‘Hear This’: UTA Launches Newcomer Showcase Series In London

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Claudia Valentina will perform at the first ‘Hear This’ showcase event by UTA in London.

UTA has announced a new curated live series, dubbed ‘Hear This,’ launching at The Grace in London, May 10.

The inaugural edition of ‘Hear This’ showcases women in r&b and soul: Claudia Valentina, Mnelia and Tolü Makay. They will perform “for an audience of carefully selected industry figures and new music fans,” according to UTA’s announcement.

The agency wants to provide “early amplification for some of the most exciting newcomers during the early stages of their careers.”

Future ‘Hear This’ events are set to take place every three months, and will continue shine a light on the most vibrant emerging talent, genres and cultures surrounding UTA’s London operations.

Tickets for ‘Hear This’ are priced at £6 plus booking fees, and are available directly from The Grace venue website. Industry figures can reach out to UTA with guest list requests.

Rebecca Prochnik, UTA’s director of growth and strategy for UK Music, commented, “The true strength of an agency is measured equally by its ability to develop new talent, as it is in elevating established acts. The more we proactively cultivate spaces for showcasing the artists, scenes and cultures that we’re most excited about, and the more we work on bringing game-changing opportunities to the table, the better equipped our new artists are for success.”

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Singer, songwriter, and performer Tolü Makay from Ireland

UTA introduced the artists performing at the first edition of ‘Hear This’:

“Claudia Valentina, named MTV’s UK Push Artist in 2021, is a confident 21-year-old superstar-in-waiting, ready to become the new dominant force on the pop landscape, having already racked up over 13 million streams for her debut single ‘Seven.’

“From North West London, Mnelia exploded onto the scene in early 2020 and truly embodies the evolution of British r&b. Having amassed millions of streams in a short space of time with her flawless vocals and a healthy dose of nostalgia in her sound, Mnelia is firmly on the rise and not to be missed.

“Singer, songwriter, and performer Tolü Makay has quickly become a leading creative voice of Ireland. Her track ‘N17,’ released in 2021 saw her achieve an impressive accolade as the highest ever charting solo woman artist in Ireland, and has since been duly recognised as the ‘Best Female Artist’ at the Black & Irish Awards 2021.”

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