UpandComing:AGenerationinMotion

A rising class of actors and artists redefining what it means to make it, through honesty, grit, and creative risk.

 

WRITER Phillza Mirza

 

Interview taken from IMAGINE Magazine. Order the latest issue here.

 

A new generation of emerging talent is quietly making its mark in film, TV, and music. These artists are not focused on fitting a specific mould or chasing fame; instead, they prioritise roles and projects that challenge them, allowing them to explore new territory and hone their craft. This movement is defined by a commitment to authenticity and a willingness to take creative risks, aiming to bring “something honest and real to the screen”. For these individuals, career growth is less about specific milestones and more about emotional resonance and finding work that simply feels right.

 

Here, we spotlight some of the industry’s up-and-coming voices, exploring the sparks that ignited their creativity and the dreams they are chasing in a world without limits.

 

NIAMH McCORMACK: EMBRACING TRUE GROWTH

 

Niamh Rose McCormack is an Irish actress and model who is known for her work in the Netflix teen drama Everything Now and the series House of Guinness. Born in South Dublin, McCormack started modelling at 14, participating in Milan Fashion Week at 16. She later trained in acting at Bow Street Academy. Her diverse resume includes roles in the film The Magic Flute, a role in the second season of Netflix’s The Witcher, and the Disney+ series Willow.

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? I can’t exactly pinpoint the exact moment or spark that made me want to create; it feels like it’s always been there. I always loved being a vessel for expression. Playing with my dolls and creating elaborate backstories and scenarios to follow. I remember my first ever role-playing Mary in the nativity play when I was 5, I was taller than all the other kids on stage. I loved it up there.

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? I hope someone discovering my work for the first time sees a real human experiencing life, intertwined with authenticity and truth. I hope that people can relate to the characters I play in their own ways.

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? My younger self sees me now and is the most surprised at how many beautiful people I have in my life and how resilient I became.

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? I’m definitely in my Transitional phase… and it’s exciting.

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? The most inspiring person I’ve worked with is Ripley Parker, the writer and creator of Everything Now. The way she carries herself through life is incredible. She has a natural ability to take everything she’s been thrown at and turn it into something that moves people. She turned her pain into art.

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing even if it feels impossible? I want to live in New York, even for a year. Feels impossible right now given the circumstances but I have hope.

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? One thing that grounds me is being in nature. Just puts everything into perspective.

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? A world without limits, what story would I be telling? I’d love to explore the human emotional and psychological transformations throughout history.

 

You had an early modelling career that included Milan Fashion Week. How does that experience in the fashion industry influence your approach to acting, particularly in contemporary roles like Alison in the Netflix teen drama Everything Now? My early experiences in modelling gave me the opportunity to feel comfortable in front of the camera before I even stepped onto set. I think that bleeds into every role I’ve taken on. Being able to be vulnerable and true on camera.

 

Your resume covers diverse genres, including the film The Magic Flute, the Netflix series Everything Now, and period work in House of Guinness. What criteria do you use to choose work that consistently challenges you and allows you to explore new territory? I always like to be challenged in my roles, I think that’s where true growth comes from. I always like to choose roles that feel far away from my actual being, that way putting myself in their shoes and bringing their stories to life feels fresh and meaningful. Their story is told through my own personal experience.

AMAKA OKAFOR: CHASING MOVIES AND NUNACE

 

Amaka Okafor’s highly varied career spans multiple mediums, allowing her to continuously challenge herself. She worked in community theatre, including performances in prisons and schools, which she considers her training, noting that audiences in those settings “really tell you what they think” if the performance “doesn’t feel true”. She appreciates this need to be elastic about genre and tone, stemming from her devised theatre background.

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? The games I played at primary school in Birmingham were always make-believe, and we would live inside those games for hours. At home, we used to have a big bag full of dressing-up clothes. Every Saturday morning my sister and I would go downstairs and dress up and play for hours before anyone else was up, and my daughter plays those make believe games now but she calls them ‘roleplay’. I still play them with her, and it’s the most wonderful thing to live inside them with her.

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? I hope they will be able to see the world through someone else’s eyes and feel connected to that person in a real way.

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? My honest answer is that I’m not doing in-between jobs anymore, like cleaning, etc.

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? ‘Is this real? YES, IT’S REAL!’

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? I really struggled with this question because the truth is, I have been learning on the job since I first started 22 years ago. I have worked with so many incredibly talented people who I have watched and learned from. I remember performing in a prison about 20 years ago, and one of my best friends, Hayley Mason, doing a scene at a kitchen table – she just floored me. 

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing? Movies. I wanna make movies. I want to play all sorts of people in all sorts of situations, and I want audiences to feel seen and be moved. 

 

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? The remote countryside. The Lake District is one of my favourite places in the world, so I go there a lot. My family live in a beautiful place called Malvern with some of the most amazing hills. A dream day for me is traipsing up the hills all day and then sitting in a pub by the fire, playing cards.

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? I tell the story of people who are less represented in popular culture and the media. I am interested in the nuance of real-life situations. I don’t enjoy how binary things feel at the moment – there is always so much more to the story. 

 

Having appeared on the West End in The Son and toured community theatre in settings like schools and prisons, how does the intimate, immediate nature of live theatre contrast with your TV work on major series like Black Rabbit and Netflix’s Bodies? The community theatre I did in the first chapter of my career was definitely my training. The audience is in chairs you set up yourself, sometimes only an arm’s length away. When you perform for inmates, school kids, etc., they really tell you what they think. If it doesn’t feel true, they will let you know. It was some of the most important work of my life. It taught me to trust that I know when I’m being truthful and that it’s my main responsibility. That has been so useful in the screen work I’m now doing.

 

Your career spans highly varied mediums, including starring in the cinematic adaptation of the musical Greatest Days and having a prominent role in Tom Stoppard’s radio play, Darkside. How do these diverse projects allow you to continuously challenge yourself as an artist, as described for this new generation of actors? Oh my goodness, I LOVE the variety!! I come from a devised theatre background, which means you have to be pretty elastic about things like genre and tone. It also means you need to be playful. Even though it seems like I’m always being dead serious in everything, I actually love to clown around. For some reason, it helps me.

