The saying goes, ‘if you can see it, you can be it’. As a young Black boy, I aspired to be a footballer – so did most other young Black boys at the time. Back then it was difficult to see too many Black role models in British society that plied their trade outside of sport (male or female). We know that role models can have a considerable impact on career and life choices for a young person, both positively and negatively.
The 2021 Black Lives in Music (BLiM) report Being Black in the UK Music Industry tells a narrative of challenge, right from the get-go, for young people of colour looking to realise their aspirations of working in the UK music sector. A staggering 86 per cent of the report's respondents believe there are barriers to progress for people of colour in the music industry. When I recently presented some of the report findings to a group of experienced classical music professionals, they found the numbers too fanciful to believe. It's difficult to understand the plight of others without walking a mile in their shoes.
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