seen her become a treasured and trusted new voice. 

Joy's debut album 'Skin' achieved a top 5 spot in the Official UK Chart and number 1 in the Official Record Store Chart, two BRIT nominations and was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize.

Kojey Radical

Artist

“I’ve always seen myself as a servant of creativity,” says Kojey Radical, “I’m only here to contribute. Outside of that it’s not about me.” The 28-year-old multi-genre musician has emerged as one of Britain’s most thrilling and unique creative voices. Blending everything from Rap to Jazz, spoken-word to funk, Kojey manages to wrap narrations on the conditions of country, the celebrations of community and the relationship with self into soulful, rhythmic sounds that carry at stage shows and festivals. By doing so, he has become a voice for the unheard.

Kwabs

Artist

Bermondsey-born Kwabena Adjepong appeared on the BBC Sound of 2015 list and went on to release three EPs. His single 'Walk' went straight to Number 1 in Germany and dominated radio airplay, across Europe.

Kwabs has previously supported Sam Smith on their European tour and collaborated with Disclosure on the track 'Willing & Able'. He has performed at both Coachella and Glastonbury.

Lauren Layfield

TV & Radio Presenter

Lauren has been waking up the nation’s early risers on Capital’s Early Breakfast Show since 2019.  She has been a regular reporter for The One Show since 2021. Last year, she joined the Eurovision family to become the commentator for Junior Eurovision, broadcasting live on BBC One.

Lauren is an ambassador for mental health charity Young Minds and period poverty organisation Bloody Good Period. Her debut teen novel ‘Indi Raye is Totally Faking It’ will be published in August 2023 by Hachette UK.

Lewis Slade

Studio Manager, Metropolis Studios

Lewis Slade has been running the studios since June 2021 and started his career there as an apprentice, working his way to the top within a few years of joining.

In his time as manager, Lewis has seen Metropolis nominated for the MPG 2023 Studio Of The Year Award - the first for Metropolis in a number of years - facilitated the UK's first industrial-scale festival writing camp alongside Warner Chappell, and ran rehearsals for the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Show with the Foo Fighters and guest performers such as Paul McCartney, Queen, & Brian Johnson.

Alongside these special projects, he works with a wide range of artists from Kendrick Lamar, The Rolling Stones, Burna Boy, AJ Tracey, Travis Scott, Guns N Roses, Becky Hill, WizKid, and many more.

Lewis has been playing drums and writing music since 11 years of age, which is where his passion for music started; playing in bands across the UK and in Europe, and still producing music in collectives to this day.

LF System

Production Duo

Scottish duo LF System's single 'Afraid to Feel' went double Platinum, spending eight weeks atop the UK charts, the longest running electronic track to sit at #1. They have sold out debut tours of USA, Australia & New Zealand and have major festival appearances in summer 2023 at Glastonbury, Creamfields, Reading, Leeds, Exit, Parklife, TRNSMT and more.

Lucian Wheeler

Exams Officer, RSL Awards

Lucian is a multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer. After studying Creative Music Technology at the University of Salford, he has worked at RSL Awards in the exams team.

RSL awards are an international awarding body and music publisher. Their brands Rockschool, VQ (Vocational Qualifications), PAA (Performing Arts Awards), and CQ (Creative Qualifications) connect with over 100,000 young people each year. Alumni include Ed Sheeran, Jess Glynne, and Wolf Alice.

Lucian also writes, records and gigs all across London as part of Fearweek and The Famous Daxx.

Mark Savage

BBC Music Correspondant

Mark Savage started his career as a sound engineer, mixing live radio programmes in 52 languages for the BBC World Service, before moving into reporting. Since then, he has covered everything from the Cannes Film Festival to the Grammys, and interviewed some of music’s biggest names, including Paul McCartney, Madonna, Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga.

Martha Kinn

Founder, Kinndred Management

Martha has managed Years & Years since 2013, taking them from an unknown act to global success.

Martha’s former clients include MNEK (2020-22), Bree Runway (2017-20), and Rizzle Kicks, whom she discovered at age 22 and steered to platinum success with their debut album in 2011.

Martha won the ‘Rising Star’ award at Music Week’s Women in Music Awards in 2016, won the Ultimate Achievement Award via the Ultimate Seminar and has been nominated for Music Week’s ‘Manager of the Year’ 3 years in row.

In 2019, Martha launched a ground-breaking Mental Health and Wellbeing Initiative. The service comprises of artist assessment sessions, a well-being drop in facility and a therapeutic support group for staff.

Megan Townsend

Deputy Editor, Mixmag

Megan Townsend is a music journalist and the current Deputy Editor of Mixmag. Working in newsrooms for the past eight years, alongside writing about electronic music, has given Megan an in-depth knowledge of the dance music scene and modern media. Megan hails from Merseyside and is now based in London, and puts expanding the focal point of dance music journalism to include underrepresented groups and scenes — in both the UK and internationally — at the forefront of her work. While at Mixmag she has launched the Cost Of Living Series, written an in-depth investigation into the vinyl industry and post-COVID recovery — alongside consistent coverage of cultural trends and emerging artists. 

Michael Cragg

Music Journalist & Author

Michael Cragg has been writing about pop music for over a decade and has interviewed everyone from Lady Gaga to Lorde, via Little Mix, Shawn Mendes, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Kylie Minogue and Lil Nas X. He has written for outlets including Vogue, The Guardian, GQ, BBC, The Observer, Popjustice, Dazed, i-D, The Face and Billboard. He also edits the independent biannual music magazine BEAT. He released his debut book, Reach For The Stars, an oral history of UK pop between 1996 and 2006, earlier this year.

NAINA

DJ & Presenter

NAINA is known for her inimitable blend of hard and fast dance music, delving between techno, footwork and jungle in true Hooversound style, alongside broadcasting weekly around the world on Apple Music 1 & monthly on NTS. She's previously held spots on Reprezent Radio to featuring across 4Music, Rinse FM, NTS, BBC 1Xtra.

NAINA launched the record label Hooversound with fellow DJ, SHERELLE, and also created TALA Radio to shine a spotlight on emerging South Asian talent.

NAINA has featured on Boiler Room twice (2017, 2019) and was nominated for Best Radio Show at the DJ Mag awards in 2021.

Nathan Thomson

Head Of Music, KISS Network

Nathan works with KISS' Programme Director, delivering the brand's music strategy across it's main KISS FM UK platform as well as both it's KISStory and recently-launched Kiss Fresh formats. Nathan is also responsible for the station's playlists and scheduling as well as executing music content across the brands with record companies, pluggers, management and artists.

Nicolas-Tyrell Scott

Music & Culture Journalist

Nicolas-Tyrell Scott is a London-based music and cultural journalist with his work printed/published in GQ, Pitchfork, Dazed, Apple Music, and more. As a speaker, he’s been featured on BBC, Channel 4, Wray and Nephew, The Grapevine TV, No Signal, Over the Bridge podcast, and spoken at Soho House. In music, he’s crafted assets for Mahalia, Adekunle Gold, Bru-C, and others. Nicolas-Tyrell has an informed view on music, which spans hip-hop to R&B, to emergent genres like drill, future-sounds, and afro-swing, always sure to tie lineages to each before framing their futures.