SKY YANG: AUTONOMY IN THE CIRCUS

 

Sky Yang highlights the challenging transition from small roles in massive productions like Tomb Raider to leading roles in collaborative indies.

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? My Mum is wicked with a pen. She taught me to draw eyes when I was younger. I sketched eyes for days. Long sweeping gazes looking out at whatever passed the page. I remember drawing the London Eye with crayons, but my version was made up of loads of little eyes instead of the glass gondolas. I liked feeling seen and drawing eyes came pretty easily to me.

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? The ideal? People see a piece of themselves that went unrealised or hidden. But I’m starting to accept that I don’t think I can control those kinds of outcomes. Just make something and pass it on. 

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? Surprised to have a journey at all.

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? A Scribe Under The Influence.

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? It probably isn’t wise to name them, but their capacity to be completely artistically uncompromising and also emotionally vulnerable within the parameters of a brutish industry shocked me. To that level? I don’t know if I ever could.

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing? A dream? Right now, making breakfast for people I miss. I also eat a lot of apples, so some type of GrannySmith sponsorship would go hard.

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? Quiet conversations with strangers who have alternative viewpoints from me. What do you get if you cross an Evangelical Christian from Oklahoma with an anti-capitalist Wall Street trader? I can talk for hours on how a sequence of miracles leads someone to God, or how someone’s radical concept for a utopian data collection system will transform society into an egalitarian collective instead of a utilitarian one. I’m quite curious. If I can stop myself long enough to have a real conversation, it sets me on fire for days.

 

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? I think the limitations of a world are really muscular incubators for stories. Sometimes the more expansive you get with a world the more distracted you become and the personal gets lost. So maybe just… A story about a kid who draws eyes.

 

You moved from a small role in Tomb Raider to playing the lead in Justin Lin’s indie adventure Last Days. What was the biggest adjustment required when transitioning between these different levels of film production? A film production is a big travelling circus. Tomb Raider felt more like being a puppet in a booth. You have things done to you. Strings attached. There’s a real lack of autonomy being that size in something that scale, and genuine collaboration felt a world away. Some of that is probably self-inflicted too. But that film was a big motivator to get agency in the circus tent, and I’ve been chasing that for a while.With Last Days, I graduated to clown. The circus became my family. I’m in conversation with the ringmaster about the tricks I perform and the jokes I tell. We were always in constant dialogue over the choices being made. Thankfully, those choices always came down to pursuing human decisions, not perfect ones. The blessing of a good director is trust, and Justin Lin really offered that up to me in abundance. I guess the elephant in the room will always be, that whether you’re a clown or a puppet, you’ll always need a strong story first.

 

Your work spans high-profile global films and smaller scale theatre jobs. Do you find that roles in smaller projects allow you a different avenue for exploring new territory than roles in large action franchises? Theatre has a groundbreaking history of being radical. I did a beautiful play at The Royal Court called Scenes From A Repatriation. It followed the return of a stone Guanyin originally looted by the British during the Second Opium War, and the lives it touches on its journey back to Beijing, where it was stolen from. That was a kick. In rehearsal, you’re afforded time to interrogate the language and world you’re building. In performance, there’s no skin between you and the audience, and no safety net. The risks you take and the fumbles you make won’t be edited out. You have the audience trapped in a black box, with their only respite an interval. Having flesh in front of you changes a space. It’s naturally provocative by form. A few people walked out. Others couldn’t tear their eyes away. That kind of work really suffers from vanity.

 

Things that are ‘higher profile’, or more ‘global’ tend to be sterile and doctored to second guess an audience response. It aims to reflect back what people want to see instead of what actually is. So-called ‘success’ has a monetary attribute which can feel at odds to a creative endeavour. Unless you’re pretty strong-willed, you end up sanitising yourself too. But when you get performances that are genuinely unapologetic and flawed… I find myself floored. The idea of revealing something repulsive and disgusting in yourself is terrifying when the landscape is so judgmental. Especially in a world of digital media, it’s hard to let go of controlling your image. I still grip onto mine pretty tight, but I’m trying to loosen it.

ZOE BROUGH: FINDING THE ESSENCE OF HISTORY

 

Having begun her career as a child actress on stage, earning an Olivier Award nomination for The Nether and appearing in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Zoe Brough has developed intense discipline and focus. 

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? I think the final bow of The Nether at the Royal Court. I felt like I was on the edge and could either take a step back or make the leap and really give this industry a go. I just remember feeling, What’s the worst that could happen? Because I had never felt so exhilarated in my life. 

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? I want them to feel moved. However, that looks, whether that’s in an unsettling, confusing way, or a relatable, reassuring way. I want it to strike a chord. It completely depends on the character I play I guess… they could end up hating my guts. 

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? The people I’ve met along the way and the relationships I’ve formed doing this wonderful job. I love them all dearly. They’ve completely shaped who I am. I used to doubt myself a lot! And still do a fair bit but it’s getting less!! It’s given me confidence in just trusting the process and not getting bogged down by the outside noise. Belief in my choices.

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? … haha 

 

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? I would say it’s my darling friend Anna Chancellor. But if I’m being honest, it’s hard to choose. I have quite a few people in my life who are so inspiring. She’s taught me strength in your convictions and living life wildly and unapologetically. I’m in awe of her and just soak up her wisdom and beauty whenever I’m with her. She also just has a wicked sense of humour and is cheeky, which is a bit of me. I call her my white rhino because there’s only one of her. 

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing? I just want to consistently push the limits of my ability. See what I’m capable of. Delve into places emotionally I haven’t yet been. Play people who are wildly different to who I am naturally. Having said that I would love a movie working with an auteur like Paul Thomas Anderson.

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? I would say… very predictable I know but spending time with mates. It’s such a release for me. Going out and dancing usually. Also, I love singing -it’s a complete dopamine rush for me. 

