The names Juliet, Lfay, Maple Ward and Kyle Adams, AKA The Marijanovic, are ones to watch.
The four talented up and coming artists are currently being mentored by music industry experts at The Garage in Norwich.
As part of the Unsigned programme, the quartet will also spend time in a recording studio and have a photoshoot, culminating in a showcase gig at city venue The Waterfront.
Gabby Meadows is one of The Garage’s participation programme managers.
She says: “Unsigned gives participants the space to further hone their music and begin creating their brand, before launching into their chosen career path. We have four really distinctive artists on board this year – each producing really fresh and exciting music.
“They have been working on their material, performance style and are heading into the studio to record their first single before Easter. We can’t wait to see what the next few months has in store and that final big showcase gig at The Waterfront in July.”
The artists are being tutored by Millie Manders, fresh from her UK tour with her band Millie Manders and the Shut Up and fellow musician and producer Jasper Milton from the band White Rose Movement.
Both have extensive industry experience as both artists and mentors/producers.
Says Millie: “While working remotely with our unsigned artists throughout Covid was largely successful, it was very challenging.
“Being back in the room is exciting, enabling us to better get to know our artists and their music and delivering high quality sessions on performance, songwriting and the music business.”
Jasper adds: “I’m very excited to be working with these multi-talented songwriters. Stagecraft, arrangement, sound production and hook lines are just some of the topics we will be covering while developing their live and recorded performance techniques.
“We’ll also be helping them to develop their branding and logos which they will be utilising as they develop their online presence.”
Unsigned is one strand of The Garage’s Musical Journeys project, made possible by a grant from Youth Music using public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
They also offer the Music Foundations programme, which helps young people gain confidence and skills through music classes, Rock School, and the Musician Development Programme for Improvers scheme.
“We know that being able to enjoy, play, perform and create music gives young people a stake in something which is so fundamental to the way we live. But it’s also more than that. All of our classes and courses increase young people’s confidence, self-belief and aspirations – taking the impact far beyond the walls of The Garage,” says Gabby.
The Unsigned programme is free and open to bands or solo artists aged 16-25.
To find out more and how to apply visit thegarage.org.uk/classes
The ones to watch...
Juliet
Originally from south-east London, Juliet moved to the north Norfolk coast when she was 10.
Now 18, she’s currently in her last year of her Level Three Vocal Artist course at Access Creative College in Norwich.
Her influences include Mae Muller, Olivia Dean, Jorja Smith and Little Simz.
“They are such powerful women and write such empowering songs,” she says.
“They speak up about mental health, their roots and background and their bad ass dress aesthetic. They show there are no limits or boundaries to who you can be.”
Music has always been a part of her life, she started performing at an early age, and she describes her taste as “eclectic”.
“When I was five I watched Dolly Parton’s live show at the O2 on BBC iPlayer. That’s when I knew for sure that is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
“When I moved to Norfolk I joined Sheringham Little Theatre from 2014-2018. I was a cast member of their professional pantomimes for four years, as well as youth shows in between.”
She has also performed at festivals including Latitude and Wild Paths.
“Performing is unreal and I can’t get enough of it,” she says. “I usually feel almost unwell before. When I step out, I feel my body go cold with excitement and I suddenly feel filled with adrenaline. Any feeling of nausea is gone and I feel so happy and at home.”
Juliet wrote what she describes as her first “proper” song, Greenlight, in 2019.
“Songwriting is something I feel I have struggled with. I’ve really only started to find a way that worked for me in the last year. I always turn to brain dumping/stream of consciousness where you just write and let your thoughts flow...it allows me to look back at them and extract parts to make a song.
“When I was younger, my dad always used to say to me ‘make sure you take your notebook out with you and write ideas down’. I take my songbook everywhere now – thanks dad.”
Lfay
The busy 19-year-old from Dickleburgh is juggling the programme with her Open University studies, working full-time as a teacher’s assistant at a SEND school and running her own small business, Blue Tiger.
She describes her sound as “very experimental” - hip-hop/jazz, with influences ranging from Amy Winehouse to Biggie Smalls.
“I didn’t come from a musical background. I never studied music or anything like that as I was quite a troubled kid – but that’s a story for another time,” she says.
“I was always singing 24/7. Apparently, I would sing in my sleep. I did my first ‘performance’ at my primary school talent show in Year 4.”
Lfay says that she never really thought a career in music was realistic, but put some tracks online and got a good reaction.
“I’ve always written and always thought my lyricism is my strong suit,” she says. “I don’t really have a process, I just whack a beat on and it just kind of spews out.”
Lfay gets nervous performing live, but says that thanks to the programme her confidence and stage presence has already grown. And she’s looking forward to time in the studio.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to work with others and obviously get the guidance from the mentors,” she says.
“My plan is to just keep writing, keep making music and hopefully get some more gigs. I’ve got two EPs in the works and a few singles!”
Maple Ward
Maple Ward is a 22-year-old support worker for adults with special needs. Based in Norwich, but originally from Southampton, her influences include Phoebe Bridgers and Adrienne Lenker. She describes her music as a blend of acoustic pop and folk.
She has loved singing since she joined her primary school choir.
“It made me so happy when I was assigned a solo for a performance,” she says. “Like many people, listening to music helped me through difficult times. My passion grew as it became a cathartic means for processing my emotions.”
She was not long home from travelling around Asia when lockdown hit.
“Lockdown forced us all to stop really. It gave us time to re-evaluate. For me then it came down to the old cliché – I didn’t want to let fear or lack of confidence stop me from doing what I really loved.”
She busks in Norwich and performs at open mic nights at city pubs including the Walnut Tree Shades and Louis Marchesi.
“I’m quite a shy and introverted person, especially round new people,” she says. “As soon as I step on stage it’s like I go into my own world. My songs often come from a place of struggle. They are very open and honest. When my lyrics engage or connect with someone, I really treasure that.”
She says that her mentoring from Millie and Jasper has left her “genuinely inspired” and she’s planning to release her first song.
She also has an unconditional offer to do a music performance degree, which starts in September.
“I’ve learned tips and tricks and I’m looking forward to seeing where this knowledge takes me and to the opportunities that may arise in future with my music.”
Kyle Adams, AKA The Marijanovic
Originally from Portsmouth, but now living in Norwich, 17-year-old Kyle is studying at Access Creative College while working as a women’s and men’s artistic gymnastics coach.
He says that his music is “definitely rock”.
“But I find it hard putting a label on my music, or what genre it fits in. Some would say 80s goth pop and others more pop punk. My inspirations come from all different places – my two biggest are Placebo and Waterparks,” he says.
Kyle grew up surrounded by music. His mum is a huge fan of the Stone Roses – and he also got into musical theatre, which he says helped his music taste to expand.
“I first started performing during musicals and shows when I was very small,” he says.
He’s always wanted to be on stage, and would watch My Chemical Romance’s 2011 Leeds Festival performance on repeat, dreaming of standing right where they were.
“I started properly performing as a solo artist in June 2021,” he says. “Latitude Festival was my second ever solo live performance. It’s pure adrenaline and happiness.”
Since then, Kyle has also played at Wildcraft Brewery, as part of Norwich’s Head Out Not Home live entertainment strand, Ipswich Sound City, Wild Paths festival and more.
He hopes to release his debut EP by the summer.
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