In Conversation with Leading UK Songwriters
This event took place on 31 July 2024. The information below is correct as of the publication date.
Watch our final panel of the Beyond the Bassline season, presented by Warner Chappell Music, home of some of the biggest and most exciting names in Black British Music.
Among those talking about music and their own stellar careers are Shaznay Lewis, founder and songwriter of the legendary British girl group All Saints, the prolific singer-songwriter MNEK, best known for the chart topping "Head & Heart", and award-winning composer and multi-disciplinary artist Chisara Agor. Hosted by Co President of RCA Records Glyn Aikins.
Chisara Agor is an interdisciplinary artist from Peckham. An award-winning composer, producer and writer, Agor’s sound combines elements of afro-folk, soul, pop, indie and jazz, creating a sound and unconventional arrangements that are truly their own. A graduate of Philosophy and Languages and with a strong music, dance and performance background, Chisara’s work reaches into meaning; from the politics of visibility, to exploring love, refuge and solidarity. With their musical The Garden in development, Chisara also composes bespoke scores for TV and film, songs in Spanish, and has a new musical in development. The latest single, My Soul, is out now, and EP, Shadows and Searchlights, is coming soon.
MNEK is a Grammy award winning, BRIT and Ivor Novello-nominated artist / producer / writer who has clocked up over 4 BILLION streams of MNEK written, featured and produced tracks. He has worked alongside some of the biggest names in the industry, collaborating with the likes of Zara Larsson, Stormzy, Gorgon City, Years & Years and Craig David and written with international stars such as Beyoncé, Little Mix, Dua Lipa, Christina Aguilera, BTS, Mabel, Anne Marie, Madonna, Kelly Rowland, Selena Gomez and Clean Bandit. His back catalogue includes worldwide hits including ‘Ready For Your Love’, ‘Never Forget You’, and ‘Blinded By Your Grace’. His hit with Joel Corry, ‘Head & Heart’, became a global success, topping the charts in several countries and taking the reign as the longest standing UK #1 single in 2020. In recent years, he has seen continued success both on and off stage with “Where Did You Go?”, his collaboration with Jax Jones, going platinum plus the launch of Island UK & Republic US’s hotly-tipped female R&B trio FLO, and their debut EP “The Lead”, which he executively produced. MNEK is considered a musical icon amongst the LGBTQIA+ community and has previously performed at New York World Pride 2019, UK Black Pride and featured on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK as both a coach and guest judge. MNEK has continued efforts to strive for more inclusivity within the industry via the launch of Summer 2023's PROUD SOUND, an all-encompassing hub of queer talent in partnership with Warner Chappell and Spotify. MNEK's dedication to illuminating more inclusivity has also seen him become a contributor to the Guardian UK diversity panel as well as hosting his own YouTube panel ‘MNEKs Inter-Section’.
Shaznay Lewis founded the legendary British girl group All Saints in 1993 and went on to write evergreen hits such as Pure Shores, Bootie Call and the indelible heartbreak classic Never Ever. In 2000 she won an Ivor Novello Award, the most prestigious award in British song writing for the Most Performed Work with All Saints’ fourth number one hit, Pure Shores. Her other awards include two Brits and a MOBO. Shaznay’s returning album Open was released in 2004 and was a lush masterpiece of psychedelic soul, cinematic strings and sophisticated R&B that combined her established songwriting chops with lyrical wisdom. Shaznay’s teenage inspirations came from Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Prince and commercially minded American R&B. “It was the whole package: the way it looked, the fact that these people could sing, write, and perform. To a young British girl it was all so cool. There was also a lot of Bob Marley and Trojan records in my household that I grew up singing to, as well as a lot of 80s music which I love, so there is a real mixture in my style. As much as I loved the American stuff, my own music never sounded like that. I grew up in London with added cultural influences. It was always going to sound different.” Shaznay’s latest album Pages was released this year and features contributions from General Levy and Shola Ama. On this album Shaznay explains, “I felt free for the first time. For this album, myself and the people I worked with were making it for one reason only: to just make music that we felt was good, and for people to take and enjoy. You need to be in the right place and clear headspace to create good work and finally, I had that.”
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