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? A film about the growth of the genre of SKA music and how it grew prominent in England in the mid 60s. It’s such a politically led form of music. Focussing on one of my favourite bands, The Specials. They were always known for protest. And how amazing that bands like them are still popular now and their voices are still relevant to this day, especially songs like Ghost Town.

 

You began your career as a child actress on stage, earning an Olivier Award nomination for The Nether. How has the discipline and focus required for intense theatrical productions, like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, influenced your approach to television roles such as Jessica Mitford in Outrageous? It’s given me the knowledge that it takes an army to create something artistic. It’s never a one-man show. So, completely trusting the team around you is the most important thing. Because it can be daunting going into productions of this magnitude, because of outside pressure and the inner pressure on yourself culminating. But just reassuring yourself that you’re all in it together, and all want the best result makes me feel at ease. 

JESSICA REYNOLDS: TELLING IRISH STORIES

 

Jessica Reynolds is an Irish actress known for her roles in the critically well-received comedy series My Left Nut and the historical drama Outlander, where she played Malva Christie in Season 6. Her film credits include the dark-themed Canadian film The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw and the musical biography Kneecap. Reynolds received her acting training at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA).

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? Watching the movie Thirteen by Catherine Hardwicke. In my childhood bedroom. Feeling so understood by that film that I knew I wanted to do what those actresses did to me.

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? That’s up to them.

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? That I didn’t become a pop star…

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? ‘Sleep’.

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? Robbie Ryan, the DOP. Instincts are everything.

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing even if it feels impossible? That’s for me to know and you to find out!

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? Best friends and family time.

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? You’ll see when it comes out.

 

As an Irish actress, how significant is it for you to be involved in projects celebrated for telling Irish stories, such as the critically well-received comedy series My Left Nut or the musical biography Kneecap? It is very important, and I hope to do another musical soon.

JACK BRETT ANDERSON AND ALEXANDER LINCOLN: RESILIENCE AND LONELINESS

 

Actors Jack Brett Anderson (Lukas) and Alexander Lincoln (Oliver) star in the film A Night Like This, which focuses on finding universal human connection. The film explores intense themes like depression, abuse, and the search for purpose, challenging the idea that LGBTQ+ stories must use identity as the sole source of conflict.

 

What universal themes do you hope audiences connect with? [Alexander Lincoln]: “I think loneliness. In a city as big as London… The loneliest I’ve felt is in the busiest of places – I think we can all connect with that”. [Jack Brett Anderson]: “Resilience, we can all learn and redemption comes from the human connection and being accepted for accountability of ourselves”.

 

Jack Brett Anderson:

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? It’s may sounds odd, but I remember building some of my first Lego sets, a big police station or an arctic research centre and once they were built I just felt so proud of it and remembering I did that… that made me feel creative in a way and that was before I really knew about performing… other than that, it was when I was in year 9 at school and I was cast in a sixth form musical called Company and it was my first lead with much older kids…being on stage, the lights, the excitement and being in another world was when I knew, I had something that was wanted and a place I felt at home. 

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? I suppose I want them to feel drawn in, intrigued and to enjoy it. I want the story to be felt and all be it, a project that is for escapism purposes or something that’s there to inform, I simply want that to be achieved. I want to be an actor or director that serves the story and I hope whoever it may be, to come back for more because all the above was served. 

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? The younger me, 1997 watching Titanic, loving the film and Leonard DiCaprio playing Jack Dawson, having the same name as me, then to have met Leonardo, having a brief encounter and a photo together and then Town and Country publishing a piece on it, would have been mind-bending for the the little me who was enamoured by him in that film. Without a doubt. The two worlds colliding, just would have been beyond surprising. 

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? We’re just getting started in many ways but it has already started, characters are established and the story has found its legs… so maybe – ‘Chain Breaker’ or ‘Roof Smasher’ (laughs).

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? David Bradley was such a beautiful example of a person and actor to have worked with and having spent time around him while filming A Night Like This was a special moment. He showed me that it’s always about the work, the character and never to lose yourself in whatever the fluff may be. Watching him my whole life from Harry Potter to Game of Thrones to then working with him, he taught me many things without ever having to tell me – he showed me. Also, Joe Russo, I worked with him on Citadel Season two that’s yet to come. Chatting with him and watching him was a great insight. Just do the work, know your work. That’s what I took from them both. 

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing  even if it feels impossible? I think anything is possible, with your heart and mind in sync it can happen. I would love to oversee projects, films, tv shows, write more and make them all come alive. Harbour a place where others can also feel anything is possible by being an example showing it can happen. 

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? My family, they don’t do what I do, which in itself allows life to feel real and grounded I suppose. I love history, reading, and travelling to see places that are historically significant. I love it. 

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? The story of Tesla, Old Tartaria, the origins of renewable energy. Beyond interesting and if no limits existed I would love to tell that story. 

 

Your character, Lukas, is a disillusioned, out-of-work actor in his 30s who feels he has achieved nothing. What drew you to portray this sense of professional stagnation and disillusionment, and how did you relate to Lukas’s experience of seeking external validation before ultimately breaking free from an abuser’s grip? I remember in my early days of wanting to be an actor, searching for auditions or wanting an agent and never really sure what or where it was going to come from…the aspiration of it all…getting rejection after rejection and not sure why I wasn’t getting what I wanted but with self-belief and resilience and hard work thing started to materialise. I could relate from back then what Lukas was going through to a degree. Very different but the frequency of that felt similar and never giving up which has led me to where I am today. I felt I could bring something real to it from what I had experienced myself. 

 

You caught the eye of critics early in your career with your debut theatre role in Edward II. Did your training and experience in theatre, which often relies on sustained, intense dialogue and character interaction, prove particularly useful for a film structured around one revelatory night of deep discussions? I suppose it did! I didn’t think of it that way before but yeah it did. Film and stage are really different but knowing how to dive in and live the character were the same in this instance and brought about the offering I had for this character. It was a whole month on stage I guess doing this film haha.

