World Heart Beat and PPL today announce a new partnership; PPL is to become the first ‘Young Artist Recording Sponsor’. The sponsorship will enable six diverse young musicians to record for the first time, free of charge.
The announcement follows the launch of the debut EP from Asa Martinson, the first artist in the programme, at his concert at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens on Thursday 2 March 2023.
Normally cost-prohibitive, the recordings will give emerging musicians a foot up in their careers. The recordings, on World Heart Beat’s new record label, are being done at the charity’s new state-of-the-art studios in London’s Nine Elms.
Asa Martinson is a 21 year-old jazz pianist, composer and band leader. He has found his sound through fusing traditional jazz with related genres such as R’n’B and soul.
The other five artists in the programme are:
Jaidon Regis – 19 year-old drummer
Shayini Kugathas aka SHINY – 21 year-old Tamil composer and musician
Ava Joseph – 21 year-old jazz artist, singer-songwriter and band leader
Wilf Diamond – 23 year-old composer and jazz trombonist
Sian Kelly – 26 year-old singer-songwriter and band leader of Holocene
All the artists participating in the project have been studying music, performing and training in music industry skills with World Heart Beat – some since they were young children.
World Heart Beat Director of Philanthropy & Partnerships, Sal Sherratt, said:
“World Heart Beat teaches children and young people aged 5–25 years, from complete beginners to launching careers in the music industry. Our students reflect the diversity of our communities, and over half come from challenging backgrounds and have free places at our academy. We are delighted to have PPL as a ‘Young Artist Recording Sponsor.’ As a registered charity, we rely on the support of businesses, individuals, trusts and foundations, to continue our work, which transforms the lives of young people. We hope others will be inspired to follow their example and support us.”
PPL Chief Executive, Peter Leathem OBE, said:
“Initiatives like World Heart Beat are critical to ensuring that we improve accessibility to our industry and provide young people with the tools and knowledge that can lead to sustainable music careers. The facilities in Nine Elms are incredibly impressive and, through the Young Artist Recording sponsorship, PPL is proud to be supporting the opportunity for talented artists to reach their creative potential.”