Youth Music NextGen Fund announce first round of recipients

The national charity Youth Music hopes their new fund will help the next generation of talent in all facets of the musical process: producing, singing, rapping, mixing and marketing. 320 young artists and creative entrepreneurs from across the UK applied for the grant since applications opened in June 2021. Recipients were selected by a judging panel from Youth Music, TikTok and industry experts.  

32 per cent of those receiving funding identify as Disabled, with 68 per cent of recipients having never received funding before. Of those receiving the grant, 24 per cent are currently freelance and 22 per cent are not in employment. 

The recipients include Lil Trubz, a rapper and events producer who founded the up-and-coming music platform Tracks On Top (TOT); he has been featured on Stormzy’s #WickedSkengCypher. Trubz will use the funding to produce his first album, featuring artists from the TOT community. 

Other recipients include South Wales-based Sizwe ‘SZWE’ Chitiyo – a 23-year-old artist who was born in Zimbabwe. Sizwe will use the fund to create a follow-up to his bedroom album SZWE Part 1. 

Rimzi – DJ, producer, vocalist and painter from Birmingham – is also a recipient of the NextGen Fund. She intends to incorporate her South Asian and Sufi heritage into the creation of her EP with the help of Youth Music. 

Rimzi said: ‘I wouldn’t have had the confidence, space or resources to release my first project without this opportunity, or to even see that dream as a tangible possibility. This whole process welcomes and nurtures young people who have never had experience of writing funding bids before, rather than excluding us because we lack that experience. I’m grateful for the chance now to intentionally carve out creative space for my work, whilst being accountable to a timeline. These skills are crucial as a young artist.’

Project lead of the Youth Music NextGen Fund, Elijah, said: ‘Equalising opportunity in the music industries starts with investing directly in those who often overlooked. The first group of Youth Music NextGen Fund recipients have the talent, exciting ideas, and energy needed to take on the future of creative work. We can’t wait to see their projects come to life.’

Head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery said: ‘It’s inspiring to see how resilient and ambitious young music artists are, despite such a challenging year for the music sector. I’m pleased that our players will help many of these young people overcome financial barriers, to progress their career prospects.’

To see all those selected to benefit from the Youth Music NextGen Fund, visit their website.