 

Alexander Lincoln:

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? The first time I decided that I actually wanted to make things, or the thing that made me first realise that that was something I could do, was strangely enough Watership Down. There was something about that story and the characters which felt so poignant. The feeling of that world, or how that world enveloped me, was something that I wanted to emulate.’

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? I hope that they think it’s groundbreaking… joking – I just hope they can see themselves in it in some way. That’s the fun of what we do really, and it’s why I love it, to see yourself in a character in some way and have it resonate.

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? ‘I think they would be surprised by how much there is to learn about life and the way of things, and how often it is that you realise you know nothing. I think there’s a beauty in being able to learn and relearn and change and morph. Years ago I thought that you get to a point and stop – you are who you are and that’s it – but that’s so dull. The fun is in changing.

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? Oh God… Let Me Off.

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they tell you? Someone once told me something along the lines of; try to live your life with wonder and imagination, love it all, and it’ll love you right back. Can’t remember who it was – maybe I read it on the back of a penguin wrapper or something. But it stuck.

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing even if it feels impossible? One dream is that I want to build a huge treehouse platform on some land with nets and ropes and pulleys – like a Tarzan-style thing high in the trees. With a little viewing platform to watch the sunset.

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? I don’t know about grounding, I have some very honest friends and loved ones so they do a great job of keeping me modest. But my escape is very literal; hiking in mountains and lakes – being in nature and away from the city.

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? I have a myriad of stories that I want to tell – some I have written and some that are still in my head, some that maybe won’t ever be written. But film and television have always been the mediums that I love.

 

Oliver begins the night as a nightclub owner on the brink of bankruptcy, forced to sell drugs to minors to keep his business alive. By the end, he turns his life around and finds inspiration to pursue his childhood dream of music. How did you chart Oliver’s emotional arc throughout the film, moving from a position of despair and moral compromise to one of hope and new possibilities? I think it was incremental, small differences which eventually led him to where he is at the end. To tell the truth – I didn’t chart it too much, but allowed the process to happen to us. I allowed Oliver to find his way as we shot and that informed the performance.

 

You recently made your critically acclaimed stage debut in This Bitter Earth, directed by Billy Porter. Did working on such an intimate and dialogue-driven stage production immediately prior to or around the time of A Night Like This influence your approach to Oliver’s character? Well we shot ANLT quite a while before the play, but I’m sure it would have; quite a bit I feel, which is interesting really – how might it have been had I been able to base Oliver off of Neil and Jesse’s relationship. Who knows?

 

A Night Like This is described as meeting at the intersection of Before Sunrise and Weekend, centring on an intense journey of self-discovery over the course of just one chilly night. What specific challenges did the tight time frame of the story present in terms of building the profound emotional connection and chemistry required for Oliver and Lukas’s relationship to feel real? It really has to go to Diego, he did such a beautiful job writing this film, putting it into a really great structure and with trusting the writing, trusting in Alexander and the team, it all came together to be what it is. Also, I suppose casting the characters, Alexander and I with our natural chemistry correctly allowed it to feel real. There is so much that has to happen before any actor comes on board, setting you up to simply bring your character to life. 

 

The film tackles complex themes including depression, mental struggles, abuse, and the search for purpose. Given that both Oliver and Lukas are dealing with serious, uncomfortable truths, Oliver selling drugs to minors and Lukas selling himself out to an industry figure, how did you navigate portraying characters who are morally compromised yet seeking redemption and a “reason to live”? I’ve always believed, it’s not what happens to you in life but more importantly how you handle it and I think I drew on that idea, that belief. We have all been through hard times, when it feels impossible or that there’s no way out but there is, there is always hope and we can all make better choices after bad ones because, in the bad ones we know what better choices exist. 

 

The filmmakers explicitly state their intention to challenge the idea that stories with gay characters must rely on sexuality or identity as the only source of conflict, aiming instead for a universal story of human connection. What universal themes, such as resilience and redemption, do you hope audiences connect with, regardless of their background or identity? Our hearts and minds come first before sexuality and identity. Sometimes those things change and I suppose comes through connection, interacting, learning from each other in our humanity and therefore it’s important to show that. What I loved about this film… Resilience, we can all learn and redemption comes from the human connection and being accepted for accountability of ourselves. 

 

The shoot took place across 23 different locations in London. Did filming in so many varied, unexplored parts of the city over one long, nocturnal odyssey influence your performance or your perception of the characters’ journey? The film is set over one night but in order to make the one night happen we had to live it out over a course of a month… moments were magnified, moments were drawn out into entire evenings filming the scenes. It wasn’t fleeting; it was lived in and really explored. I found great appreciation for my character and the story we were telling. Made me also realise how much in life we can miss so much that happens because it just goes by and left as memories.

LAUREN McQUEEN: THE LEADING LADY

 

Lauren Louise McQueen is an English actress known for gaining prominence through her role as Lily Drinkwell on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. For her work on the sensitive self-harming storyline, McQueen won two British Soap Awards. Originally from Fazakerley, Liverpool, she attended the Elliott-Clarke Performing Arts school. Her career includes her feature film debut as Shelly in The Violators, for which she was awarded Best Actress at the 2016 Nashville Film Festival, and recent roles in major productions such as the Apple TV+ war miniseries Masters of the Air and the MGM+ period drama Belgravia: The Next Chapter.

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? From as young as I can remember I loved to reenact scenes from my favourite childhood movie Annie – watching young kids sing, dance and act on my little yellow TV was what inspired me to perform. I would play the soundtrack on repeat, dance around my bedroom and sing my heart out. My auntie took me to see it on stage in Liverpool and I loved it so much I was told to be quiet after singing too loudly in the audience! As well as acting, singing has also been a huge outlet in my life and using my imagination in my bedroom from a young age was my escapism and where I felt my happiest. That’s when I knew I wanted to do it more.

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? I want audiences to relate to the stories I tell, whether that’s with the character personally or the situations they are in. I would love my work to continue to open conversations in people’s living rooms that may be uncomfortable at times and for characters and storylines to have a strong impact where it may inspire, encourage or raise some kind of awareness.

