Star backs city project to showcase musical talent

A new strategy to help musicians in Bradford achieve their potential has been backed by city star Nia Archives.

The Bradford-born singer-songwriter, DJ and producer, who spent her early years in the city before moving with her family to Leeds, has written a foreward for the Bradford District Music Strategy.

It was launched at Bradford Live over the weekend and is funded by Arts Council England's Grassroots Music Fund.

The strategy has set out an "ambitious vision" for the city to be recognised as one of the UK's most distinctive music districts but also how its musicians can get better access to venues, equipment and industry expertise.

In her foreward, Archives makes reference to her background and its influence on her work.

She said: "My Black British Jamaican heritage is ingrained in my music.

"I still take little pieces of what I was exposed to as a child and reinvent them in the music I make today.

"That's the thing about where you come from. You carry it with you."

She added: "I'd love Bradford to have more spaces where young people can get involved in music, where they can DJ, sing or rap, get work experience, meet people and find their own way into it.

"That's why I think it's so important that Bradford now has a plan for music.

"There is already so much here: the people, the talent, the music and that Bradford mentality of making something good out of what you have.

"Having a plan is a chance to build on that, create more opportunities for artists and musicians, and make sure the talent coming from Bradford gets heard."

Nan Brimble put together the strategy along with fellow artistic consultant Caroline Hansell.

She said: "I know that Nia Archives is a big supporter of Bradford anyway and she's done some work in the city before.

"We reached out to ask her to write the foreward to the strategy.

"She can put in that context of somebody that has grown up here, knows what its music scene is like and the inspiration that you get from being in Bradford."

Brimble said the hope was the city would eventually been seen as one of the UK's most distinctive music-producing areas.

She said: "It's based on the idea that there are lots of people in the city and the wider district in all genres of music doing amazing things.

"And there always has been. But actually we're better where we find coordination and have a bit of a plan.

"People find it hard to know what each other is doing.

"How can we make use of all these assets, like these amazing venues and spaces, or equipment.

"Or how can we support people who are working really hard to build careers in the music industry."

Last weekend's launch featured live performances from AllStar Entertainment, jazz band the Toby Brazier Trio, opera singer Natasha Agarwal and songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist MPTheHitMaker.

The strategy is backed by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the representative body for the UK's recorded music industry, and Bradford Live.

Bradford Culture Company, the charity that delivered Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, is also supporting it.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.