It’s fortunate rapper Jaya Gordon-Moore, aka Jayahadadream, won this year’s Glastonbury Emerging Talent competition, as just weeks before she quit her job teaching criminology to pursue a career in music.
She wins a £5,000 music development prize from the PRS Foundation and a main stage slot at the Glastonbury Festival this year.
A tearful Jayahadadream with band and the BBC’s Huw Stephens.
And as a winner she is catapulted beyond her current fanbase to a far larger audience and the attention of the wider music industry too.
Her change of career couldn’t have got off to a better start and the Cambridge-born Jamaican-Irish rapper was a worthy winner. This is especially in a year where the quality of all seven other finalists, who all performed two songs each, was once again excellent.
Jayahadadream
Jaya’s well-crafted set expertly blends rap, soul, and funk. Meanwhile, her messages on tackling misogyny in music went down particularly well with the audience.
Following the live finals, held at Pilton Working Men’s Club, singer songwriter Nadia Kadek also impressed judges. Her amazing vocal performance saw her earn a runner’s up £2,500 talent development prize.
So too Caleb Kunle, whose perfect soul act earned him a runner up cash prize of £2,500.
Caleb Kunle
By this stage of the competition any of the eight could have won. They were all selected from thousands of entries that had been whittled down to a long list of 90 chosen by 30 music writers, including our co-editor Joe Lepper.
For the second time in recent years a nominee of Joe’s had made it through to the final, Northern Irish four piece Problem Patterns.
Problem Patterns
And what a fantastic performance from them. Their tracks, Letter of Resignation and Who Do We Not Save were belted out, complete with dancing, audience participation and fun.
What really impressed me was talking with them before and they highlighted that at this gig there were lots of children at the front. They used that well when they played, with singer and guitarist Beverley Boal stepping off the stage to encourage the kids to dance.
Problem Patterns
Two songs were not enough, but luckily those attending can see a longer set from them at the Festival. All eight acts will be playing at the event, the judges announced at the end of the night.
Other finalists performing at the festival include The Ayoub Sisters, which blend Celtic and Arabic sounds to create a hauntingly different take on classical music.
The Ayoub Sisters
Another is Olivia Nelson, who many of those gathered thought could have won, with her amazing vocals and great band. Her guitarist’s mastering of his delay pedal certainly impressed this mere amateur guitarist.
Olivia Nelson
Another to watch out for is Kid 12, who blends indie, folk, electronica with a dash of Patti Smith well.
KID 12
And engaging electronica act Bryte, who impressively can rap in give languages, ended the night in what was one of the most impressive final eight acts I can remember.
Bryte
If you are going to Glastonbury be sure to check out as many of these eight as you can.
Words and Pictures By Joe Lepper
Related Posts
