GIRL GRIND UK x Spotify & Youth Music: Our Loudest Story Yet

We Built This. Now the World’s Watching.

Let’s be real,  the world doesn’t always see us. But we’ve never needed permission.For the last five years, Girl Grind UK has been out here building, for young Black women, non-binary creatives, and people from the Global Majority. No fluff. Just action, real love, and real impact.

Youth Music’s been riding with us from early. And now with Spotify in the mix through their Open Doors campaign, our story’s going global, right alongside youth centres and grassroots orgs across the UK doing the work every day.

This moment?It’s bigger than us.It’s for every young person who’s ever felt unseen.It’s a win for Brum, for the culture, and for the girls on their grind all over the world.

We Been Doing This.

While over 1,200 youth centres in the UK have been shut down in the last 10 years, we’ve stayed solid.

No gimmicks. No waiting.Just bold, creative, honest spaces where our people can grow, create, and feel like they belong.

That’s why they chose us. Because we’re not out here playing it safe,  we’re building what the system won’t.

Lisa Nandy Said What She Said.

Shout out to Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who pulled up and gave props to the West Midlands as a creative powerhouse. Spotify dropped their Loud & Clear report, and yeah, some of the numbers are looking better. But we’re not fooled. The grind’s still on.

Yinka Bokinni hosted a panel that went deep, with big energy from:

• Femi Koleoso (Ezra Collective)

• Safiya Lambie-Knight (Spotify)

• And Lisa Nandy, giving credit where it's due

Progress? Maybe.But we’ve got more ground to cover.

When the Cameras Rolled, We Let Them In.

One week. One film crew. Real life.

They came to GGUK HQ and saw what really happens when young women and non-binary creatives take up space with no apologies.

At our Funding & Finance Workshop, 50+ creatives were in the room asking the real questions:How do we survive as artists? Where’s the money? What do we do when doors keep shutting?

At our Open Mic, the talent was undeniable. Raw. Unfiltered. Pure energy. We create space, and our community shows up every time.

Then we touched down in London:Kojey Radical x Legacy TalksFounder Namywa sat down with Kojey, artist to artist, leader to leader, talking legacy, truth, and what it means to carve your lane when the industry doesn’t see you.

For the community? It was powerful: "You’re not alone. You belong here. You ARE the next legacy.”

And we let the next gen storytellers, Cola B, Reem, Dahlia, Some Honey, Darcelle, RB,& more,take the lens. What came out was raw, real, and ours.

The Premiere Hit London. And So Did We.

When we say “turning up and turning heads”, we mean it.

The premiere had a vibe.Namywa, Kojey, and Cola B led the convo. They went off about legacy, access, and what building real space for our voices actually takes.

We watched the film together and saw more than a story,  we saw impact.We saw joy. Pain. Growth. Purpose. And then we stepped out into the streets and saw our faces on billboards. Right there. London city.

This is what five years of blood, sweat, and soul looks like. We’re just getting started.

Why It Hits Different Right Now.

Let the stats speak:

• 47% of young people don’t believe a creative career is even possible.

• 1 in 3 say they’ve got nowhere to go locally to express themselves.

That’s why GGUK isn’t just a name. It’s a lifeline. It’s a movement.What we built with Spotify and Youth Music was one week, we do this every day.

Watch our film here

With Deepest Gratitude

To Spotify UK and Youth Music – thank you for backing the real. For investing in grassroots culture and showing up with trust.

To Warm Street and SOMESUCH – thank you for filming us with care. You didn’t just take shots – you captured our truth.

To our partner B:Music Birmingham – you always ride for us and hold us down. We see you.

To Kojey Radical – for showing up with wisdom, realness, and love. That’s leadership. Period.

To Lisa Nandy, Yinka Bokinni, Femi Koleoso, and Safiya Lambie-Knight– thank you for using your voices to lift this work. Respect every time.

And finally.

To every young woman, non-binary person, and creative soul grinding with us:This is your story.You ARE the culture.And we’re only just getting started.