AMPLIFI Apr 2022

A new series of shows curated by Arusa Qureshi and Halina Rifai to showcase the sounds of modern Scotland.

Staged in our new performance space at The Queen’s Hall, this is an exciting opportunity to see new and rising artists in an intimate setting designed to amplify their voices.

The artists have been hand-picked by Arusa Qureshi and Halina Rifai who will also compere the evenings. They say, “Scotland is home to so many incredibly talented artists of all backgrounds and disciplines, who demonstrate perfectly the vibrancy of our music scene. AMPLIFI is a way to spotlight some of our very favourites, while also welcoming audiences back to live music in a more intimate setting. We're thrilled to be working with The Queen's Hall on this series and can't wait to celebrate these brilliant emerging voices with fellow music fans!"

Performers:

BEMZ A Glasgow-based rapper, one of several artists helping to further establish Scotland as a bona fide hotbed for Black music, while also proving that rap’s cultural reach stretches way beyond London and the English borders. Having first fallen in love with music through the usual childhood influences and inspirations, BEMZ began experimenting with making his own sounds, primarily as a medium of self-expression. Art and poetry were the precursors to his introduction to rap, before blossoming into a lifelong dedication with the artform itself. BEMZ’s strengths lie in the honesty within his music. He delivers a very raw, emotionally charged view of life, which never falls into the clichéd trappings that often come with that territory; truth is his asset.

Washington Paisley rapper Washington gained widespread attention with his debut EP Rookie. This led to notable press and also airplay with the likes of BBC Introducing, BBC1Xtra and more. 2022 sees Washington continue to raise the profile for rap in the West of Scotland.

AiiTee AKA Scotland’s darkest berry combines soul, R&B, and Afrobeat effortlessly. Influenced by her Christian upbringing and sonic magnificence of gospel, her debut single ‘Agape’ led to impressive acclaim. The young rising Aberdeen-based artist’s album 'Love Don’t Fall' reached the SAY (Scottish Album of the Year) final 10 shortlist.

Clarissa Woods Born in London to Scottish and Mauritian parents. Clarissa spent her formative years in Glasgow. Growing up, she quickly found a connection with music, making it her vehicle of expression & inspiration. Clarissa’s varied sounds, influenced by the hardships and obstacles she had faced in the years leading up to now, resulting in the production of her best work to date.

Curators:

Arusa Qureshi is an award-winning writer, editor and speaker with a passion for music, diversity and accessibility within arts and culture. Her book about women in UK hip hop, ‘Flip the Script’, is out now via 404 Ink. She has bylines in The Guardian, NME, Clash, Time Out, The Forty-Five and The Scotsman, and is part of the We Are Here Scotland team, supporting and amplifying the voices of creatives of colour in Scotland.

Halina Rifai is a podcast producer, music writer, PR & digital marketer. She founded music site Podcart in 2009 and has gone onto become a podcast producer, working with the likes of BBC Scotland, The Big Light, Mental Health Foundation, Fringe of Colour and more. She works within PR & Marketing with Scottish Women Inventing Music and Dardishi, a creative platform for Arab & North African women and gender monitories. She is also Communications Co-Manager for We Are Here Scotland, a space aimed at supporting and raising the voices of Black people and people of colour artists and creatives across Scotland.

Supported by Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council.

Presented by The Queen’s Hall.