Walt Disco, Dani Larkin, Melin Melyn, Lambrini Girls and Ishmael Ensemble among the latest artists to receive PPL Momentum Music Fund support

• 11 talented artists from across the 4 nations of the UK receive the ground-breaking PPL Momentum Music Fund support in its latest round
• Latest round includes recent SAY Award, Welsh Music Prize and NI Music Prize nominees and those with critical acclaim

The artists who have been selected by a network of industry experts, are:

Alex Virgo (England, London) – album recording and promotion
Cardinal Black (Wales, South East) – recording
Cloth (Scotland, Glasgow) – writing and recording debut album
CVC (Wales, South East) – album recording
Dani Larkin (Northern Ireland, Armagh) – recording
Facesoul (England, London) – album recording, promotion and touring
Ishmael Ensemble (England, South West) – album recording
Lambrini Girls (England, South East) – writing and recording debut album
Melin Melyn (Wales, South East) – album recording and promotion
Speakers Corner Quartet (England, London) – touring
Walt Disco (Scotland, Glasgow) – supporting an arena tour

PPL Momentum Music Fund is targeted support for artists who have reached a crucial tipping point, have a team already in place and ready to take the next step in their careers.

This latest round features artists from all 4 nations of the UK including nominees of Scottish Album of the Year (Walt Disco 2022), Northern Ireland Music Prize (Dani Larkin 2023) and Welsh Music Prize (CVC 2023) as well as those with critical acclaim (Speakers Corner Quartet, 5***** in The Guardian) and tipped as ones to watch (Lambrini Girls, NME 100).

Artists who received PPL Momentum Music Fund support and recently went on to win the Northern Ireland Music Prize include Arborist in 2023 and Robocobra Quartet in 2022, whilst Adwaith won the Welsh Music Prize in 2022 and Auntie Flo picked up Scottish Album of the Year in 2019. Likewise, Little Simz and Ezra Collective each went on to win the Mercury Prize, in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

PPL Momentum Music supported Lambrini Girls said, “This grant will help us create an even bigger splash than we’ve made in 2023. We want 2024 to be a year to remember and this funding is going to change everything.”

John Hendrickse, Grants & Programmes Manager at PRS Foundation said: “A massive congratulations to the 11 talented music creators in this latest round of our PPL Momentum Music Fund. This round again shows the strength and depth of talent across the nations and regions of the UK, who are at that tipping point ready to build on that success and get to the next level in their careers. 

Kate Reilly, Chief Membership and People Officer at PPL said, “As the PPL Momentum Fund enters its eleventh year, it’s fantastic to start a new decade with 11 phenomenal music acts who are on the cusp of something big. Congratulations to each and every one of them! We know it’s a competitive and tough industry to crack, but I hope this funding from PPL Momentum Fund helps shine a light on some of the most talented UK musicians who need essential support recording and touring this year.”

Gerwyn Evans, Deputy Director of Creative Wales said, “Growing and nurturing artists, venues and businesses in Wales is a key priority for Creative Wales and we are proud to be supporting and working with the PPL Momentum Music Fund, which dedicates financial support to accelerate artists and create equal opportunities for those looking to break through.

“I’d like to congratulate all recipients, especially the three Welsh bands in this round: Cardinal Black, CVC and Melin Melyn – all already making waves in the industry. This funding will enable them to make and record new music and reach new heights in their careers.”

Ciaran Scullion, Head of Music and Opera at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said, “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is proud to partner with PRS Foundation on PPL Momentum Music Fund, a vital initiative which enables our artists to take that all important next step in the development of their professional music careers.  We are committed to providing valuable, meaningful opportunities for our artists develop and reach their full potential.  Congratulations to all the artists taking part in this current round and to Northern Ireland’s Dani Larkin, who will benefit greatly from this recording opportunity.”

The next deadline to apply for PPL Momentum Music Fund is Wednesday 31^st January 2024. Applicants can find out more and apply on PRS Foundation’s website.

Managed by PRS Foundation, the PPL Momentum Music Fund awards grants of £5,000-£15,000 using funds from PRS Foundation, PPL, Creative Wales and Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

PPL became headline sponsors of the Momentum Music Fund in February 2020. Since then, 183 talented music creators at tipping points in their careers have received this vital support to break through to the next level. This type of support is crucial for both music creators’ careers and the wider industry as the 10 Years of Momentum Report (2013-23) found. To date, the fund has been transformational with over £5.2 million awarded to artists across the whole of the UK, resulting in:

• Helping to generate £22 million for the UK music industry
• Over 500 artists awarded PPL Momentum Music Fund support
• Creation of 275 albums (including Mercury Prize nominated albums and dozens of top twenty chart placements)
• Support for over 300 UK tours and over 1,600 live dates
• Over 7,300 applications received over 40 funding rounds with a 7% success rate of funds being granted

PRS Foundation and Arts Council England initiated The Momentum Music Fund in 2013. Arts Council England originally established the need for this specific fund and supported the programme from 2013-18.

For a full rundown of all the artists supported so far see: https://prsfoundation.com/funding-support/funding-music-creators/next-steps/ppl-momentum-music-fund/momentum-artists/

Listen to the latest PPL Momentum Music Fund supported artists on the Spotify Momentum playlist.