Next Generation Day: A full day of talks, discussions, case studies and insights aimed at the next generation of the music industry presented by BBC Introducing and Youth Music on Saturday 17th May 2025
THE COLLABORATOR
BBC Introducing and Youth Music
The Next Generation Day at The Great Escape Conference will focus on professional development for emerging artists and entrepreneurs. Saturday only conference passes and Saturday only conference pass combined with a Saturday festival tickets can now be purchased.
THE MAIN THEMES OF THE DAY
Education/Youth facing day
– Making it in live music
– ‘Time To Sign?’ Deciding if a manager / label is right for you
– How to pitch your project to press
THE SESSIONS…
With insightful panels and expert speakers, this day will explore how emerging artists and industry professionals can break through, secure deals, and build lasting careers. Here is the schedule for the day
CONFERENCE ROOM 1…
10:00 BBC Introducing presentation
Join Kelly Betts, Editor of BBC Introducing, as she discusses the process of submitting your music to BBC Introducing, how it reaches national shows, and the pathway to being booked to perform at iconic events like Glastonbury.
10:25 Youth Music presentation
Youth Music is a national charity, which equalises access to music for young people across the UK and Northern Ireland. In this session, get to know more about their NextGen programme, which is all about providing funding, events and opportunities to artists and music creatives aged between 18 and 25. You’ll hear about what their NextGen Community is and what it has to offer, along with an outline of the NextGen Fund, and top tips for how to apply.
11:00 Making it in live music
One of the best ways for artists to get their names out there and their music heard, is to perform regularly – but a lot of work goes into putting live shows on the road. Our panel of artists, tour managers, promoters and agents will talk about what it takes to make a live show happen, and how you can make your night a success – whether you’re an artist or a budding promoter yourself. Expect to delve into everything from managing budgets, curating a great audience experience, and maximising the hype from your events even after the night is over.
Sarah Joy – ATC Live
Talia Andrea – Youth Music / Femmestival
Alex West – Promoter, Manager and Radio Presenter
Nyla Davison – Tour Manager
Jodie Bryant – BBC Radio 1 (Moderator)
12:00 In Conversation: Jordan Stephens with Abbie McCarthy
Following on from his sold-out show with Rizzle Kicks on Friday, Jordan Stephens will take to the conference stage at The Great Escape on Saturday 17th May for an exclusive keynote conversation with award-winning presenter, BBC Introducing DJ & tastemaker Abbie McCarthy. The first ever recipient of the ‘Grassroots Hero’ award from Saturday conference collaborators Youth Music, this discussion will delve into Jordan’s boundary breaking career to date.
Jordan Stephens – Rizzle Kicks
Abbie McCarthy – BBC Introducing
13:00 Time To Sign
When it comes to being a rising artist, there’s one big question that’s always at the back of everyone’s minds – how do you know when it’s time to sign? Our panel of industry experts – including managers, label reps, A&Rs and artists themselves – will share their advice about the kind of support you might need for the stage of your career, how to start building your team, and the benefits of signing to management or a label versus staying independent.”
Chloé Ameh – Director, That’s My Jamm
Jasmine Takhar – BBC Asian Network Presenter
Richard Carter – Youth Music NextGen Artist
Chrystal Lecointe
14:00 Pitching To Press
This panel will discuss tips and tricks for getting your creative project in front of press, from magazines and TV, to radio and playlisting. It’s aimed at not only artists, but also music creatives who want to learn more about the best way to put themselves out there. Come and find out our panellists’ pearls of wisdom when it comes to press, how to avoid pitching pitfalls, and insider information about what tastemakers look for when they’re selecting who to spotlight.
Elspeth Merry – Artists’ Way
Fuzz Chaudhrey – Network Producer, BBC Introducing
Riya Kalhan – Youth Music NextGen Artist
CONFERENCE ROOM 2…
10:00 AudioActive
Join AudioActive and friends to explore how early stage emerging artists and creators can take their development and careers to the next level. Join in on an interactive discussion with artists and mentors from AudioActive’s artist development programme Emerge to share valuable insights and strategies to help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of the music industry.
Sophie Faith: Sophie Faith Townsend
Hatter: Sam Maryon
Lori Asha: Lori Asha Edmond
REA: Rachel Adderly
11:00 SoundCloud School
Learn how to use SoundCloud for maximum impact, with a introduction to SoundCloud for Artists as well as the wealth of opportunities that SoundCloud has to offer.
Hope Hale – Industry Relations Manager, SoundCloud
The Front Row Effect: Turning Live Moments into Lasting Connections with Songkick
Jordan Gremli, Head of Product, Songkick
12:45 Licensing Masterclass, with PPL and Leland
Join us for a session dedicated to teaching you all you need to know about music licensing. PPL will be with us to offer up an introduction to music licensing, before we meet Rue Gumbochuma, Associate Music Supervisor / Composer Agent at Leland to tell us about sync, music supervision, and everything you need to know about getting your music into films, TV shows and adverts.
Leo O’Brien – PPL
Esther – PPL
Rue Gumbochuma – Associate Music Supervisor / Composer Agent
13:45 The Climate Hour, with Climate Live and EarthPercent
Dominique Palmer
Jolie P (Sexy Lady Massive)
Rachel Kiki Tabizel
Frances Fox
Cathy Runciman – EarthPercent
Josie Illingworth – Winner of Tune Into Nature Music Prize
15:00 The Power of Wellness in Music
The mental and physical wellbeing of artists and their teams is of paramount importance, but the music industry hasn’t always created safe spaces for its creators. Join us to discuss practical tips to safely navigate this complex industry, and to hear about how staying well can benefit your creativity.
Laila Khan – Music Support
Jeordie Shenton – Tonic Music
Ruth Emery
THE LOGISTICS
The Next Generation Day with BBC Introducing and Youth Music will be at The Great Escape Conference on Saturday 17th May 2025 at the Leonardo Royal Waterfront Hotel in Brighton and is open to anyone with a TGE delegate, a conference only pass or a Saturday only conference pass.