music

“There are very few people who really understand the whole puzzle.” So said Bristol-based composer Matt Loveridge, who brought experts from the worlds of composing and TV production together at BBC Studios Bristol in November, hoping to shed light on the complex music commissioning process for TV and film.

The British spoken word artist, known to millions as George the Poet, has piled up the accolades for his lyrical explorations of inner-city life.

From rap music to racist policing to the Grenfell disaster, on Have You Heard George’s Podcast?, he weaves vivid stories with a stirring blend of pensive rhyming verse, elaborate sound design, rich compositions from his close collaborator Benbrick (aka Paul Carter) and enough banging tunes to warrant a Spotify playlist.

The new trailer shows rapper Bosco Champion (Top Boy's Malcolm Kamulete) return from prison and go back to his music career. Supporting him as he builds back his reputation is his sister Vita (Déja J Bowens in her television debut), whose dedication and lyrics are secretly behind her industry dominating brother’s success.

Although fictional, it is inspired by DJ Target’s 2019 non-fiction book of the same name. Grime Kids follows a group of teenagers using music to share their voices, whilst navigating growing up in the 90s. It is a celebration of culture and community, and the ever-growing genre of grime.

Yus Jamal Crooks will be making his TV debut, alongside Shanu Hazzan (EastEnders), Juwon Adedokun (We Love Moses), Gabriel Robinson (Silent Witness), and Tienne Simon (Silent Witness).

The eight-part series is based on the original US show, hosted by Jimmy Fallon, which takes inspiration from the much loved music segments on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

The classic games from the US show include Launch The Mic, Air Guitar, Don’t Drop The Beat and Slay It Don’t Spray It. 

The show will feature celebrity guests, fun musical performances and plenty of dance and trivia games.

With well known songs promised to be taken to a new level, there will plenty of surprises and singalong opportunities. 

The BBC Proms will feature 84 concerts over 57 days with 3,000 musicians involved and will look back at 100 years of British broadcasting to mark the BBC’s centenary year. 

A large-scale orchestral repertoire will be welcomed to the Royal Albert Hall, with soloists including Lise Davidsen, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Nicola Benedetti, Leif Ove Andsnes, Yuja Wang and Jamie Barton. 

They will be joined by acclaimed orchestras and ensembles from across the world, with European broadcasting orchestras from Austria, Finland and Germany, who will partner with BBC Orchestras and Choirs. 

Comedian Jimmy Carr and TV favourites Alison Hammond and Amanda Holden will be guiding the players guessing who can and can’t sing from a group of unknown singers standing before them.

Each week a different popstar will also join the panel.

Holden said: “I’ve seen first hand over my many years as a judge how acts can shock you with an incredible voice.

“With my experience on stage, television and radio I think I have one of the best pair of eyes in the business for spotting talent, so the masqueraders will really have to up their game to fool me!”

This was one of the many facts revealed by Anne Miller, director of TV and film at Accorder Music Publishing, during a wide-ranging session on music rights at an RTS West of England workshop at the Square Club, Bristol, in late November.

She discussed copyright, the Independent Production Companies licence, fair dealing and fair use of parody, citing real life examples and taking audience questions throughout.

Little Mix The Search will see Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock become mentors to a new generation of talented singers and form new all-female, all-male or mixed bands.

From contestants to judges, The X Factor winners will also be joined by their inner circle of song writers, producers, stylists and vocal coaches who have contributed to their success.

The new groups will live together and be given the opportunity to win the prize of performing alongside Little Mix on their UK summer tour in 2020.