This is a collaborative artistic development and music creation programme between the UK and South Africa. The programme will provide young people between 18 and 35 years in underserved communities in the Western Cape area of South Africa with the support required to develop new skills, knowledge and connections within the music industry. As a result of this, not only will they be able to contribute artistically to the culture of their country but develop the skills, knowledge and connections required to develop careers that contribute to the economic development of both themselves and South Africa as an ODA country.
shesaid.so SA and Reform Radio have developed a sixth month Music Production and Online Radio Training Programme working with producer and label owner Rose Bonica on workshop delivery, to uplift Women and LGBTQIA+ producers / musicians from underserved communities in the Western Cape of South Africa.
Delivered as weekly sessions of around two hours, the aim is to teach valuable skills, open opportunities and share resources with talented young people who do not have access to these. There will be space for between 7 – 10 learners on this course. In addition to this, once a month there will be online sessions and talks open to these musicians’ communities and those in the UK on a drop-in basis, aimed at 20 – 50 attendees each.
Our focus is on addressing the imbalance and underrepresentation of women and LGBTQIA+ producers and musicians both locally and on the global stage. The programme has been designed in partnership with a team of women artists to ensure that the correct perspective is considered throughout. This chimes perfectly with one of Reform Radio’s strategic aims, to address the gender imbalance in the music industry and build on previous partnership work with Rhythm Lab Records in this area.
On the 22nd April for Earth Day 2022 Reform Radio, in partnership with local online radio stations in South Africa, will broadcast a day of special programming introducing the artists involved.
Two months into the programme shesaid.so SA, Reform Radio and its sister record label Rhythm Lab Records will pick 4 of the most dedicated and promising participants to take part in a special remote collaboration. Each artist will be paired with an artist in the UK and given a fee to collaborate and record a brand new piece of music. These tracks will then be mixed, mastered, released and promoted by Rhythm Lab Records in the UK. The balance of the candidates will work on a collaborative EP that will be released on the South African label Roses Are Red.
SHESAID.SO SOUTH AFRICA 