As a Young Creative Award Winner, I had the amazing opportunity to photograph the extremely talented previous and current winning musicians of the Young Creative Awards.
A Bit about the Showcase
Captivating soul/pop singer-songwriter Rob Green headlines a celebration of Nottingham’s Young Creative Awards, In association with The Hustle Collective. Also featuring recent winners/finalists: Ellie Stainsby, Oscar Marshall, Charity Stow, and Jack Chapman.
The Young Creative Awards celebrates the creativity of Nottingham’s young people, aged 11 to 24.
There are 11 different creative categories: Animation & Digital Media, Creative Writing, Dance, Design & Architecture, Fashion & Textiles, Film, Graphic Design, Music, Photography, Theatre, and Visual Arts. This year the Awards received entries from more than 500 young people from all over Nottingham.
The annual Young Creative Awards showcase gives a vibrant snapshot of the issues occupying the minds of our city’s young creatives. Find out more here
The Artists
Jack Chapman
Jack Chapman is an Artist, born and raised in Nottingham. His track ‘Into The Middle’ was played by Gemma Bradley on her BBC Radio 1 show saying “I love this track”! With his eclectic range of musical influences including Sam Fender, Kings of Leon, Tame Impala and Bon Iver, you can see where he gets his ear for a catchy tune.
Charity Stow
Charity Stow is a singer-songwriter based in Nottingham. Charity comes from a musical family and has always worked with her father to create her own sound. Both are self-taught musicians and this has informed Charity’s intuitive attitude toward music.
Music has always been a part of her life and as such, she has taken influence from oldies such as Carole King, Bob Dylan, and The Beatles to inspire her songwriting but is constantly learning from new artists such as Billie Marten, Daughter, and Lucy Rose in order to find her niche. Charity’s hometown is the small, quaint town of Stamford and since leaving there to move to Nottingham she has taken much more of an interest in songwriting.
Sometimes a dramatic change is what is needed to ignite a young songwriter working her way through a new phase in life and the inevitability of feeling lost without the bubble of home to guide you. Songwriting is a form of therapy for Charity and you can hear this through the honesty of her lyrics and the passion behind the tracks. Charity is finding her own place in the music scene and is creating a unique sound through which to channel her experiences. ‘What the World Wants’ is her latest release, financed by the Youth Music NextGen fund, and explores a much rockier, story-led side to Charity’s music.
Ellie Stainsby
You can find Ellie's music on her Instagram.
Ellie Stainsby is an ethereal singer-songwriter and pianist from Nottingham. Her acoustic-folky sound resonates with all listeners, allowing each person to interpret her poetic lyrics in their own way.
She has played venues such as Nottingham’s Albert Hall and Royal Concert Hall, The Bodega, Rescue Rooms, Rough Trade, and more! With ongoing links to the Young Creative awards showcase and The Hustle Collective, she has also played festivals such as Hockley Hustle, Newark Festival, Green Hustle, and Nottstopping.
Winning Sing City in 2016, she has gone on to win Noise of the Next Generation 2019, and a Young Creatives Award in music in 2020. Furthermore, she possesses a Level 4 Diploma in music performance from the London College of Music.
Oscar Marshall
Rob Green
ROB.GREEN is a vocalist/songwriter from Nottingham who draws from the R&B, Soul, Indie, Rock, and Gospel music he was raised on to inspire the guitar-led alt/soul music he makes.
The singer and songwriter made his recording debut in 2012 with his debut EP Parlour Tricks, he released two more EPs, the latest of which (ROB.GREEN EP) debuted at number #34 and #3 in the iTunes Album and R&B chart respectively.
An irrepressible and captivating live performer Rob has performed across the UK and Europe. Usually only armed with his loop pedal, acoustic guitar, and signature soulful vocal; Rob has opened Arena shows for internationally acclaimed soul and pop acts, such as Earth Wind & Fire, Eric Bibb, and Whitney Houston Hologram Tour.
Rob draws great inspiration from his life growing up as mixed-race and gay in his hometown to write songs, unite and connect with audiences. He has won international critical acclaim for the innovative, continuous shot music video for Blue - the ROB.GREEN EP's debut single.
This was followed by his single BELIEF which immediately gained the attention of BBC Introducing's Dean Jackson. Receiving plays from Tom Robinson (BBC 6MUSIC) and Huw Stephens (BBC Radio 1) within one week of each other, his single LIFE GOES ON was featured on the BBC 6Music's Loud and Proud LGBTQ+ Playlist in 2021 after releasing his music video for the single, which was made during lockdown conditions using footage submitted by over 300 fans in quarantine.
Rob’s latest singles ‘Talking To My Demons’ and ‘Sleeping On My Own’ are the first in a series of singles that were written and recorded in lockdown and explore themes of mental health, sexuality, and identity.
A celebration of past and present young creative award-winning musicians at Metronome, Nottingham was a night to be remembered. A room filled with talent and huge potential, if you haven't already I urge you to listen to the music made by the many artists. Scroll back up, sit back and follow the link to their Spotify.
You can contact me to hire my photography services or visit my music photography service page to find out more.