There are few artists who get the chance to turn down seven-figure record deals before they turn 21, but Nemzzz isn’t just any artist.
Exploding onto the scene with his 2021 breakout hit Elevate and its follow-up 2MS, the Mancunian rapper quickly became one of the most sought after names in UK rap, and record labels have been swooning around him ever since. But despite the noise, Nemzzz has carved his own lane, choosing independence and making choices that, in his words, push him to “strive for more and not be so easily satisfied.”
Now, as he features on the cover of Music Week, the Drake-approved star sits down with us to talk about his next move: Rent’s Due, his highly-anticipated new mixtape that’s set to have the whole music industry talking.
Joined by his manager Alex Omisesan and the team at his label services partner ADA, Nemzzz reflects on his meteoric rise so far, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and why self-confidence is key to taking UK rap to new heights.
Meanwhile, in The Music Week Interview this month, hot on the heels of her promotion to SVP, venue programming at AEG Europe, arena supremo and 2024 Music Week Women In Music Awards winner Emma Bownes holds court on the grassroots crisis and sustainability in live music, shares her plans for The O2, and looks back on her incredible career so far – from going to gigs with her grandparents to booking global stars.
We also meet up with Rebecca Lucy Taylor, aka the incomparable Self Esteem, ahead of her third record and major label debut A Complicated Woman, who is joined her by her co-managers Louise Latimer and Cherish Kaya, Polydor Label Group president Ben Mortimer as she goes deep on industry politics, identity, as well as her aims to play stadiums while “screaming and shouting at the system.”
Up next, Day One Entertainment boss Nick Shymansky talks about returning to management with Lola Young, traces the UK singer’s huge breakout with No.1 hit Messy, and dives into his own career, reflecting on discovering a young Amy Winehouse when he was just 19.
Finally in our features section, key players from across the industry examine neighbouring rights, one of the industry’s most vital and buzzing sectors right now.
In the news section, Big Story sees Villa Park’s COO Ben Hatton discuss the venue’s live music ambitions ahead of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s huge summer farewell, whilst key figures examine vinyl’s 17th year of growth and how Gen-Z fans are driving the format.
For Hitmakers, long-time Charli XCX collaborator and one of the key creative minds behind her No.1 album Brat, Jon Shave, takes us behind the scenes on the making of Sympathy Is A Knife, and looks back on how the song evolved from candid conversations to being part of a global, cultural phenomenon. In the April edition of Aftershow, meanwhile, industry icon Sharon Osbourne looks back on her illustrious career and gives her unfiltered takes on the X Factor, managing Ozzy Osbourne and fighting misogyny in the business.
In a very special edition of Mentor Me, music industry legend and MOBO CEO and founder Kanya King shares her top tips on how to build a sustainable career in the music business, for creatives and executives alike.
Finally in the front section, Incoming sees My Morning Jacket’s Jim James mark the arrival of the band’s 10th record Is and talk therapy, burnout and working with Grammy-winning producer Brendan O’Brien, whilst Japanese-British singer and rapper Miso Extra takes us into the Misoverse in the lead-up to her genre-transcending debut album Earcandy in On The Radar. In Spotlight, Pascal Bittard, founder and president of global distribution and label management operation IDOL, highlights the key challenges facing label services right now.
Lastly, in our expanded monthly charts section, we present the Top 75 Singles and Albums of the previous month, accompanied by revamped analysis pages, plus a host of new listings. These include specialist genre Top 20s for Americana, Classical, Hip-Hop & R&B, Jazz, Country, Dance, Folk and Rock & Metal. The issue is also home to streaming, compilations and vinyl charts.
The new issue of Music Week is available from March 18.
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