AMPLIFI Mar 2024

The Queen's Hall presents Season 3 of our gig series showcasing the sounds of modern Scotland.

With artists hand-picked by guest curators Arusa Qureshi and Halina Rifai of We Are Here Scotland - staged in our intimate performance space - AMPLIFI presents an exciting opportunity to see new and rising artists in a setting designed to amplify their voices and put them centre stage.

Performers:

Conscious Route is a rapper, MC, poet and singer-songwriter who was born in London before moving to Edinburgh over a decade ago. In 2020, he unleashed the collaborative ‘Lost Routes’ album, alongside producer True Note, which went on to receive a 4-star review in The Scotsman upon its release. His most recent album, ‘Belterz’ has also received 4 star reviews from The Skinny Magazine and The Scotsman. It has been supported worldwide, including ‘Day Ones’ being named in the top tracks of 2023 on London based Itch Fm's Exposure Show with DJ Sammy Jay and on Sheffield-based Mama RaRay’s Break & Bass Fam show. The album has received worldwide coverage with multiple songs played on radio and digital broadcasting platforms. It also was given a featured spotlight on PortlandMetroRecords.com, and was featured on Blacksmith and Frenic’s Rinse FM show. Meanwhile, the live music scene has seen Conscious Route support Dabbla, Dead Prez, Marlowe, Pan Amsterdam, Wiki, Jelani Blackman and Onyx, to name a few.

After several years of training and working in studios as an audio engineer, Jurnalist quickly started making a name for himself as an artist in the UK with features on BBC Radio Scotland and Mode FM London. An American transplant based in Leith looking to continue his growth and expand his profile in the Scottish music scene, Jurnalist has been collaborating with local artists to showcase his talents across genres including Afro, Grime, Rap, Drill and more. His energy-packed performances highlight the essence of the music he wishes to share – conversational and honest lyricism that bridges meaningful lyrics with hard-hitting production.

The Colombian-born Scottish artist, P Caso, is an expressive rapper whose sound is rooted deep in hip hop, jazz and grime. With enigmatic wordplay and syllable flow patterns over melodic vocal samples and syncopated beats, the artist is on his way to cementing his mark in the UK scene as a stand-out artist. P Caso's writing explores his experiences growing up in Glasgow as an adolescent. He delves into themes relating to the human experience such as the angst of letting go which is a central element in his current work. From past relationships to nostalgic memories accompanied by existential questions on the purpose of life itself, P Caso brings us into his world which he himself is still grappling to understand.

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.

Halina Rifai is a podcast producer, music writer, PR & digital marketer. She founded music site Podcart in 2009 and went on to become a podcast producer, working with the likes of The Big Light, The Ferret, Mental Health Foundation, Fringe of Colour and many more. Podcasts she has worked on and continue to work on include Sheku Bayoh: The Inquiry and A Sonic Hug. Halina is Communications Manager for We Are Here Scotland – A space aimed at supporting and raising the voices of Black People and People of Colour creatives across Scotland.

Supported by Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council.

Winner of the Creative Edinburgh 'Inclusion' Award.