UD Music is aimed at creating professional opportunities for the most talented individuals in Black music.
We’ve been uncompromising about Black music culture and creating opportunities in the industry for over 20 years and UD continues to innovate in the digital era, curating a range of bespoke offerings for emerging artists.
Whether it’s additional funding required for studio time, support in releasing your music or your dream to secure a recording deal, UD are committed to supporting the talent of tomorrow.
“You have my support. Thinking about Amy Winehouse, she wrote some of the songs on her first album when she was 15 years old. Young people need support and access to resources like this, until people like me find them later when their songs are more developed.”
Darcus Beese OBE, President Island Records (2008 – 2018)
At UD we work with a wide variety of artists, inspired by the sounds, words and rhythms of Black Music culture. From the underground up, we have solutions to take artist careers to the next level.
INCUBATOR Artists
TAYOLOXS
Temitayo aka TayoLoxs, a 21-year-old with Nigerian and Jamaican roots, thrives in the diverse landscape of south London. From studying film and television post-production to becoming a trailblazing musical producer, Tayo’s journey is marked by a seamless transition into the pulsating beats of the music industry.
Having established a thriving online platform for his creations, beyond music, Tayo’s passion for visual storytelling extends to video editing on platforms like After Effects, allowing him to explore new artistic avenues.
In collaboration with his business partner, Abbiogenesis, Tayo has ventured into fashion, releasing a line of merchandise reflecting his unique style and innovation.
Despite battling sickle cell anaemia, Tayo refuses to let his health define him, embracing life with resilience and determination, inspiring others to pursue their dreams despite obstacles
MARACHÉ
MARACHÉ (Mara-Ché) is an upcoming multi genre artist from London. Known for her versatility, her music is a fusion of R&B, Soul, Alté, AfroRnb and Afro-soul.
With heartfelt tunes and sincere lyrics that courageously delve into real-life experiences, MARACHÉ’s soulful voice, catchy melodies and candid songwriting evoke a sense of familiarity and connection among listeners.
With music that transcends boundaries, as both a songwriter and storyteller, MARACHÉ crafts melodies that inspire both dancing and moments of raw emotion, inviting her audience to share in her journey.
skye
Skye is a 21 year old singer-songwriter of Caribbean descent hailing from east London. Although not tied to any specific genre, thanks to their diverse background, those who listen experience a world of introspection and emotional resonance.
Skye’s music is written with essence and a sum of inspiration from artists such as Mac Ayers, Lianne la Havas, The Internet and more. With an aim to create music for people to escape to, stay tuned to witness more themes of love, mellow melodies and poetic lyricism.
zuko rosemeid
South Londoner Zuko Rosemeid isn’t to be compared to your standard rapper. Using his ability to craft cinematic songs, Zuko is able to express himself not only through the lyrics he is rapping, but by utilising everything in the song, from the beat selection to the ad-libs, giving the listener a chance to escape their own reality, if only for a moment.
Known for his raw and punchy delivery, Zuko adds a cinematic flair to his style, bringing a new sound to the underground, as heard on cuts like ‘Night Tube’ feat Saiming (boasting over 1.5 million streams on Spotify alone), ‘Off The Map’ and ‘Who Knew’. Zuko has performed at Wireless Festival 2023, Project 6 Festival, The Great Escape Festival, toured in Bristol, boasts multiple Balamii and NTS appearances, as well as being mentioned by Lyrical Lemonade and Complex UK.
J2
Born and raised in east London and of Egyptian heritage, J2 provides conscious lyricism with influence from all over the globe. Growing up in the heart of the music scene with so much inspiration around him has left J2 equipped and well on his way to a prosperous career.
What began as a hobby, writing always a passion and a major outlet for personal expression, J2 now draws influence from grime artists and the rap scene alike, with a nod to P Money, JME, Potter Payper, Loyle Carner, Ard Adz and more.
J2’s ability to convey a story in his lyrics, as well as providing endless flows and undoubtable lyrical ability, has him on his way, connecting to audiences and breaking the fourth wall between the artist and listener.
allyson
Making a name on the underground scene, Allyson has been gaining attention through her signature melismatic approach and sultry tone.
Her effortless incorporation of Neo-Soul, R&B and Soul creates a sound that is incalculable with Allyson inspired to release her debut single, ‘My Dear’ in 2023. Also a member of Da Community, a London based creative collective who are hard to miss on the live circuit, they’ve already been tipped by GUAP and i-D Magazine, who noted their “expression of soul”, and showcased unreleased songs at Balamii Radio.
skee
Skee is a 19 year old artist residing in West Norwood, London. Heavily influenced by music throughout his childhood and striving to be one of the top MC’s in the country, Skee takes pride in his style of performance, writing and creative process, as he proceeds to evolve with his sound and work on upcoming projects.
