The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) and Amazon Music have revealed an end-of-year boost to their Step Up Fund.
Five independent UK artists have been awarded three days of studio time at The Breakthrough Lab, the recording studio space created by a partnership between Amazon Music and Metropolis Studios.
With Amazon Music also providing support for engineering costs, the five artists to benefit are Gigi Moss, lleo, Maya Lane, Nia Wyn and Richard Carter.
This expansion of the fund is in addition to the 10 artists who received Step Up grants in July 2025, and sees Amazon Music further its commitment to championing artists by backing the FAC’s goal of supporting upcoming independent talent.
Laura Lukanz, head of music industry, Amazon Music UK, said: “We're incredibly proud to continue our work with the FAC and Metropolis Studios by extending additional funding to these five talented artists through The Breakthrough Lab. This opportunity provides crucial studio time and resources that will help Gigi, lleo, Maya, Nia and Richard expand their creative possibilities. Supporting independent artists is fundamental to our purpose at Amazon Music, and we're delighted to build upon the success of the Step Up Fund with this end-of-year boost.”
David Martin, CEO, Featured Artists Coalition, said: “The FAC is delighted to announce this end-of-year boost to Step Up. Although the fund has been an unqualified success and provided grants to over 40 independent artists since 2022, it’s also ridiculously oversubscribed. Therefore, when Amazon Music suggested this opportunity, we jumped at it. It’s an incredibly generous gesture, and we hope Gigi, lleo, Maya, Nia and Richard will benefit greatly from access to The Breakthrough Lab’s amazing facilities.”
This opportunity provides crucial studio time and resources that will help Gigi, lleo, Maya, Nia and Richard expand their creative possibilities
Laura Lukanz
“I’m so grateful to Amazon Music for this opportunity to record at Breakthrough Labs Studio,” said Nia Wyn. “The ability to have time and record at a major studio like Metropolis is so valuable to an independent artist like myself, and I'm looking forward to working on songs for my next record, recording a variety of instruments live, and experimenting with new ideas.”
Gigi Moss added: “I would really like to thank the FAC and Amazon Music for this opportunity. To be able to have a space like this to work in as an independent artist, with people I love and connect with creatively is such a privilege. It’s something all independent artists dream for so I am so grateful that you guys have recognised my work and believed in it, it truly goes a long way.”
Launched in 2023, by Amazon Music and Metropolis Studios, The Breakthrough Lab is a bespoke state-of-the-art production studio that offers its facilities to the emerging artist community.
The FAC and Amazon Music’s collaboration on the Step Up Fund goes back to 2022.
The initiative was established in response to the financial and structural challenges facing up-and-coming independent artists.
Since then, more than 40 artists have been provided grants totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds. This financing can be used towards any element of a creative project.
This year’s Step Up awardees were 4AM Kru, Arz, Balancing Act, Bina, Crae Wolf, Edbl, Ellie Dixon, Jadu Heart, Mellina Tey and namesbliss.
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