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? I was never the loudest person in the room or someone who loved a lot of attention. In fact, the idea of doing a speech at an awards ceremony terrified me. So, when I was nominated for Best Storyline at The British Soap Awards, I wanted this to be my moment to take centre stage and show my appreciation for the storyline and viewers who had opened up about their own struggles with mental health. 

 

I hadn’t told my family at home that I was planning to accept the award on stage despite visualising this moment for months. When we won and I stepped forward to speak, this was a huge surprise to them and would’ve definitely been a surprise to my younger self.

 

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? The Leading Lady! I’m so excited to be playing Maid Marian in the new MGM+ series Robin Hood. We filmed in Serbia for 6 months this year and it was an amazing experience working with the team and actors like Sean Bean and Connie Neilson. I had been imagining myself playing a role on horseback for quite a while and started horse-riding lessons a year before I got the audition. 

 

When I got the role and was on a horse for the first time on set surrounded by the incredible sets in the amazing costumes, it was such a surreal moment. I feel like without realising, the roles I have landed before this chapter have been the perfect stepping stones. Rejections and being patient can be so hard when you really want something, but I’ve learnt to trust the timings of your journey and if you keep going you will get to where you want to be.

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? Tom Hanks. I was very lucky to work alongside him in the movie Here. This was definitely the biggest pinch-me moment of my career so far. You just don’t think you are ever going to be on set with someone like Tom Hanks. I remember being on set, it was a Thanksgiving scene. There was a mixture of main cast and supporting artists around the table. What stood out to me most, apart from watching his incredible acting and the way he can effortlessly improvise any scene, was the way he was treating everyone. 

 

He treated everyone exactly the same. He did not care if you were one of the A list actors or a supporting artist who was just booked for that day. He was so down-to-earth and got everyone involved in his conversations. He created such a comfortable and positive atmosphere on set and was so kind to everyone. After that day I thought to myself, no matter how much success I have I’m going to make sure I stay grounded and treat everyone like Tom Hanks did that day.

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing even if it feels impossible? I would love to be in a James Bond movie. In No Time to Die, the scenes with Ana De Armas really stuck with me. I remember seeing her behind the scenes footage of her stunt rehearsals and it inspired me to start kickboxing classes which I absolutely love. Having the chance to work with stunt teams is something I really enjoy. I’d like to say I don’t shy away from a physical challenge. I will never forget a past experience on set that involved an underwater stunt where my character was drowning. Even though it was probably the most challenging scene I’ve had to do, there was never a moment of giving up. It’s a different kind of discipline and learning physical action sequences is not only demanding take after take but it’s the best kind of adrenaline.

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? Singing is my escape. I feel like when people take themselves to a yoga class, singing is like my version of self care. It’s where I’m my happiest and release any kind of stress or worries. My hobby when I was younger was to write songs and produce different tracks on GarageBand. I’d do that for hours! But now I love to take myself off at home and sing different songs I like. Maybe I should get back into songwriting too.

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? I’d tell a story with no such thing as privilege. When I think of a limitation this is often something people can’t control like their background, financial position or where they are born. I would imagine a world were people have access to infinite opportunities, can attend any university, obtain any job, travel to any country and design a life where privilege, money and class do not matter.

 

You gained prominence and won two British Soap Awards for portraying Lily Drinkwell on Hollyoaks, particularly due to the self-harming storyline. How did tackling such a powerful and sensitive storyline fulfil the mandate of bringing something honest and real to the screen early in your career? I am really grateful for my time on Hollyoaks. I learnt so much, especially how to approach emotional characters. At the beginning of the process we spoke with charities such as Mind and The Samaritans. They worked closely with us and talked us through what self-harm was and introduced us to a young girl who was happy to speak about her own experience. At the time I had limited knowledge about mental health, and I had never spoken about it to my family or with my friends. Straight away it opened up so many conversations and made me aware of my own mental health and how to look after it. 

 

I did a lot of my own research for the role too and with help from the sensitive and honest writing in the script, I was able to put myself in Lily’s shoes. I was blown away by the response from the storyline. Young people were reaching out and speaking up about their own struggles. They were able to relate to Lily and it encouraged them to get the help they needed. It raised so much awareness and made me want to continue to play roles that can really make a difference to the people watching. Not so long ago, I was approached in the cinema by a young girl who told me the storyline did a lot to repair the relationship between her and her mum – it’s nice to know that years on it still has a positive impact.

 

After your acclaimed early work in the feature film The Violators, you have taken on roles in major productions like Masters of the Air and Belgravia: The Next Chapter. How do the challenges of those large-scale, often historical projects compare to the independent film work that earned you a Best Actress award? I think the challenges and pressures differ from project to project whether it’s a low-budget indie or a larger-scale production. In my experience TV has been very fast paced which is a skill in itself. You tend to have a lot more creative freedom and control on independent films and in my case on The Violators, it was a very small knit team which brought a personable charm. I have also been fortunate enough to work with great writer/directors on larger-scale productions, most recently in Robin Hood, Outlander: Blood of my Blood and Belgravia who are very passionate about their vision and have still allowed the time to discuss creative options and encouraged me to have an open dialogue about my characters’ arcs.

REDA ELAZOUAR: ON THE PRECIPICE

 

Reda Elazouar found his first spark while watching Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone at home in Vauxhall, South-West London, feeling the magic of that world. He is “very blessed and privileged” to be realising his childhood dream of making it on screen.

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? I remember I was at home in Vauxhall, South-West London, and I was watching Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. I must have been 5 or 6 years old, and I saw the magic in that world and told my mum I wanted to do whatever I was seeing on screen. My theory is that I wanted to be able to do magic, fly and have a pet owl but I think my mum saw from that moment that entertainment was meant for me in some way. It was also maybe the fact that I’d do renditions of High School Musical songs and dances in my living room. There’s a video of that somewhere on a USB stick that I need to find.

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? A combination of familiarity, nostalgia and inspiration. And if that person knows me, I’d like them to feel that they were watching a whole different person than the me that they know.

