Tinie Tempah and Skye Newman have warned that the music industry risks becoming increasingly inaccessible for working-class artists, speaking at the Ivor Novello awards in London.
The two musicians argued that without efforts to preserve small music venues and actively seek out talent from diverse backgrounds, the industry could miss out on future breakthroughs. "If you don't have different sorts of scenes in different parts of the country, then of course your music industry is not representative," Tempah told the Guardian on the red carpet.
Newman, who grew up on council estates in south-east London, highlighted the financial barriers facing working-class performers. "It takes a lot of money to go into this job, and people don't realise that. It takes a team and it costs a lot, so I do see why it's harder for us," she said. "But that is not a fair thing, and there should be more things implemented to help people like us – more programmes to find talent in places where they're struggling."
Tempah has become a vocal advocate for smaller venues through campaigns like Save Our Scene. He described these spaces as essential training grounds where artists can hone their craft. "We're almost losing a bit of our soft power. If you think of this tiny little island and how much music we've contributed to the whole world, it's insane," he said. "All of these small venues have created a way for seeds to blossom and develop and bloom. Just imagine as a talent, being able to go out on the road, do your 10,000 hours, make your mistakes, fumble your lyrics, get booed, get cheered. It's almost like a training ground. And if I never had that as an artist, I probably wouldn't be standing here today."
Without these platforms, Tempah warned the industry could become less representative. "The cream will always rise to the top. And so I think artists of various different backgrounds will find themselves at the top of the tree performing in the biggest venues in the country," he said. "However … scenes typically emerge from different cultures, especially grime. Obviously, grime is for everybody, but it's predominantly black music … Every 10 years the UK is recognised for bringing a new scene from the underground to the forefront. And I feel we're kind of lacking on that currently. And I think as a result of what's happening now with our venues."
Newman has previously spoken about wanting to provide opportunities for those from similar backgrounds. In February, she told the Guardian: "There could be so much more love and education put into people who have less because there is so much knowledge in those places; there's so much talent but they don't get the same opportunities."
