In collaboration with
- Words Notion Staff
- Photography Pablo Santana
As part of Dr. Martens 'Tough As You Live' takeover at The Great Escape Festival, Kojey Radical leads a panel discussion on the road to creative success.
United by their dedication to supporting and spotlighting emerging artists, Dr. Martens and new music festival The Great Escape made perfect partners for a live panel exploring the road to creative success.
Hosted by DJ and creative Vanessa Maria, the panel featured Dr. Martens ‘Tough As You’ mentor, Kojey Radical, Leicester artist Queen Millz, founder of Artist’s Way Agency, Elspeth Merry, and Notion’s own creative director, Nicholas Douglas.
Guided by Vanessa, the panellists discussed their own careers and how we as an industry can better support new voices in music — delving into mentorship, collaboration, accessibility and inclusivity, as well as self-belief, persistence, and the importance of storytelling in music and media.
The themes explored tie back to Dr. Martens’ ‘Tough As You’ initiative — a year-long European mentorship programme that has enlisted Kojey alongside other industry disruptors Mahalia, Kelvyn Colt, Serious Klein, Luidji and Claire Laffut. From one-on-one advice to funding and financial assistance, the campaign is part of the brand’s long-term efforts to platform and empower emerging voices and underrepresented communities in the arts, ultimately accelerating the development of their careers.
The ‘Tough As You Live’ takeover encapsulated the values of the ongoing initiative, using an organic, grassroots approach to help create a more accessible and inclusive industry for the next generation of talent. Held at Brighton venue Patterns, the panel was just one fixture within a day of events both entertaining and educational – from workshops and discussions with industry insiders, to performances by a range of boundary-breaking emerging artists selected by Kojey himself. In line with Dr. Martens’ focus on accessibility, the takeover extended the reach of the ‘Tough As You’ campaign, going beyond one-on-one mentorship to provide both practical guidance and inspiration to all those in attendance at The Great Escape.
Get an inside look at the panel talk below, and for more insider tips to creative success, check out Kojey Radical’s Notion guide here.
