A collaborative Artist Development programme supporting singers, rappers & MCs aged 18-30
NEXT LEVEL 2023
Big Team and Bristol Beacon have joined forces once again in search of the city’s best emerging talent. Now in its second year, Next Level is currently underway and applications are now closed.
This project has been specially designed to help support emerging artists’ creative and professional development while building their relationship with the music industry by placing them into professional environments which will build confidence and enhance their writing, recording, performance, and promotional skills.
With guidance from well-established artists who are already experienced in the industry, and a number of active organisations in the local music scene, the hope is that together we can support the next generation of Bristol artists to take their careers to the NEXT LEVEL.
Meet the NEXT LEVEL 2023 artists
B3NJI
B3NJI
B3nji, aka Kai Benjamin, is a half-Japanese rapper and singer/songwriter who takes pride in his bouncy flows and energetic live performances.
A semi-finalist on the 2022 season of The Voice UK, he had all four coaches (Will.i.am, Anne-Marie, Tom Jones and Olly Murs) turn for him at the Blind Auditions, and is boasts radio play on the likes of BBC Cornwall and BBC Introducing in the West.
Rebekah Dinnall
Rebekah Dinnall
Rebekah is a Bristol-based experimental reggae and dub artist. Incorporating rich melodies and captivating harmonies, she draws on her Jamaican roots to combine the modern and traditional, creating a contemporary sound made for people to feel seen.
Solo Jane
Solo Jane
Originally hailing from Exeter, Solo Jane now resides in Bristol. An expressive, lyrical and emotive alternative R&B singer, she has been working hard to cement herself in the Bristol music scene.
With her first single hitting over 2 million streams, she is going from strength to strength. No stranger to BBC introducing, three of her releases have been track of the week and other accomplishments include DJ Targets touchdown tour, +44 playlist and Earmilk Publication.
G U Y
G U Y
G U Y is an up and coming artist from the South West, raised in a small town called Devzies. His genre-spanning music is inspired by his Jamaican heritage, touching on hip hop, R&B, and pop.
Taking inspiration from the likes of Dave, Berwyn, and Kojey Radical, his sound involves catchy hooks and strong melodies. Since moving to Bristol he has been ramping up his career, performing at venues and local festivals and has been featured on BBC Introducing and Ujima Radio.
RED
RED
RED is a singer-songwriter-producer with a gift for lofty storytelling and a penchant for bass-driven pop fusion. From Gucci campaigns and Glastonbury festival, to Academies and theatres around the country, she’s made a name for herself as a vocal powerhouse on the UK drag scene.
Now, as a proud trans woman, she’s ready to level up, unleash her music on the world and cement her place in the music industry.
Asher Simmons
Asher Simmons
Asher Simmons is a Bahamian singer, songwriter and beat maker who was born in Paget, Bermuda, and raised in Abaco, Bahamas. Drawing inspiration from his upbringing, he is known for his melodic delivery and surgical lyricism.
Already hitting the ground running in the UK music scene, in 2022 he performed at Glastonbury, and has been featured as a spotlight artist in the Bristol Black History Month Magazine.
NEXT LEVEL: The Showcase
The NEXT LEVEL Showcase marks the culmination of all the hard work put into the studio over two intensive weeks and provides a chance to celebrate all of the artist’s achievements in a more intimate setting.
Headlining the night will be one of the UK’s most exciting new Rap artists; Brum Town’s Miss Lafamilia alongside her tour DJ and our pal, Bristol’s very own party-starter DJ McCoy Sway.
Industry Mentorship
Six successful applicants will take part in a creative mentorship week at Pirate Studios with our dedicated team of professional producers and vocalists who return for 2023, including Sam Interface, N.Y.T.A, Fiyahdred, Eva Lazarus, Dread MC, and Res One.
During the week, participants will present their demos, write new material, and collaborate through co-writing and rehearsals.
Following on from that, the Next Level crew will take part in an industry day, featuring specially curated workshops hosted by Bristol heavyweights Team Love, Boomtown Festival and Hey? What!
These workshops will be focused around navigating and promoting themselves as artists in the music industry – and who better to learn from than some of the biggest names in events and the creative industries.
Live Performance
We will round off the programme with a live showcase at Bristol Beacon, featuring their projects from the creative week, alongside a secret national headliner and in front of a live audience and invited industry professionals – including festival bookers, artist managers, and festival organisers.
Not only that, but this year, all six acts will be offered a set at Love Saves The Day Festival 2023.
Apply
Applicants for NEXT LEVEL 2023 closed at 5pm on Tue 27 Feb.
Full list of what’s on offer
- Free studio time supported by mentors
- 1 to 1 music mentorship
- Vocal sessions
- Collaborative lyric writing sessions
- Support on developing new and existing original tracks
- Opportunities to feature and collaborate with other artists
- Performance techniques
- Network with industry professionals such as events organisers and booking agents
- Industry Day Performance slot at the NEXT LEVEL 2023 showcase hosted by Bristol Beacon
- Slot on the main stage at Love Saves The Day Festival 2023
- £500 fee for participation in the programme
Watch: Next Level Documentary
In April 2022 we launched Next Level with Big Team and partnered with some of Bristol’s biggest names in music – Team Love, Pirate Studios, Crack Magazine and SWU FM – to find and inspire six local upcoming acts with an unparalleled heavyweight package of artist development support.
Watch the short documentary looking back over the year so far, immerse yourself in their sounds, and discover how the Next Level 2022 artists are defining the future of music in Bristol.
Project collaborators and partners
NEXT LEVEL is produced by Bristol Beacon, Big Team, Pirate Studios, Boomtown Festival, Love Saves The Day and Hey!What?
We would like to thank PRS Foundation for part-funding NEXT LEVEL 2023, their support means that we are now able to pay the participants for their input and expand the age range of applicants to 18-30
2022 programme
In 2022 we co-produced with Big Team a collaborative Artist Development programme supporting singers, rappers & MCs aged 18-25.
Partnering with some of Bristol’s biggest names in music – Love Saves The Day, Pirate Studios, Crack Magazine and SWU FM – NEXT LEVEL offered Bristol artists aged 18-25 studio experience over the course of one week and the chance to perform live at Love Saves The Day 2022.
Running for one week in April 2022, the Next Level programme included:
- A week of workshops at Pirate Studios with professional producers and vocalists, including Sam Interface, N.Y.T.A, Fiyahdred, Eva Lazarus, Dread MC and Res One.
- Recording studio sessions where artists presented demos, wrote new material, collaborated through co-writing and rehearsed.
- Performances at a showcase in front of a live audience and industry panel at Bristol Beacon, alongside headliner Jords and guest host and DJ Vanessa Maria.
- A press and media workshop hosted by Crack Magazine.
- A performance slot at Love Saves The Day festival 2022
2022 Finalists
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