Eve, MNEK, Amelia Dimoldenberg, and Gilles Peterson MBE will judge this year's Youth Music Awards, which aims to celebrate the crucial contributions of grassroots music and advocate for the future of young artists in the UK.

The Youth Music Awards is back and this year celebrating 41 nominees across 11 categories, selected by a distinguished panel of industry experts, including Eve, MNEK, Amelia Dimoldenberg, and Gilles Peterson MBE. The awards, held in association with Hal Leonard Europe, are set to take place on October 16th, 2024, at Troxy in London.

 

Youth Music CEO Matt Griffiths expresses his enthusiasm for the nominees, stating, “We are thrilled to see the diverse wealth of talent and leaders shortlisted for this year’s awards. It’s a testament to the incredible grassroots music scene we have in the UK. A scene sadly facing a financial crisis, which could see crucial projects closing down nationwide if we don’t act now.”

Youth Music has also announced that artist, author, and actor Jordan Stephens will be the inaugural winner of the Grassroots Hero Award. This new accolade recognises an individual who has made outstanding contributions to advocating for young people and supporting grassroots music initiatives.

 

The Grassroots Hero Award comes in the wake of alarming findings from the Youth Music SONG Report, which revealed a crisis within the grassroots music sector. The report highlights a 45% drop in real-term donations to Youth Music, leading to only 17% of funding applications being approved—a historic low. Such funding cuts put many grassroots organisations at risk of closure, threatening the future of music for countless young individuals.

Jordan Stephens, known for his role as one-half of the chart-topping duo Rizzle Kicks, has been a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and grassroots music projects. His campaign #IAMWHOLE, aimed at reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, reached over 120 million people and even garnered attention in the Houses of Parliament. With the recent success of his children’s book The Missing Piece and his latest release, Avoidance, Drugs, Heartbreak and Dogs, which debuted as a Sunday Times Best Seller, Jordan has become an inspiring leader in the music community.

 

Expressing his gratitude, he says, “I am absolutely buzzing to receive this award from Youth Music. I love everything they stand for. They’re one of my earliest supporters, and I’ve done whatever I can to repay the favour. More support for the creative arts. More joy for Youth Music. Thank you so much.”

 

Full list of nominees:

Inspirational Music Leader Award sponsored by The MU

  • Kathryn Sturman (Made with Music)
  • Mikel Medley (The Music Works)
  • Thabo Mkwananzi (Midlands Art Centre)

Young Leader Award sponsored by Rocksteady

  • Liam Bowles (Sound Communities)
  • Mackenzie Edmondson (The Music Works)
  • Toni Olabanji (Rap Club Productions, C.I.C)

Outstanding Project Award sponsored by PPL

  • Girls Rock London, Girls Rock London: Youth Voice Take Over,
  • Heart n Soul, Do Your Own Thing
  • Offshoot East Midlands CIC, Circle of Light,
  • Rap Club Productions, C.I.C, The Spit Game
  • Soft Touch Arts, Soft Touch Studio, East Midlands

Social Action Award sponsored by Hal Leonard Europe

  • Blue Cabin, This is the Place
  • CHARIS, Sounds at the Junction
  • Sanjeev Mann aka Supermann on da beat

Rising Star Award (Industry) sponsored by Songkick

  • Sanjeev Mann aka Supermann on da beat (Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • Talia Andrea (Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • Vanessa Maria (Saffron Records C.I.C)

Lyricist Award sponsored by PRS For Music

  • C4Truth (Bollo Studios)
  • Noah Bouchard (Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • Siteng (Youth Music NextGen Fund)

Original Track Award (Group) sponsored by Marshall Amplification

  • Cov x Detroit – Come to This (Media Mania)
  • Finding Rhythms – Whine (Finding Rhythms)
  • Lucky Iris – blowing kisses (Music Local)
  • Pop Vulture – Blister (Come Play With Me)
  • TL & Chiraq – B4B (Rap Club Productions C.I.C)

Original Track Award (Solo) sponsored by Levi’s

  • Claudia Fenoglio – Girlfriends on TV (Music Local)
  • Cures and Curses – Harder Drugs (Liverpool Sound City)
  • LVRA – Anxiety (The Sound of Young Scotland Award / Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • Meduulla – Limbo feat. The Mouse Outfit (Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • Sarah Isabella – Intuition (Youth Music NextGen Fund)

Music Producer Award sponsored by AlphaTheta

  • Cures and Curses (Liverpool Sound City)
  • Marla Kether (Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • Tsatsamis (Youth Music NextGen Fund)

Music Video Award

  • LVRA – Venom (feat. Spent) (The Sound of Young Scotland Award / Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • Meduulla – Limbo feat. The Mouse Outfit (Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • Peri Rae – the ocean (i could die) (Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • Sarah Isabella – Intuition (Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • 4 The Brotherhood – Adrenaline Rush (Youth Music NextGen Fund)

Rising Star Award (Artist) sponsored by LCCM

  • Nat Oaks (The Music Works/ Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • Richard Carter (Youth Music NextGen Fund)
  • StudioWyzz (HQ CAN CIC)