BLK SCL! (pronounced “Black Scale”) has launched as a new multi-strand intervention designed to scale up Black music talent, infrastructure and ownership across the North of England and the UK’s devolved nations.
BLK SCL! seeks to address persistent structural barriers to success for Black music talent – including unequal access to investment, networks and long-term career pathways. The initiative is targeting national and international reach for artists.
Founded by Yaw Owusu (Nothin But The Music), BLK SCL! is a strategic intervention to tackle the historic lack of sustained support for Black British music talent outside a London-centric music landscape.
EMI North's Scott Lewis and Yaw Owusu
Based in Liverpool but operating nationally, Owusu has more than 20 years’ experience designing, developing and directing award-winning national and international projects including Power Up, Levi’s Music Project, LIMF Academy, RE:MAP (LCR Black Music Report) and MusicFutures, alongside major-label work for Brukout Records x Polydor Records and Decca Records (Universal Music Group).
Additionally, Owusu has also spearheaded the creative direction and programming of the regional fringe activity for the BRIT Awards, the Mercury Prize and the MOBO Awards.
“I’ve spent years building and directing national and international talent development programmes, and I’ve seen the same pattern repeat: extraordinary talent outside London, but not enough long-term infrastructure around it,” said Yaw Owusu. “BLK SCL! is a strategic intervention – a closed-loop system which develops talent, then connects them to the right people and systems at the right time, so they can build and scale with cultural integrity.”
BLK SCL! is a strategic intervention – a closed-loop system which develops talent, then connects them to the right people and systems at the right time, so they can build and scale with cultural integrity
Yaw Owusu
BLK SCL! is comprised of three interconnected elements – each designed to work together to move talent from discovery to sustainability.
– BLK SCL! Sound is the curator-led label arm, created to champion Black music across the North of the UK, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. KOJ from Liverpool and Welsh artist Mace The Great are the first signed artists.
– BLK SCL! Connex is a pan-regional community of Black music professionals committed to collective working and long-term systemic change. It has launched the digital directory, and will be developing the platform to support year-round engagement, followed early in 2027 with their first BLK SCL! Summit.
– BLK SCL! Atelier is the career pathways and development engine, providing targeted learning and development opportunities for Black music creators and industry professionals. Year one activity includes a part-time junior product manager role within BLK SCL! Sound (funded by MusicFutures), a Black music industry professional incubator programme in partnership with Generator, a series of writing camps and a partnership with Liverpool-based Noise Music Project to deliver an entry level future Black music industry leader programme.
Yaw Owusu and Mace The Great
BLK SCL! will also be working with The Black Social Traders Network (BLaST) to offer support and access to social investment for Black-led social trading organisations in the music industry.
LAUNCH PARTNERSHIPS
BLK SCL! said it is built through collaboration with partners who share a commitment to equity, integrity and long-term impact..
On the label side, BLK SCL! Sound has partnered with EMI North. The partnership connects BLK SCL!’s independent, curator-led vision with major-label insight, infrastructure and reach.
“We’re incredibly excited to be working with Yaw to launch and support in the development of BLK SCL!” said Scott Lewis, label manager, EMI North. “Yaw is an inspirational and incredibly talented leader who has been involved with many vital projects across the music industry and brings a vast wealth of knowledge and creativity to our roster of label partners. His dedication to developing and supporting creatives across the North aligns perfectly with our goals, and this shared vision will be key in supporting talented people across the North of the UK.”
His dedication to developing and supporting creatives across the North aligns perfectly with our goals, and this shared vision will be key in supporting talented people across the North of the UK
Scott Lewis
Across Connex and Atelier, BLK SCL! is collaborating with MusicFutures, which is a five-year research and business innovation programme funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) through UKRI, led by the University of Liverpool in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University.
Focused on building a sustainable and inclusive R&D ecosystem for music, creativity and technology in the Liverpool City Region, MusicFutures supports skills and talent development through training, professional development and access to research, technology and industry expertise.
“MusicFutures’ mission is to shape the future of music through innovation, inclusion and sustainability,” said Dr Mathew Flynn, director of the Institute for Popular Music at the University of Liverpool and Co-Director of MusicFutures. “This exciting collaboration with BLK SCL is a unique opportunity to contribute to a pioneering venture that delivers on many of the recommendations in the 2024 Liverpool City Region Music Board Re:Map report, which identified barriers to progress and success experienced by Black and global majority musicians and music industry professionals.”
KOJ and Yaw Owusu (credit: Ollie Bradley-Baker)
BLK SCL! will also work with Generator CEO Mick Ross as its development partner.
“Yaw is a true pioneer in our industry – someone who has consistently created space, opportunity and long-term impact for Black music talent across the UK,” said Mick Ross. “What makes his work so powerful is that it’s rooted in authenticity, trust and a deep understanding of both the culture and the structural barriers that still exist within our industry.
“BLK SCL! comes at a hugely important moment for the music industry, as conversations around equity, infrastructure and ownership continue to grow globally. We’re proud to support the vision through Generator, and proud to be part of an initiative that has the potential to create lasting impact while becoming an internationally recognised model for a more connected, representative and sustainable music industry.”
Joanne Anderson, founder and director of BLaST, said: “We are looking forward to working with BLK SCL! to support Black music and industry professionals and music business leaders to develop the growth of their business and social impact.”
MAIN IMAGE: Yaw Owusu (credit: Ollie Bradley-Baker)
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