New round of Momentum Music Fund artists announced

15 April 2014 - Press release

• Momentum celebrates its 1^st birthday in May at The Great Escape in Brighton with a live showcase, and a panel hosted by BBC 6 Music's Matt Everitt 

• Ghostpoet and Beth Jeans Houghton among 8 more artists receiving Momentum funding of between £5k and £15k for recording, touring and promotion

• Official digital music partner Deezer will provide additional support for the latest group of Momentum artists with the opportunity to win an extra £2500 of funding with the Momentum Deezer Award

This May marks Momentum’s 1^st birthday. To celebrate this The Great Escape – Europe’s leading festival for new music - is hosting a Momentum showcase featuring four of the fund’s artists: Brolin, Night Engine, JAWS and Hannah Peel (9^th May, 1pm – 4pm, Komedia, Brighton). 

There will also be a panel chaired by BBC 6 Music’s Matt Everitt where Vanessa Reed (Executive Director, PRS for Music Foundation), Alan Davey (Chief Executive, Arts Council England), James Foley (Head of Editorial, Deezer) and Julian Deane (Artist Manager, The Wytches) discuss the topics of funding for emerging artists, Momentum’s successes and challenges, what funding means to the artists, and the ambitions for the fund’s future. (9^th May, 11am, Screen 2 at Dukes, Komedia, Brighton). 

Vanessa Reed, Executive Director of PRS for Music Foundation, said:

“After launching the Momentum Music Fund at The Great Escape last year it’s great to be returning to celebrate its 1^st birthday. I look forward to sharing our insights of working in partnership with Arts Council England and Deezer to deliver what has quickly become the go-to fund for talented artists on the cusp of career take-off.”

More Momentum artists announced

Mercury Music Prize award nominee and Africa Express artist Ghostpoet, alongside “pop polymath” Beth Jeans Houghton, are among the latest batch of artists revealed today (10^th April 2014) to receive coveted, career-boosting Momentum funding.

All the artists in this latest round are:

Artist Name                        Momentum funded project

Auntie Flo                      recording and promotion of debut album

Beth Jeans Houghton         recording and mixing of 2^nd album

East India Youth          live show production and album marketing

Elephant                        video production for 2 upcoming singles

Ghostpoet                      studio time and production for 3^rd album

Glitches                         recording and mixing debut album

Smiler                                    promotion for single and album releases

Years & Years                   UK tour and studio costs

These artists have joined a growing list of hotly-tipped new talent, a number of which are already achieving real career breakthroughs as a result of their funding: since The Wytches received funding to record their debut album, they have been signed by Heavenly, and Thumpers are also on a high, having signed with Sub Pop after receiving funding for their tour with Chvrches and single campaigns.

The huge demand for Momentum funding which shows no sign of slowing down presents challenges as well as indisputable evidence of the fund’s need. Now, a year on since its launch, nearly 1500 funding applications have been submitted. 34 artists have been supported.

The Momentum Deezer Award

Today (14^th April 2014) also marks the next edition of the Momentum Deezer Award, offering funded artists a chance to receive an extra £2500 on top of their grant. The award encourages fans and Deezer subscribers to help their favourite acts gain streams through the Momentum Deezer App, with those gaining the highest number of plays receiving additional funding. The app is a great way for promising artists to reach a global network of fans and to connect with new ones.

The Momentum Deezer App – available on Deezer web service and mobile apps (iOS and Android) via the App Studio – encourages music fans to find out more about the fund’s supported artists through biographies, exclusive interviews, and links to listen to and share music. It also gives music lovers an accessible way to discover the best new music talent and exclusive content about Momentum’s alumni.

James Foley, Head of Editorial - UK & Ireland Deezer, who is a strong advocate for helping to promote new and upcoming talent on the digital platform said:

“It’s great to continue our partnership with PRS for Music Foundation so we can highlight the importance of the fund in championing new talent. Deezer loves working with exciting artists and what better way to do so than through the Momentum Deezer Award and app which helps fans to discover the Momentum artists, whilst making their music available to the global Deezer audience.”

Commenting on securing his Momentum funding, Ghostpoet said:

"This welcomed fund will enable me to fulfill my dream of creating a third record and keep the momentum going in my career.”

Beth Jeans Houghton told us:

“This will make a fundamental difference to the quality of my work on the record. I endeavour to make the best use of this grant and thank all involved in making it available to us at this crucial stage in the recording process.” 

The next Momentum application deadline is 3^rd June 2014, with two more to come over the year. Information about deadlines, Momentum artists and how to apply is here

Momentum is managed by PRS for Music Foundation, supported using public funding from National Lottery through Arts Council England, and is in association with Deezer.