The Youth Music Awards 2021 showcased some incredible musicians and the accomplishments of various organisations over the past year. These were the first Youth Music Awards at the legendary Troxy in Stepney, London, sponsored by Hal Leonard Europe, bringing hundreds of people together to celebrate and mingle after 18 months of isolation and uncertainty. With Vanessa Maria on the ones and twos, the networking and picture taking, the night started off with laughter and a sense of eager anticipation. For some, this was a networking opportunity. For others, it was a life changing event.
As the crowd settled, the house lights faded, leaving two men on stage in front of the audience. Spotlights illuminated a young man dressed in an oversized white jacket, backed by atmospheric effects from a solitary guitarist, dressed in all black, juxtaposed with the artist introduced to us as TEE. As his voice reverberated around the room, the crowd fell silent.
‘What's wrong with the world mum?'
TEE is a 27-year-old musician and producer from Walthamstow, East London. Growing up surrounded by others his age in church, opportunities for making music with other people were common. Like many young Black children who grow up in church, that environment can often provide an amazing platform for exploration, growth, and a strong sense of community.
‘I would go to church and after the service, some of my friends and I would jump on the instruments and want to show off the chords we learned from YouTube that week. We'd do this week after week and gained experience playing with others and performing in front of the congregation,’ says TEE.
First steps in music
At school, things were very different. After not being able to take music at GCSE because of lack of uptake in the subject, TEE never thought that music could become a career: ‘Music was at church, and it was a hobby. I never thought that I could do this full time.’ The church environment allowed TEE to develop his ear and musicianship, so the transition to college wasn't as daunting. Studying music at college allowed TEE to develop his musicianship further. Using his skills as a self-taught bass and keyboard player, TEE dug deeper into what it means to play for an artist. Learning parts, removing ego, and making sure that the performance is as effective as possible.
He got into production through trying to solve a problem. At church there was often a need for click tracks or small recordings, so after winning £200 in a competition, TEE bought his first interface and microphone, and began producing. He started to combine his love for poetry and music together with his education in musicianship and performance at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). TEE suggests that teachers could do more to help to prepare their students for the music industry by doing a few practical things.
‘I spent a lot of time watching whole concerts on YouTube by many different artists, including many NPR [National Public Radio] Tiny Desk Concerts. We never watched or dissected any of these in school. Watching these helped me to understand more about how powerful performance can be.’
‘See it's hard to believe that you're worth more, When your peers are being lowered into earth more, When the papers paint pictures of a rebel, Danger to society, youth that cyan sekkle.’
TEE won the Live Performance Award and the Lyricist Award for his tune called Black Wings, the only person to win multiple awards that evening. It's testament to the incredible work being done outside of the traditional routes of music education in the UK, with many artists finding their way through Youth Music funded projects. It's also testament to the fearlessness of TEE and other young Black musicians, channelling their pain, questions and worries into art which, on different levels, speaks to everyone's humanity.
Black Wings was written last year after the murder of George Floyd, and TEE's performance over a year on from that tragedy was a piercing reminder that the repercussions of Derek Chauvin's actions will be felt for a very long time. In a room full of people from various backgrounds gathered to have a good time, it was a sobering moment, reminding everyone of the power of a poignant and relevant messages in music. ‘My music always has a message behind it’, says TEE.
Not afforded to most
There are many young people who didn't win awards, and who, after not having had the privilege of being in a church community or having private lessons, are making music alone. The passion may be there, but the support and backing may be lacking. The opportunity to perform in front of and be judged by project leaders, industry professionals and established artists is one which is not afforded to most. How can the music industry, projects and establishments create more opportunities for young people such as TEE to perform? How can we collectively encourage young artists to express themselves, and see clear paths to careers in the industry to teaching, publishing, broadcasting, or managing?
‘I don't want it to sound cheesy or anything, but it was the best experience I've had as an artist so far,’ says TEE. ‘It was almost like validation. It's changed my perception about what I do. I want to take this more seriously and get to a point where I can make music without having to think about how much things cost.’
Fortunately for TEE, this event feels like the beginning of a bright future. Since winning, he has received lots of messages of support, with industry professionals reaching out to him for various different opportunities. The hope is to see TEE on stage at an international awards ceremony in the not-too-distant future, alongside others who, without help from various Youth Music funded organisations, would never have had the opportunity to get that far.
