A collaboration with Amazon Music has enabled a new residential strand for the Power Up network to take place in Manchester.
Hosted at NQ by Power Up Year 4 participant Latisha Pemberton (November 19-20), the brand new residential programme created a space for the Year 5 cohort to build links and spend quality time together through organised sessions.
Themes included ‘Career Journey Mapping’, ‘Music as Recovery’, ‘Musical Meditation’ and an ‘In Conversation’ session between executive steering committee members Jackie Davidson MBE and Paulette Long OBE. The residential strand also included writing/production sessions, as well as networking and socialising.
Launched in 2021 by Ben Wynter and PRS Foundation, Power Up aims to break down barriers to create a fairer, more equitable music industry, to achieve better representation in all sectors of the UK music industry, and to amplify the work of Black creators and industry professionals. In alliance with the Black Music Coalition, the Power Up movement will set targets and apply industry pressure to increase Black representation, as well as advocating for Black talent and industry professionals.
The latest collaboration will also see Amazon Music HQ provide the venue for Power Up’s in-person networking days in early 2026. The event will offer a deep dive into access to capital for founders in the music and creative industries, exploring pathways including grant funding, angel investment, private equity and venture capital.
Laura Lukanz, head of music industry UK ANZ, Amazon Music, said: “We're thrilled to partner with Power Up on their residential programme. At Amazon Music, we believe that creating meaningful spaces for connection, learning, and collaboration is essential for fostering talent and driving positive change in the music industry. The team and I are looking forward to continuing to work alongside Power Up to support their vital mission of empowering black creators and industry professionals, while helping to provide the kind of immersive educational and networking experiences that can transform careers.”
Senior Power Up manager, Yaw Owusu, said: “Our first Power Up Reset Residential was an opportunity for our Year 5 participant programme cohort to come together to reflect, unwind, collaborate and connect. With a number of activities ranging from sessions on using music to recover to a fireside chat between Ben Wynter, Jackie Davidson and Paulette Long to collaborative recording sessions to soundbaths and much more, this residential has been a vital respite for our participants as they continue on their mission to break through their own career glass ceilings and systemic barriers in the UK music industry."
It’s exactly this kind of investment that helps us continue moving the needle on equity and equality across the music industry
Ben Wynter
Additionally, Power Up has announced that five new members have been added to the executive steering committee (ESC). The ESC, which was set up in 2020 to advise and steer Power Up, meets multiple times each year and features some of the most influential Black professionals in the UK music industry today.
The new members are:
Charisse Beaumont – Founder and CEO of Black Lives In Music
Donae’O – Artist, Producer and Label Owner (and Year 1 Power Up participant)
Eunice Obianagha – founder, Enspire Management and UK Music Head of Diversity (and Year 1 Power Up participant)
Nick Eziefula – Partner at Simkins LLP (and Year 1 Power Up participant)
Selina Wedderburn – Industry professional (and Year 1 Power Up participant)
Eunice Obianagha said: “Being part of a network of Black peers who share similar experiences and ambitions has been invaluable. I’m genuinely excited to join the Executive Steering Committee of Power Up and help shape the next chapter of this initiative.”
Ben Wynter, co-founder of Power Up, said: “I want to extend my deepest thanks to Amazon Music and in particular Paul, Laura, Marco and Dellessa for helping bring this collaboration to life. Their support has enabled us to launch our first ever Power Up residential, something we’ve long envisioned but simply didn’t have the budget to realise until now.
“This residential will give our cohort the rare opportunity to spend meaningful time together, building networks, strengthening both professional and personal bonds, and creating the space for collaborations and business opportunities to flourish. It’s exactly this kind of investment that helps us continue moving the needle on equity and equality across the music industry.”
He added: “I’m also delighted to welcome our new ESC members. Charisse brings an incredible depth of experience, insight and expertise, and her presence opens the door to even greater collaboration between Power Up and BLiM as we move forward.
“When Joe and I created Power Up, it was always my vision for participants to find a pathway into the ESC. As we know, access to board roles can be particularly difficult for Black professionals, with ‘lack of experience’ often cited as a barrier to entry. The ESC would help to bridge that gap, and provide fellows the opportunity to gain hands-on experience at a governance level while also bringing their invaluable first-hand knowledge of Power Up to help guide and strengthen the programme from within.”
PHOTO: Tamiym Cader
