On Saturday 7th November, UD Music are collaborating with V&A East for Upstart: Creative Frequencies — a careers event for young people aged 16+ who are interested in the music industry. Inspired by The Music Is Black: A British Story, we will celebrate Black British music excellence while helping shape the future of the industry through hands-on workshops, a masterclass and panel discussion.
What’s on
13.00: Capturing Your Best Sound: Recording Vocals with Chris Layton
Chris has engineered vocals for Wretch 32, Ray BLK, Big Zuu and Avelino, and co-written and engineered on a platinum single, a gold album and multiple UK number one albums. Expect recording workflows that work at home and in the studio, mic technique, getting the best take out of a vocalist, and the EQ and compression basics behind a clean, polished sound.
14.30: Funding with Mina: How to Fund Your Dream
Got a project in mind but no idea how to pay for it? Funding consultant Hannah Mina has secured over £300,000 in successful applications, working with Youth Music, the Roundhouse, A New Direction and more. She’ll walk you through applying to Arts Council England, PRS Foundation and Help Musicians: how to budget, how to pitch your vision clearly, and the mistakes that sink most applications.
15.40: A&R Masterclass with Mel Ijieh (0207 Def Jam)
Mel has worked across RCA Records, 5K Records and 0207 Def Jam, and runs her own management company, SENSE AM. She’s helped develop the careers of Libianca, Blanco and BINA, with platinum certifications and hundreds of millions of streams between them, and won Music Week’s A&R of the Year (Black Music). In this masterclass, real tracks get played in the room and pulled apart live: what works, what doesn’t, and why. You’ll get an honest look at how talent really gets spotted, what artist development actually means, and what to have ready before you’re in the room or sending that DM. Bring your project.
17.05: Panel: How to Get Booked / Understanding Live Music
How does booking actually work? Hosted by writer and curator Naz Hamdi (Naz From Newham), this panel brings together:
- Millie Finch (Defected): assists with programming global events for Defected and Glitterbox, and co-founded In The Loop LDN
- Shanumi (Amen GyalDem): from the collective re-diversifying the rave scene with lineups of Black and POC talent
- Abdillahi Yusuf (Warmth): London DJ and promoter behind Warmth, a growing network of parties and radio broadcasts launched in 2022
Together they unpack the booking side, the artist side and the promoter side, how they work with (and around) each other, and the lessons you only learn by doing the job.
Stay to the end
The panel isn’t the last word. We’ve got something special lined up to close the day, so don’t head off early.
The details
- When: Saturday 7th November 2026, 13.00–18.30
- Where: V&A East Museum, 107 Carpenters Road, Stratford, E20 2AR
- Who: ages 16+
- Getting there: Stratford and Stratford International stations are 15–20 minutes’ walk away
Come for one session or stay all day. Booking is required, so grab your place now.
Book your free place on Eventbrite hERE!
Creative Frequencies is presented by V&A East’s Upstart programme in collaboration with UD Music.
