Latest PPL Momentum Music Fund and PPL Momentum Sbardun | Accelerator grantees announced

24 October 2025 - Press release

• 10 talented UK artists in genres including pop, folk, R&B, jazz and rock receiving PPL Momentum Music support
  
  
• These selected grantees mark the 50th round of the landmark fund, supporting 623 artists at a career tipping point since its launch in 2013
  
• 4 exciting Wales-based artists and 1 future industry professional selected for the latest round of PPL Momentum Sbardun | Accelerator support in the Nation
  
  

PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, together with PPL, Creative Wales and Arts Council of Northern Ireland, reveal the latest artists that will receive support from the pioneering PPL Momentum Music Fund and with Arts Council of Wales the latest PPL Momentum Sbardun | Accelerator support.

The artists who have been selected by a network of industry experts to receive PPL Momentum Music funding are:

• CARI (Alternative R&B) – Development and promotion of brand-new music through visuals, PR, radio support and UK dates in Manchester and London
• Charlotte OC (Singer Songwriter) – Album recording, production, and mixing
• Esme Emerson (Alternative Indie Pop) – Touring support
• jasmine.4.t (Alternative indie) – Touring support including working with a sound engineer
• Kwaku Asante (Soulful R&B) – Marketing, live development, and visual storytelling through both long and short form content 
• Rianne Downey (Country, Folk) – Album touring and promotion
• Rhumba Club (Synth alt-pop) – PR and radio plugging campaign around new album and singles
• TC & the Groove Family (Jazz fusion) – Writing and recording of new album
• Tony Bontana (Grime, Psychedelic Rock, Emo) – Promotion, PR and radio plugging   
• Wynona Bleach (Crunchy Bubble-Grunge) – Release of sophomore album

 

PPL Momentum Music supported Wynona Bleach said, “This fund has completely changed the trajectory of the band's career. It's given us an enormous leg up right when we are about to release our new album! We’re delighted to be in the 50th round and join so many incredible artists that have come through the fund.”

The artists announced today, from the July 2025 deadline, form the 50th round of the PPL Momentum Music Fund since it was launched in 2013. Since then, this landmark fund has supported 623 artists which includes recent Mercury Prize winners Sam Fender (2025), Ezra Collective (2023) and Little Simz (2022) as well as multiple MOBO Award nominees and winners and NI Music Prize, Welsh Music Prize and SAY Award winners.

PPL Momentum Music Fund is the ground-breaking support for artists who have reached a crucial tipping point, have a team already in place and ready to take the next step in their careers. Managed by PRS Foundation, the PPL Momentum Music Fund awards grants of £5,000-£15,000 using funds from PRS Foundation, PPL, Creative Wales and Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

PRS Foundation’s PPL Momentum Accelerator offers grants of up to £5,000 to talented artists in targeted regions of the UK with a growing fanbase, currently working to establish a music industry team. The latest Wales-based music creators receiving PPL Momentum Sbardun | Accelerator support which is in partnership with Arts Council of Wales are:

 

• LUVLY (R&B, Soul) – Scaling up of “LoudAnd” and “Clear” projects
• Will Barnes Quartet (Jazz) – Touring and marketing
• Josh Hicks (Soul, Pop, R&B) – Writing, recording and showcasing forthcoming EP
• Half Happy (Alternative, Indie Rock) – Recording, mixing and mastering of the bands next body of work

 

Additionally, PPL Momentum Accelerator support of up to £2,000, which can include micro-grants, mentoring or other holistic support, is offered for Wales-based future music industry professionals to develop their skills and careers. The Wales-based industry professional receiving support this round is:

• Andrew Gordon – Supporting the activities of SLUSH (a not-for-profit community interest company dedicated to promoting emerging music in Wales) by funding freelancers working across a series of grassroots gigs, enabling SLUSH to continue to promote the best in emerging talent in Wales. It will also support Andrew in developing his work in the festival sector.

 

PPL Momentum Sbardun | Accelerator supported Andrew Gordon said, "I am delighted to receive PPL Momentum Accelerator support. Having worked hard to develop the grassroots music scene in Wales – through SLUSH and through my work on CWRW Studios, the label BWGiBWGAN and BOIA festival – this support will help me to continue and take my work to the next level.

I'm passionate about emerging talent and grassroots venues - two of the most rewarding but also financially risky parts of our scene's infrastructure. The financial support of this scheme will enable me to continue my focus on new talent and embrace those challenges. It will also assist me in working with the brilliant freelancers who help me to make gigs happen, and develop the next generation of off-stage talent."

PPL Momentum Music Fund is crucial for both music creators’ careers and the wider industry as the 10 Years of Momentum Report (2013-23) found. To date, the fund has been transformational with over £5.2 million awarded to artists across the whole of the UK, resulting in:

• Helping to generate £22 million for the UK music industry
• Over 600 artists awarded PPL Momentum Music Fund support
• Creation of more than 275 albums (including Mercury Prize nominated albums and dozens of top twenty chart placements)
• Support for over 300 UK tours and over 1,600 live dates
• Over 7,300 applications received over 40 funding rounds with a 7% success rate of funds being granted

 

Following the report’s release in 2023, recent PPL Momentum Music artists continue to make waves and progress their careers. Sam Fender was awarded the 2025 Mercury Prize (the third PPL Momentum Music fund grantee in a row to do so following Ezra Collecitve and Little Simz) Jordan Adetunji released one of the most viral tracks of the last 12-months ‘Kehlani’, and Dry Cleaning picked up a 2024 Grammy Award.

An evaluation of the PPL Momentum Music Fund and evidence from thousands of applications PRS Foundation receives each year identified talent pipeline gaps across the UK. Many music creators show strong musical potential but are unable to capitalise upon this due to financial barriers, gaps in regional infrastructure, knowledge, advice, and access to industry platforms.

PPL Momentum Accelerator was subsequently launched as a targeted scheme to support the development of outstanding artists and bands who are writing their own music, and early career Industry Professionals, outside London and who face additional barriers in reaching a crucial career tipping point based on their location.

Since its launch, 5 artists have progressed their career to a tipping point and be eligible to apply for and receive the PPL Momentum Music Fund after initially receiving PPL Momentum Accelerator support. Lucas Alexander and fellow Wales-based LEMFRECK and Luke RV as well as the two Yorkshire-based Downtown Kayoto and Chiedu Oraka all first picked up PPL Momentum Accelerator support early in their careers before successfully receiving PPL Momentum Music Fund support. Further recent Accelerator successes include English Teacher winning last year’s Mercury Prize and being shortlisted in this year’s BBC Sound Of 2025.

PPL became headline sponsors of the Momentum Music Fund in February 2020. Since then, 247 talented music creators at tipping points in their careers have received this vital support to break through to the next level.

PRS Foundation and Arts Council England initiated The Momentum Music Fund in 2013. Arts Council England originally established the need for this specific fund and supported the programme from 2013-18.

Next deadline to submit an application for PPL Momentum Music Fund or PPL Momentum Accelerator Tees Valley or PPL Momentum Liverpool City Region support is 27th October 2025 at 6:00pm. Find out more and apply via prsfoundation.com.