- Starring on the cover of Music Week ahead of the first edition of his very own music festival BludFest, Yungblud lays out his righteous vision for live music that puts fans and artists first. Kicking against rising ticket prices and homogeneous line-ups, the chart-topping rocker believes his event can change the live sector. Furthermore, he doesn’t mind one bit about ruffling feathers in the process. To lift the lid on the whole shebang, Music Week meets the wild-eyed star, alongside his Special Projects management team and AEG Presents UK, to discuss his masterplan, the backlash he has encountered and hear how the industry can treat artists and fans with the respect they deserve.
- BludFest isn’t the only live music story in town this month. With Glastonbury just around the corner, we meet one of the anchors of the BBC’s coverage as Music Week Award winner Lauren Laverne takes on The Music Week Interview. Speaking from BBC Radio 6 Music HQ in the wake of taking the Radio Show crown at our event in May, Laverne discusses the changing face of the station, the role of radio in today’s industry and digs into the phenomenon of the ‘6 Music dad’.
- Also in our features section, PPL CEO Peter Leathem introduces a special look back at the organisation’s seismic impact on the business as it celebrates its 90th anniversary. Meanwhile, GRM Daily’s founder Koby ‘Post’ Hagan reflects on 15 years of the platform and discusses the UK rap scene, breaking acts and staying relevant, and Grammy-winning producer Catherine Marks looks back on her career and opens up about what the business must do to support the studio creatives of tomorrow.
- Elsewhere, we also meet Elton Jackson, Sony Music UK’s director of artist and employee wellbeing, to discuss mental health and how workplace culture is changing across the business. Finally in this month’s features section, we toast the achievements of Young Songs, as MD Gerard Phillips and Young COO Chloë Roberts explain the methods behind their independent publishing magic and Music Week Award-winning success.