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? Simply that I made it on screen. I used to watch films and shows on TV and imagine myself in there. I remember when I did my first short film, I screen-mirrored my phone to the TV, played it for my family and pretended it was on a channel just to see their reaction. I’m very blessed and privileged to be able to realise my childhood dream. I think younger me would also be surprised that I’ve been able to work with people that I grew up watching.

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? It would have to be Reggie Yates who directed me in Pirates which was my first leading role. He taught me the importance of working hard, being multi-disciplinary and the power of self-belief. Now that I think of it, just through being around him, he has taught me how important patience is too.

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? I feel like I’m in between stages of my career at the moment so this chapter would be called ‘The Precipice’.

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing? Ten years ahead I’d like to be on holiday somewhere sunny in between shooting the Bond movies.

 

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? My friends, my family and exercise. I started kickboxing at the start of this year alongside taking the gym quite seriously and I’ve found that that level of discipline has helped me in all aspects of life, even work. It’s nice to do something completely separate from the craft. When you’re sparring, the person opposite you doesn’t care that you’ve been in a show or whatever; they just want to kick you in the face! I also enjoy travelling when I can.

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? It’d be a TV show with each episode being an important moment in history and it would be immersive. There would be a function where you’d be able to interact and change certain events and see how those changes would affect life today and other historical events.

 

The Family Plan 2 takes a holiday dynamic and layers in past secrets, how much did your previous experience in grounded, character-driven work influence how you approached your role here? Not as much actually! I felt that the character of Omar in the film was mainly defined by his physical abilities. This film presented a different challenge with the fact that I had to change my physique for it, something I had never done before. Shortly after booking it, I started training with two PTs (the amazing Simon Waterson and Tim Blakeley) and I had parkour, stunt and boxing sessions with Tom Cotton and Kyle Freemantle who helped me immensely with understanding how someone that was great at parkour would move as I had never done it before! I would say though that my previous work helped me the most in understanding where to have those heightened comedic moments and when to tone it down and how to decide which one would serve a scene best.

 

Working alongside a returning cast and a high-profile lead, what did you learn or absorb from that ensemble dynamic? It was a very different experience from my previous jobs due to the scale of it as well as joining a returning cast but that actually helped as my character is a surprise addition to the family dynamic! Working with Mark and Michelle was amazing too. Their understanding of the camera and the nature of filming after so many years of experience was something for me to aspire to. 

KATHERINE DEVLIN: SHARPENING HER TEETH

 

Katherine Devlin, best known for playing rookie police officer Annie Conlon in the Belfast-set BBC One series Blue Lights, demonstrates the defining focus on risk and authenticity of her generation. She made a definitive choice to pursue drama over university offers to study Psychology, noting that acting became her artistic and instinctive way of exploring her fascination with people.

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? Firstly, I remember watching the Magdalene laundries, which sparked a total rethinking of the Catholic Church. I was a teenager at the time and still in a Convent school (questioning why I should go to Confessions, then later refusing, which didn’t go down too well). I also vividly remember watching Sierra Boggess as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera on TV. I’m not a huge musical person, but something about how she conveyed emotion through song completely moved me – I couldn’t stop crying. It was the first time I realised the power of performance to reach into someone’s soul. Later, in drama school, I watched Gillian Anderson in A Streetcar Named Desire on NT Live. She was like a little bird, fragile yet fierce. Watching her transform with such commitment made me want to chase that same truth and vulnerability in my own work.

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? I hope they see parts of themselves, especially the flawed, messy, unpolished parts we tend to hide. If my work can make someone feel less alone in their own chaos, then I’ve done my job. I also want to create work that challenges people to question everything – society, mortality, the standards we blindly accept as “right” and even the inner dialogues we have with ourselves. My favourite play of all time is Waiting for Godot because, at its core, it’s about existential uncertainty and the search for meaning. Ultimately, I want to spark curiosity, dialogue and the kind of introspection that unsettles yet inspires growth.

  

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? Probably playing a cop! Haha, didn’t see that one coming. Or maybe seeing myself on stage receiving a BAFTA, wearing a McQueen dress, and later being invited to their show in Paris. That’s the kind of full-circle moment that would’ve blown her mind.

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? “Sharpening my teeth. A chapter of growth, grounding, and quiet preparation”.

 

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? Eddie Redmayne. Watching him work taught me the power of nuance. He has this incredible attention to detail – every gesture, every breath is intentional but never forced. It reminded me that the most impactful performances often come from the smallest, most truthful moments.

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing? I’d love to be part of a gothic franchise – something atmospheric and psychological. Working with filmmakers like Robert Eggers or Darren Aronofsky would be a dream. I also have such admiration for Mia Goth and Vera Farmiga; they embody that haunting, layered storytelling I love. And I definitely want to dive into a few indie films too – Andrea Arnold is one of my absolute favourites for her raw, poetic realism.

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? Being near water always resets me – anywhere with a lake, really. That and my cat Lúnasa. I’ve also become a bit of a sauna enthusiast. I went to Estonia, where sauna culture is huge, and you know what, I get the hype. And food – I’m a massive foodie, so finding new, experimental spots in London is my kind of escape.

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? I’d tell stories rooted in Irish mythology – exploring goddesses, pagan traditions, witches, banshees and all the mystical threads woven into our culture. Ireland is drenched in magic, and we have such a rich mythology that hasn’t been fully explored on screen. I’d love to dive into that world and bring those ancient stories into a modern cinematic light. 

 

​​You are best known for playing rookie police officer Annie Conlon in the Belfast-set BBC One series Blue Lights, a show which you noted displays the intricate nature of Northern Ireland’s history and politics. How does this specific setting and role allow you to fulfil the industry goal of taking on roles that reflect the world around you? Northern Ireland has such a unique political and social fabric, and what drew me to the role was how honestly the show reflects that – the grey areas, the human stories behind the headlines. As an actor, I’m passionate about taking on roles that mirror the world around us, and I think Annie does just that – the contradictions, the resilience, the humour that coexists with hardship. Blue Lights really allows me to embody that truth through a character who’s trying to do good in a system and institution that’s complicated and deeply imperfect.

