Pa Salieu closed the 2021 Youth Music Awards

"I feel so galvanised, motivated and excited by these artists at the Youth Music Awards and what they are producing and creating and it feels amazing to be here in person."

The annual awards ceremony held by Youth Music took place last night at London’s Troxy, celebrating some of the UK’s most forward thinking music projects and people. The charity supports a broad range of young people from various backgrounds, to learn and earn valuable experience. They have been part of the journey and chart topping success of Rag’n’Bone Man and countless other youngsters.

The charity has been championing talent for twenty years and now in the second year of their award ceremony, they enlisted an incredible set of industry figures as judges for the night’s categories, including Eve, Bicep and Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor.

Winners included TEE who went home with an award for his track ‘Wings’, which was inspired by the killing of George Floyd. CEO of ‘Music Fusion – Words not Weapons’, Jinx Prowse was handed the Social Action Award for his programme that addresses rival gang disputes by encouraging music collaboration via rapping, singing and music production courses.

Performances came from Sans Soucis, MANO, Superlative and Karis Jade, Vanessa Maria, Ellie Prohan, and was closed with an exclusive performance from BBC Sound of 2021 winner Pa Salieu, who says:

“Youth Music is so important. I grew up seeing people doing grime outside of youth clubs, I used to see it and it put the idea of doing it in my mind. There was this one woman called Susie, who started a thing called Changing Trax in Coventry, one of the only outlets in the area for performing or making music. That was my first taste of it and ever since I’ve been motivated.

When asked about the thinking behind the name of his latest EP Afrikan Rebel, Pa said, “When I say Afrikan Rebel, it’s all of us. We are one, know what I’m saying? It’s a literal thing, we are one – that’s life so.”

Speaking on the awards, TV and radio presenter Vick Hope said, “I feel so galvanised, motivated and excited by these artists at the Youth Music Awards and what they are producing and creating and it feels amazing to be here in person.”

Categories included:

Entrepreneur Award winner: Eva Davies
Young Leader Award winner: Sindy Czureja
Inspirational Music Leader Award winner: Jimmy Power
Outstanding Project Award winner: Reform Radio CIC
Social Action Award winner: Jinx Prowse/CEO of Music Fusion – Words not Weapons
Lyricist Award winner: Tee – Black Wings
Original Track Award (group) winner: Violet May ft. Rowan & Brixton Chamber Orchestra
Original Track Award (solo) winner: San Soucis – Air – Sound Connections
Music Producer Award winner: Jake Wincott (Priv on the Beat)
Outstanding Act Award winner: Superlative