In October, we celebrated the final chapter of our 2024–25 Emergent Artist programme. The previous ten months saw us work with five incredible early-career Disabled musicians, supporting them to create new music through a £1000 bursary, as well as individual and group mentoring. We also facilitated creative skill development sessions, exploring themes around the creative power of rest, the clarity of sobriety and presence, climate care, and creative sustainability.
The programme culminated on the evening of 10 October with the Drake Music Artist Showcase, hosted by 2022–23 Emergent Artist Sha Supangan. Our artists — Jasmine Marie, Dani Osoba, The Shouting Mute, Post Viral, and Bee Jarvis — each performed a 15-minute set, sharing how their practice had evolved throughout the year. From neo-soul and intimate guitar-led tracks to disco and house, they took the audience on a rich musical journey that you can revisit via the link below:
Open to the public, the event welcomed a diverse audience made up of music industry professionals, accessibility advocates and music lovers, both in person at Rich Mix, London, and online via livestream, for an evening of performance, conversation, and networking.
Access
As a Disabled-led organisation, accessibility is central to our work at Drake Music. Alongside the performances, we hosted a short Q&A with our CEO, Sally Currie, and Access Coordinator, Lisa Heywood, exploring the barriers Disabled people continue to face within the music industry.
To ensure the showcase was as inclusive as possible, we embedded a range of access features throughout the event, including BSL interpretation, live captioning, a quiet space, step-free access, a livestream option, and a mobile Changing Places facility. Members of the Drake Music team were also on hand on the night, providing support in the form of artist liaison, stage management, and general wellbeing coordination.
Performances and blogs
To mark the end of this year’s programme, we’ve put together this summary of the evening, accompanied by some beautiful photographs captured by Maia Walker // Pocket Studio. Each of our Emergent Artists has also contributed a short blog reflecting on their experience as part of the Drake Music Collective. We hope you enjoy exploring them.
Jasmine Marie
Our first artist on the lineup was Jasmine Marie, with a heartfelt set that brought peace, joy and a sense of belonging to the audience.
Jasmine’s blog
“Hi my name is Jasmine Marie. I’m from Coventry in the West Midlands and I was part of this year‘s cohort for the Drake Music emergent program 2024-25.
Entering into this program, I felt as though making music was difficult for me because I hadn’t been able to find spaces that were accessible for me. I lacked a sense of comfortability and because creating music in a studio, is time pressured and often working with people that are unfamiliar it made me feel creatively hindered. I needed a calm and relaxed environment. So as soon as I had the financial support from Drake Music, I paid a producer that I knew quite well and had a really strong relationship with and worked with him with no time pressures and was able to pay him for his time and the studio fees. We have been making some really great tunes hopefully being released over the coming months.
I also really wanted to learn the guitar during the program and strengthen my current skill set. I was able to work towards performing at the Drake Music showcase with my guitar. This was a wonderful experience and the team were so supportive before, during and after the Drake Music showcase.
Drake Music program has really given me an opportunity to create a creative environment community and space that is accessible for me because I think accessibility looks different for each individual. I also have left the program feeling better educated on the social model of disability and where the fits into the creative industry because of the informative sessions.
I’m thankful to have been a part of the program and I would recommend it to everybody.”
Dani Osoba
Next up was Dani, a singer-songwriter and community artist from Kent, with a performance that was introspective and mellow.
Dani’s blog
“I have really enjoyed my time as an Emerging Artist with Drake Music. Of course the fund was a great help to me as a growing artist with lots of ideas but not always the funds to make things happen. Not only was I able to buy the amp that I wanted to be able to step into busking as part of my work, but I was also able to experiment with stickers and other new merch.
More than that though, I found the most benefit in group discussion and 1-on-1 mentoring. I felt so free to be able to bring whatever I needed to discuss; no question was silly. And having the whole group to bounce ideas off of was really beneficial. Talking to likeminded people in terms of sustainability and creating as well as disability was really lovely, and I looked forward to every session,
Most recently, taking part in the showcase was such an uplifting experience. Finally meeting fellow artists in person after we had shared so much about our processes, journeys and future hopes, it was amazing to watch them perform and be able to cheer them on. Throughout the whole project I was also given the most time and grace when I was struggling with various parts. The whole team worked to give alternative options for how I could complete forms, keep informed and even having such a long soundcheck should I need it meant that I could relax on the performance day and focus on performing my best, something that is so rare from what I have experienced so far.
I am in awe of Drake Music’s ability to make the whole process accessible, for the audience as well as me as an artist. It felt seamless, where other organisations would claim it’s too difficult to do, or just wouldn’t bother, and I hope to be able to advocate for more accessibility in future events that I am part of.
I’m really fortunate to have met so many wonderful people through this process.”
The Shouting Mute
Our third performance of the night came courtesy of The Shouting Mute, blending electronic beats with communication aids to perform a captivating and dynamic set.