Skee’s recent single, ‘Hyundai’, produced by his musical partner and close friend ‘That Producer Ryan’ has gained strong traction in his local community, as seen at his first sold out show, headlining alongside his band Wavey Collective, at Notting Hill Arts Club. Other songs ‘On Me (C.R.E.A.M)’, ‘Wray and Henny’ and ‘Empathy vs Sympathy (Interlude)’ further demonstrate Skee’s jumpy but conscious energy as he continues to push his ‘Different Lane’ movement forward.
izzy withers
Izzy Withers, an 18 year old singer-songwriter from a tiny village in East Sussex, began her musical journey by recording covers, aged just seven years old.
At 16, Izzy moved to London to attend ELAM college, taking a leap to pursue her music career. In London, Izzy has created a buzz through showcases, busking, and recording original music. Her unique blend of neo/ contemporary Soul and alternative R&B, with a pop influence, is already drawing comparisons to artists like Corinne Bailey Rae, Olivia Dean, and Lily Allen.
Authenticity and honesty is a key part of Izzy’s artistry, her authenticity shining through in her raw lyricism and the ability to seamlessly transition between soulful riffs and casual spoken word.
Izzy is also a member of UD’s Flames Collective, alongside whom she performed with RAYE at The BRIT Awards and the sold-out O2 show with The Heritage Orchestra.
OLYMPIA VITALIS
Raised in West London, Olympia Vitalis stands out boldly in the soul scene, unapologetically claiming her space. With seven years of experience singing in a gospel choir, Olympia has honed her unique improvisational style. She has already established herself in the soul genre, as she writes on socio-political issues, seamlessly blending her reflections on both significant and everyday matters.
Olympia has received backing from BBC Introducing and earned the accolade of a ‘standout artist’ from NeoMusic Group. Notably, she was selected as a recipient of the Women in Jazz fund, a program supporting the growth of emerging jazz musicians.
Olympia showcased her talent at the London Jazz Festival in late 2023. Having started off 2024 strong, Olympia supported LA-based musician Kiefer on his UK tour. She is gearing up for an exciting year ahead.
CHARLOTTE DOWSSON
Charlotte Dowsson is a singer-songwriter hailing from North-West London, blending influences from her love of Jazz, Neo-Soul and contemporary R&B to create her sound.
Beginning her journey into music as a songwriter, with a passion for articulating the complexities of the human experience, Charlotte’s music guarantees to take you on a journey of introspection, navigating a variety of feelings through her smooth and intimate tone. A semi-finalist in the Isle of White New Blood competition, and performing in a variety of venues across London, such as O2 Academy Islington, Soho House White City and Notting Hill Arts Club to name a few, Charlotte’s love of live instrumentation is a key and present element to her sound.
Flames Collective
Initially comprising six young singer-songwriters who’d shown great potential in UD’s 2016 songwriting camps, fast forward to now and the Flames Collective boasts over 25 members, aged from 14-20 years old. Together they write, arrange and compose original music and have already performed at The Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, EFG London Jazz Festival, The Great Escape, Byline Festival and Kings Place (alongside Black Butter signee Amaria).
Nayana.ab
West London based Nayana.AB, 21, comes from a Trinidadian family who have a great respect for music, from Soca to classical, soul and beyond. Having studied music performance and the intricacies of creating new and exciting sounds, Nayana.AB is championing her own soulful strain of jazz fused R&B.
Highlights in 2023 include winning the Dr Martens Made Strong competition in the UK, landing herself a headline show alongside Ezra Collective, playing The Great Escape, We Out Here & GALA Festival. Other memorable moments came from hosting Orii Jam, Steamdown & UD’s Open Mic.
As a performer, Nayana.AB, alongside UD’s Flames Collective, delivered bv’s for Jake Bugg and Raye‘s Royal Albert Hall and Glastonbury shows respectively.
Nayana is also Studying for a Masters in Global Black studies, decolonisation and social justice at the University of West London while working as a Programme Associate at UD.
SAIMING
The self-proclaimed “S-travagant Man” Saiming, is an alternative UK rap artist from South London. Saiming gels together the intricately fast-paced rhythms of a grime MC over a range of mellow-toned, sample-centred, bass-heavy instrumentals to create a contemporary yet familiar sonic blend.
Having finished the UD Incubator Programme, Saiming is currently focusing on his growing live game, DJ sets and Live Supply parties, with new material in the wings, expect to hear Saiming in a town near you soon.
MAR!K
Mar!k is an east London-born, Caribbean raised, producer, rapper, singer/songwriter, guitarist and bass player, who likes blending modern genres with elements of freestyle.
