For decades, making it in British music meant one thing – getting on a train to London. Funnily enough, this year I got on a train to Liverpool instead.
For its seventh edition, the Youth Music Awards left the capital for the first time, challenging the idea that London is the centre of the UK’s creative industry. In association with Wingstop, the awards took over Liverpool’s St George’s Hall to celebrate the artists, innovators, and projects shaping the future of the UK’s music scene. It was an uplifting and powerful night that spotlighted homegrown talent from across the country.
While opening the awards, Youth Music CEO Adam Joolia highlighted how grassroots music creates opportunities, whilst also calling for greater investment and collaboration between government and industry to ensure every young person has the chance to realise their potential through music. The charity has helped launch some of the UK’s biggest artists, including Sam Fender, whose early career was supported by Newcastle-based Generator, and 2023 Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective, who came through Tomorrow’s Warriors and Kinetika Bloco.
Here are the winners and nominees we haven’t stopped talking about since:
Koj
After opening the Awards with a powerful performance, to winning the Lyricist Award, it was a big night for this Liverpool-based rapper. “To have turned my life around and built a career to the point where I’m holding this award now…I can’t really put it into words,” Koj said after winning his first ever award. His artistry is centred around raw bars over grime and punk beats, telling the story of someone who has hustled in life. His debut EP Villain With A Conscience was met with acclaim, and features the gritty “A ROADMAN’S TALE OF HOME,” where Koj raps earnestly about race, prejudice, and life in modern Britain.
Melba
The Newcastle-born producer and DJ has been making waves in the electronic music scene with a blend of hyperpop and her self-defined “swag” and Jersey club. “I love to express my inner child and music is a fantastic way of doing that,” says Melba. Nominated for the Music Producer Award, the talented artist’s DIY approach to music production has also earned her recognition from Mixmag and Resident Advisor. Her sonically ambitious ANGEL 777 EP showcases Melba’s preference for 160bpm and higher tracks, whilst also highlighting her versatility with different sounds and samples.
Righteous Reck
Righteous Reck is an artist, producer and winner of 2026’s Rising Star Award. The South London rapper first taught himself music production as a teenager and has now built an independent career alongside youth engagement. His music is mostly melodic rap over self-produced beats. What sets the young artist apart is his dedication to making music accessible to young people through hundreds of workshops. This same creative ambition runs through his 2026 single “9 to 5,” a groovy, upbeat track about wanting to leave his corporate job behind to pursue a creative career.
HULTON
The Brighton-based bilingual rapper has been making waves with his fusion of English and Spanish language songs. Nominated for the Rising Star Award, the charismatic artist has hustled and built an ever-increasing fanbase. This hard-earned momentum has generated support from BBC Radio 1Xtra, Kiss, and Rinse FM. HULTON has also accomplished feats such as performing at Glastonbury, The Great Escape, and Boardmasters. With millions of streams, viral social media success, and a completely independent approach, HULTON is proving that consistency, resilience and self-belief can turn ambition into momentum. His latest single, “Tired of It,” is an introspective rap track over a piano- and strings-led instrumental. Having already amassed 86,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, this rapper has a bright future ahead of him.