The Shouting Mute’s blog:
Breaking Barriers Through Music: My Journey with Drake Music’s Emergent Artists Programme
“Being part of Drake Music’s Emergent Artists programme was a fantastic opportunity for me and Mike to dive deep into how we can create songs using the technology that shapes how we communicate and express ourselves. Together, we explored how to write and perform songs using Soundbeam and Eyegaze — a fascinating and creative process that opened up new possibilities for both of us.
Throughout the project, we discovered so many new ways to make music. The experience was incredible — not just creatively, but also as a chance to learn about the music industry. Having Sha as a mentor was amazing. She gave us the confidence to experiment, a safe space to bounce around ideas, and the reassurance that our creative instincts were worth trusting.
The workshops covered everything from the social model of disability to exploring other accessible technologies. I even learned more from the legend that is John Kelly about the social model and its history — and I have to say, disabled people are pretty rock and roll for creating it! That session made me even more proud to be a disabled person.
The workshops were full of insight and inspiration. I learned so much about how the industry works and came away with a much deeper understanding of where I fit within it. And the gig — wow! Performing live was such a joy. I loved every second of it.
One of the most exciting parts for me was pushing the boundaries of Soundbeam and Eyegaze. I wanted to focus on the relationship between music and words — how they speak to each other. Performing through technology can be a challenge, but it’s one I love exploring.
The Soundbeam is an incredible tool with so much creative potential, but it’s a shame that it’s no longer really designed with performance in mind — especially given its roots in dance. As a disabled musician and wheelchair user, I find that disappointing. It feels like designers often stop thinking about what comes after school for disabled musicians.
Luckily, the Drake Music Emergent Artists bursary gave me and Mike the time and space to challenge these limitations. It allowed us to show that music isn’t just performed by disabled people — it’s created by us too.
And with my Tobii Dynavox iPad, I’ve discovered a whole new world of creative apps. The possibilities are absolutely mind-blowing!
This project has been a true journey of discovery — about music, technology, and what’s possible when creativity meets accessibility.”
Post Viral
Post Viral got the party started after the interval with a high energy disco and house music set, intertwined with samples from his favourite Disabled musicians.
Post Viral’s blog
Post Viral recorded this video to provide us with an insight into his experience on the programme.
Bee Jarvis
Our final performance of the evening came from Bee, who provided a performance of fusion of Jazz and Alternative music.
Bee’s blog
“I applied to the Drake Music Emergents programme because I wanted to stretch myself – to learn how to thrive as a disabled creative in today’s industry, and I knew I wanted to grow, I just didn’t know how. Working as a Neurodiverse artist, I’ve spent a lot of time figuring things out on my own: how to make the industry work for me, how to juggle access needs with creativity and ambition, how to make art that feels true. So stepping into a space designed to nurture that journey felt like finally getting to breathe.
My mentoring with Sha was a huge part of that. We talked honestly about what it means to work in today’s creative industries as a disabled artist. Not just the barriers, but the possibilities too.
I learned a lot about the practical side of sustaining a career: marketing myself in a way that actually feels authentic, building networks that support rather than drain, and even exploring the mysterious world of merch (which, it turns out, can be way more fun and personal than I expected). Sha’s amazing mentoring sessions gave me a toolkit that felt rooted in me, not in how I “should” be as a musician.
Creatively, this programme gave me space to take risks. I wrote three songs that encapsulate everything that excites me- Jazz, Alternative music, and Storytelling. I wrote my music around the idea of the apocalypse- not in a doom-and-gloom way, but as a way of exploring change, chaos, and resilience. I love that blend because it lets me play with both structure and surprise, and feels like what Jazz was made of. Every lyric and chord became a little world of its own: messy, human, and hopeful in its own strange way.
Performing my music at the showcase was electric. There’s something so magical about sharing work that’s still raw and new, especially in a room full of people who get it– who know how much energy, planning, and heart it takes to write, create, and stand on that stage. I came away from that performance with a newfound appreciation of performing my own music, and a deeper sense of who I am as an artist.
Being part of Emergents has reminded me that creative growth doesn’t always come from pushing harder. Sometimes it comes from being held, encouraged, guided, and believed in. I’m walking away with stronger songs, sharper skills, and a clearer sense of where I fit in this vast, vibrant industry. Most importantly, I’m leaving with the confidence that my voice- in all its jazzy, apocalyptic glory- has a place here.”
Find out more about our 2024-25 Emergents or get in touch.
With thanks to…
Our amazing artists for providing us with an insight into their journey as a Drake Music Emergent Artist. We are so excited to see where your practice takes you in the future!
Our funders for making this project possible: Arts Council England, PRS Foundation, Garrick Charitable Trust, Oleg Prokofiev Trust, and Cockayne Grants for the Arts (a Donor Advised Fund held at The Prism Charitable Trust).
