87 m. ago Beverley Knight says Windrush generation has been treated ‘abysmally’ by ‘successive governments’

‘I don’t think they have really been recognised traditionally, the music was sidelined on radio,’ says singer

Politics

2 h. ago Singer Beverley Knight says Windrush generation has been treated ‘abysmally’

Knight said British music would look very different without the impact of the Windrush generation.

Politics

28 h. ago ‘I can see a world where Spotify doesn’t exist’: will a new generation of music streaming companies succeed?

Nimble, open-minded outfits such as Nina Protocol, Cantilever and Subvert are looking to bring more money to artists, and a richer experience for listenersThe noise around Spotify this year has been louder than ever, from Liz Pelly’s book Mood Machine – a biting indictment of the company and its alleged practices – to a slew of indie artists leaving the platform due to political and ethical reasons. There was even a recent music forum in California called Death to Spotify.So the timing is fortuitous for a growing number of independent streaming and music community platforms, such as Nina Protocol, Coda, Subvert, Lissen, Vocana, and just last week a new one launched in the UK: Cantilever. “More people are definitely looking for alternatives,” says Nina Protocol’s chief executive Mike Pollard. “We strongly believe the future of music is independent.” Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago ‘A sign of who I am, right here on my hands’: meet the artists behind the new

The traditional artform of henna – applying intricate and floral designs to the hands and body in natural inks – is seeing vivid new life as a means of progressive social and political expression, led by a wave of young designers and artistsThe night before Eid, plastic chairs line the pavements of busy British high streets from London to Bradford. Women sit elbow-to-elbow beneath shopfronts, hands outstretched as artists swirl cones of henna into intricate curls. For £5, you can walk away with both palms blooming. Once confined to weddings and living rooms, this centuries-old ritual has spilled out into public spaces – and today, it’s being reimagined entirely.In recent years, henna has travelled from family homes to the red carpet – from actor Michaela Coel’s Sudanese motifs at the Toronto film festival to Katseye singer Lara Raj’s henna decor at the 2025 Video Music awards. Younger generations are using it as art, political expression and cultural affirmation. Online, the appetit...

Politics

1 week ago Hallé/Shields: John Adams festival review – dynamism that could generate electricity

Bridgewater Hall/RNCM Hall, ManchesterAdams himself praised the orchestra for giving ‘one of the best performances I’ve ever heard’ of his Chamber Symphony, part of a four-concert feast of his luminous timbral combinations and expansive orchestral beautyWhen called back on stage at the Bridgewater Hall for the fourth or fifth time, the US composer John Adams walked only as far as the back of the first violins, raised his hands in thanks and gestured, smiling, that it was bedtime. At 78, Adams is younger than the first wave of American minimalists (Philip Glass, Steve Reich and co), who are now around 90. But the orchestral scores for which he is celebrated – alongside his nine operas – are intricate and polychrome, more maximalist than minimalist: music with so much dynamism it could generate mains electricity.Following a three-day festival dedicated to Steve Reich earlier this year, the Hallé’s latest composer focus brought Adams himself to Manchester for four concerts, including t...

Politics

1 week ago Hallé/Shields/Adams: John Adams festival review – dynamism that could generate electricity

Bridgewater Hall/RNCM Hall, ManchesterAdams himself praised the orchestra for giving ‘one of the best performances I’ve ever heard’ of his Chamber Symphony, part of a four-concert feast of his luminous timbral combinations and expansive orchestral beautyWhen called back on stage at the Bridgewater Hall for the fourth or fifth time, the US composer John Adams walked only as far as the back of the first violins, raised his hands in thanks and gestured, smiling, that it was bedtime. At 78, Adams is younger than the first wave of American minimalists (Philip Glass, Steve Reich and co), who are now around 90. But the orchestral scores for which he is celebrated – alongside his nine operas – are intricate and polychrome, more maximalist than minimalist: music with so much dynamism it could generate mains electricity.Following a three-day festival dedicated to Steve Reich earlier this year, the Hallé’s latest composer focus brought Adams himself to Manchester for four concerts, including t...

Politics

3 w. ago Mercury nominee CMAT: Irish music success comes from ‘generation of trauma’

The singer is nominated alongside fellow Irish act Fontaines DC at the event in Newcastle.

Events