Calling himself ‘The Spontaneous Musician’, because most of his creations are done on a whim having spent time creating a box of his own to fit in – one labelled versatility – if you go to see Mar!k perform at a rap cypher don’t be surprised if he starts singing or whips out an instrument.
Having completed UD Incubator 2023 Programme and his studies at BIMM, Mar!k recently landed a scholarship to study Sound Engineering and Music Production at Abbey Road Institute, has performed at The Great Escape, Brighton, delivered his first Sofar Sounds set in London and is busy filming the second series of his ‘From A Birds Eye’ studio sessions.
ARINOLA
Arinola is a Jamaican and Nigerian producer, born and bred in north west London. An accomplished music and vocal producer, singer/songwriter and pianist, taking inspiration from Missy Elliot, Emeli Sande and Mariah Carey, Arinola metamorphosed her compositions and demos into brand deals and projects with Dr Martens, Nike, Native Instruments, GRM Daily and many more. Part of our Incubator 2023 cohort, with new music incoming, be ready to dance.
dan dannah
Having long enjoyed music as a form of expression, Dan Dannah became known especially on the battle rap circuit – a well-known face among Link Up TV’s Pen Game fans in particular – for his tenacity, ferocity with the delivery and hard-slapping bars. But it’s over the last 18 months, since completing UD’s 2023 Incubator Programme, that Dan’s made the shift to a more professional outlook and vision for his output.
Delving into new pockets of his artistry and looking to elevate his performances more so, prepare to bear witness to a new chapter for Dan Dannah.
DAVID GOTSOUND
Fully gripped by the rap and grime music he was hearing growing up, David began his musical excursion by penning to grime beats, writing his first lyrics at 9 years young, with his debut recording following as he entered his teenage years.
Fast forward to 2023, David, now known as David GotSound, is building a career as a rap artist and producer. The Bexley native’s perspective is that of a young black man chasing his dreams in the Big Smoke, never shying away from the highs and lows of what this might entail.
Having already enjoyed support from Reprezent, Jyoty on Rinse FM, BBC Introducing Kent and the BBC Introducing Mixtape, with his next project, Night Owl, forthcoming, don’t be late to the party.
AE
AE are the South London female duo of Ads and Els. The young duo burst onto the scene during lockdown with their debut 4-track EP ‘Summer We Never Had’ (2020). In 2021, AE were amongst the MOBO Unsung top 20 finalists, touring and performing across the country.
Infusing authentic hip-hop, drill and R&B into their raps gives the girls a unique edge. Early support has come from Complex UK, TRENCH and radio plays on stations such as Kiss, Reprezent, No Signal and 1Xtra. With their fiery lyrics, fun wordplay and catchy melodies, having finished UD’s Incubator Programme in 2023, this duo are definitely one to watch.
EMIKO
Hailing from West London, Emiko is an emerging R&B/soul artist with a voice that proudly carries both a strong message and a whole lot of heart.
Having finished UD’s 2023 Incubator Programme, enhancing his existing skills with intensive songwriting workshops, performance bootcamps and industry knowledge, collaborating with a wealth of multi-genre artists, Emiko’s recent release, ‘Me You Came For’, is a clear nod to his growth as an individual – and in the studio.
Heavily influenced by the greats past and present, with a voice that’s both timely and timeless, singer-songwriter Emiko embodies qualities of soul’s yesteryear whilst remaining part of today’s R&B zeitgeist. In 2023, Emiko performed at The Great Escape Festival and Sofar Sounds New York, enjoying support from BBC Radio London, 1Xtra, Westside Radio, GUAP and more.
chrissy day
South London based Chrissy Day draws from the alt R&B school, offering up a contemporary blueprint for versatile melodies, vocals and songwriting techniques. Of Jamaican, Egyptian and Ethiopian heritage, Chrissy draws inspiration from a number of artists, current and classic – think Sade and Anita Baker to Audrey Nuna and Kehlani.
Keen to establish herself as a songwriter, in 2023 she performed at The Great Escape Festival, was highlighted by Complex UK as an artist to watch, joined Kojey Radical’s South African writing camp and signed her first EP deal, collaborating with Ray Records on ‘Understatement’. Having finished UD’s Incubator Programme, Chrissy is busy cooking up new material.
Molly elizabeth
Molly became part of Flames Collective in Jan 2020, our flagship programme working with young people from inner-city secondary schools who demonstrate high potential when it comes to music. Now 19-years-old, Molly is releasing her debut single through our Incubator and Talent Development Accelerator programme in collaboration with Island Records, and is the first solo artist to come through UD’s new imprint.