 

You made a definitive choice to turn down university offers to study Psychology in order to pursue drama. How does this early choice reflect the focus on authenticity and a willingness to take risks that defines this generation of actors? I’ve always been fascinated by people – how they think, what drives them and why they behave the way they do, which is probably why I initially wanted to study Psychology. But I realised acting was my way of exploring that same fascination in a more artistic, instinctive way. Turning down university offers was definitely a risk; I didn’t come from an industry background. I still remember my dad sitting me down and saying, “You’ll have to row your own canoe on this one.” But I was never shy of taking risks or being the odd one out, even from a very young age, I didn’t fit into the cool crowd at school and neither did my friends. That sense of being on the outside is something I’ve carried into my career and really learned to embrace. This generation of actors embraces risk, and we’re not afraid to bet on ourselves. Now more than ever, it feels crucial not to follow the crowd and ultimately think for yourself, even within the industry itself.

Russia Mae Nuemann: The Art of Staying Real

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? Before music and acting, painting and drawing were my creative outlets. Like music and acting it was a medium where I could lose myself for hours being in complete focus on what I was creating. The spark for me is being in that flow state where whatever is happening in my day to day that may be bothering me it can manifest itself to come out in the art I create.

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? I hope they see my honesty and I feel seen in some way. Whether that be through a role I’m pursuing or a song I am creating. I hope my audience can relate or feel some type of emotion when receiving my art. My biggest fear would be to be easily digestible or to be un-altruistic within my creative pursuits.

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? Probably the fact that I’m doing music now. With my mum being a singer I tried every career path possible to not fall into the same profession whether that be a tattoo degree, fashion diploma or modelling, I tried everything but eventually I gave in. I started music relatively late at 17 years old but once I got into the studio for the first time I knew I’d be coming back.

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? Judication. I’m currently sorting through all the admin involved within the release of my single/ep creating release forms for musicians, figuring out how much power Spotify takes away from me creativity and financially, promotional strategies etc with what I get to do and feel on stage it’s a fair pay off but definitely mind-numbing part of the job.

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? For me being in the studio with my mother and Chaka Khan was definitely something. Just to witness their ways of musical phrasing and their ways of tackling a song was an experience I’ll never forget nor take for granted. The guidance and wisdom I’ve received from both parties I hope will be etched into my mind for the rest of my life and career.

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing even if it feels impossible? I’d love to be able to write a song/pursue a roll in another language and it be authentic as possible. I know two songs in Portuguese so far but I’d love to be able to connect to another audience in their own language. In Stevie Wonder’s song Angiculela-Es Una historia he flips between Zulu, Spanish and English so flawlessly and actresses like Monica Bellucci being able to know four languages really inspire me to do better in that department.

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? I’m really into yoga, I started it to try to get out of doing cardio but I really found solace within the practice. I love how you flow into each pose sometimes hastily, sometimes more leisurely. It really helps me get out of the dark places the entertainment industry can try to put you in.

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? Being a creative person I kind of already feel I live in a world without limitations, which is sometimes to my own detriment… although I feel the story I’m telling right now with my art is through the lens of my own privileges and personal struggles. With my music and my lyrics I think I shift between being a storyteller and a town-crier. One of my favourite artists, Gill Scott Herom, believed it was his duty as an artist to be a type of news reporter/outlet to his listeners. I feel that to be an underutilised trait with a lot of the art out today and I hope to fill that gap with what I create now and in the foreseeable future.

 

What was the first moment you realised music was something you wanted to pursue seriously? Working as a bartender really sealed the deal for me to be honest. With how many hours it took away from my life and the little reward it came with comparing that to working all day on set/working all day and sometimes night in the studio it was clear to me what fed me more and left me feeling like I’d achieved something rather than feeling drained, dreading the next shift.

 

How do you maintain a steady focus on honing your craft while also navigating the challenges of choosing work that feels right for you? I think having a routine and balanced social life can keep you in check. For me I can’t be too rigid with my routines otherwise I’ll go mad doing things I probably shouldn’t. As long as I go to the studio, gym and get some photoshoots in a few times in a week I feel productive enough to spend the rest of the week going out to get song inspiration.

TAJ ATWAL: THE OUTLET AND THE SAFE SPACE

 

For Taj Atwal, who lived with the homeless charity SASH (Safe and Sound Homes) for two years during her youth, acting was truly an outlet, providing a focus and a purpose. When her real life was chaotic, acting was her safe space, inspiring her to write if she wasn’t acting, driven by a desire to “escape and create”.

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? I had a wild, vivid imagination as a child and would spend hours and hours in the garden being in my own fantasy world. That sense of play never left me. There’s no one defining moment. It’s a culmination of years of writing little stories and putting on performances (mainly dancing and showing off) for my family as a little girl. I’ve just honed and refocused it into a career. 

 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? Recognition of themselves. Authenticity. Something new. Perhaps a new perspective or slice of life different from their own. Feelings of joy if it’s a comedy. Overall, I hope they see a believable performance. 

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? That it all worked out. 

 

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? Blooming buds. 

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? There have been a few people but the impact Sally Wainwright’s writing, directing and producing has had and the longevity of her career, for me, is something I aspire to work for. A working-class (badass) woman leading the way! Hurrah!! 

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing? Alignment. It comes in waves and some days are better than others. But inner peace beats any external achievement. 

 

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? Days of being solitary. I need at least one day a week to reset and recharge. Some days I just need to not speak to anyone or do anything other than be surrounded by trees. I LOVE turning my phone off. 

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? I’d love to explore the stories of South Asian women, both past and present. There are so many incredible Indian women who have made significant contributions to the world and their stories deserve to be told. 

 

You have spoken about moving to York and living with the homeless charity SASH for two years during your youth. How did that early experience influence your decision to pursue acting, and how does it inform your goal of finding roles that allow you to bring something honest and real to the screen? A cliché answer but acting was truly an outlet. It gave me a focus and a purpose. When real life was crazy it was my safe space and if I wasn’t acting, I was writing. Anything to scratch the itch of wanting to escape and create. But I didn’t immediately think acting was the career I’d actually pursue. I dabbled with hairdressing, lots of charity volunteering, working at Halfords! Haha. You’ve always got to find some connection with the character and story. I love going back through my life’s timeline and choosing moments that help me connect to the character to bring truth to the performance. I’m yet to see more stories for working-class South Asian women though. But that has inspired me to write those stories for us! 

 

In Daddy Issues, how did you balance the comedy and the chaos of Cherry’s world? The chaos is the comedy so they go hand in hand very well! 

 

You’re also writing a semi-autobiographical film, Paradise Fields. What’s the story you most want to tell, and how has writing changed how you approach acting? This (Paradise Fields) story is the one I’ve most wanted to tell. I started it when I was a teenager and it’s been a lifelong slog to finish it because I couldn’t separate myself from the story. I’ve now moved on from those experiences as much as I can. It’s easier to look back on the young teenage lead in my film and write her somewhat objectively. Writing has given me such an appreciation of the craft and painstaking work that goes into making a movie or TV series. Acting is such a visceral medium so I still like to approach characters instinctively.

GEORGE BURNHAM: SHAPING THE SOUND

 

The emerging talent spotlight also features musicians who share the same commitment to authenticity and self-expression.

 

IMAGINE the very first spark that made you want to create, where were you, and what did it feel like? When I was eight years old and in the back of my dad’s LandRover. I’d just received some new flash Sony headphones as a Christmas present that morning, so thought that the long journey to my grandma’s would be the perfect time to try them out. I listened to, as suggested by my dad, Steely Dan, Do it Again for the entire duration of the journey. The feeling of complete immersion and sense of emotional guidance blew my brain. I had an instant urge to continue this feeling, an obsession if you will, along with intent to create something that evoked such a feeling in me, to others . I felt as though I had discovered not only the need to share music, but the need to “shape’ or “tailor” sound to share a message that’s unique to me. To have a voice through something as powerfully abstract as music has been my lifelong goal since then. 

IMAGINE someone discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they see or feel in that moment? My main intention when creating my music is to give a clear message. To create something to the point and effortlessly digestible. I hope that the listener would feel something they hadn’t felt before, a fairly particular nuance that they understand easily, but wonder how it was thought of. I would hope that it unlocks an avenue of thinking that is beneficial, whether it be silly and go-lucky, or importantly addressing an issue that I think needs to be heard. I also hope that the listener would be intrigued enough to listen to more of my music in hopes that it brings similar senses of discovery, 

 

IMAGINE your younger self watching you now, what part of your journey would surprise them most? I am still young but I think my younger self would be surprised at the level of knowledge and self-discovery that I have gained from moving to London to pursue music. I can imagine that he would be surprised by the sounds that I have discovered, and the current status of my forever continuing catalogue of music. Above all, I don’t think that I would have expected the level of appreciation for doing something that is simply just my passion. It’s evident to me now that when you do something that you love for no other reason than loving it, it makes people happy.

IMAGINE your career as a movie or series, what would this current chapter be called? This chapter in my journey for me would be called, “Help Yourself”. My aim for this chapter is to sustain myself better, both mentally and physically in order to achieve a higher level of creative output that I am happy with. More urgency, more interactions, and more growth. In the past I have found it hard to look after myself. I have put my self growth aside at times to pursue things that I know don’t bring the best out in me. At this stage in my creative career, I am setting up the building blocks. So enriching myself with positive daily habits and self-imposed adversity is my aim.

 

 

IMAGINE the most inspiring person you’ve worked alongside so far is sitting across from you, who is it, and what did they teach you? My friend Sampson continues to inspire me with his logical and insanely driven approach to his music. His efforts in promotion, rehearsal and in the studio are continually admired by me and lots of my friends. He has shown me that undivided attention to your craft and consistency is how growth really happens. 

 

IMAGINE the next ten years ahead, what’s one dream you’re chasing even if it feels impossible? In ten years I would have hoped to play my music in both live and club settings. I am chasing the dream of playing on large stages at festivals and gaining attention for my music. Aside from this I want to make the people dance as a collective, to bring them together and to heighten their current experience. This to me is most important.

 

IMAGINE the one thing outside your craft that grounds you, what’s your escape? My family. I understand that they know more about me than anyone else. I am hugely grateful to have a family that has my back and can ground me without even trying to. They are my roots so I confide in them. Whenever I’m in need of support or another outlook, I can have trust in my family as I know they want what is best for me, sometimes more than I do.

 

IMAGINE a world without limits, what story are you telling, and how are you telling it? Music has not been discovered yet. Sound has not yet been organised in a fashion that makes people feel anything. Because of this, the world seems dystopian, with no colour, inspiration or detail. Until, there is a mass discovery. A symphony or collective of music is born and the people catch on. I would speak of this as some kind of miracle, that brings joy and unity to somewhere that was once empty.

 

What was the first moment you realised music was something you wanted to pursue seriously? I first realised that I wanted to pursue music seriously when I was 14 and at my friend’s house party. I remember showing him, along with a couple other friends from school, my first House track that I had made on Logic Pro. It’s called Belter and I now cringe when I listen back to it. However, I’m also reminded of this time, when as the drop hit, all of them got out of their seats and started dancing. It was such a great feeling to know that something I had created could make them feel this way. I felt like this effect was so profound and so exciting that I just wanted to evoke this kind of emotion in others. It spreads and is infectious if you get it right. I pursue music now only to experience these enriching moments.

 

How do you maintain a steady focus on honing your craft while also navigating the challenges of choosing work that feels right for you? I try my best to put out work that I’m naturally engaged in. This has taken time for me to understand, as the question is really, what do you want to create? This is sometimes hard to answer, but I think it requires looking introspectively and taking notice of your thoughts and feelings to see what really matters for you.  If you get this right, then I believe that the opportunities that were meant for you, will naturally present themselves. It’s taken time for me to realise that all the tools you need to create something authentic are right in front of you.