In our first year as a PRS Talent Development Partner, we chose three emerging artists; Yxng Dave, Broken Pen and Sola Akingbola

Ynxg Dave 

After being super impressed by the performance young British Colombian rapper from Reading at our Incubator in January 2025, we helped Ynxg Dave seal a management deal with Kevin Simpson (Jamiroquoi, S.I.A., Scrapz). We then secured headline performances at three major London festivals  over the summer of 2025 - SXSW London, Lambeth Country Show and Latino Life in the Park, and an opening show for Colombian artist Nanpa Basico in September.  

In October 2025, we then took Yxng Dave to Colombia for a media and production tour where did 10 national TV and radio shows in 3 days, a songwriting camp in Medellín and 6 recording sessions with Colombian artists, some extremely well known with a total of 11 songs being recorded. He also met with J Balvin’s management and has been invited back to on a national tour.

Yxng Dave: "Being part of this programme has been one of the most exciting experiences of my career so far. Travelling back to my motherland Colombia, where I performed and spoke on major television shows, on radio stations and took part in a songwriting camp in Medellín, challenged me to represent not just myself, but where I came from. Being in the studio with international creatives or on live television helped me find my unique voice and grow as an artist. I learned to move faster creatively and incorporate sounds and skills from top international producers and artists. The support came at a time when i was ready to explore opportunities beyond the UK scene. I was also mentioned in an Apple Music interview by J Balvin and Lechero, and through this opportunity was able to capitalise on that to meet J Balvins DJ (DJ Pope) in Medellin, allowing me to widen my network further. This wasn’t just a trip, this was a defining chapter for my career."

Jose Luis Saijas, programme director: "We saw how receptive the Colombian audience was to Yxng Dave’ music and personality and how biculturalism can function as a real career accelerator. He generated strong interest from Colombian artists, producers, promoters and national media, showing great likeability and charm in another language. Being his first trip abroad, Yxng Dave developed a great attitude and work ethic; despite a demanding schedule, he remained fully engaged, focused and creatively decisive in the studio. His bilingual versatility, cultural credibility and discipline positions him well going into the next stage of his career. The experience was also invaluable in revealing where he needs further development, such as performance were he’ll continue to practice and  polish and this gave him a focus for 2026"

Sola Akingbola

After having had a succesfull career as a session musician and percussionist for Jamiroquoi, we helped Sola as he was stepping out of the shadows of a global band as a solo artist for the first time. As a result of the programme, Sola secured his biggest performance opportunity as a solo artiist on the main stage at The Lambeth Country Show.

We also got Sola the headline spot the LatinoLife's showcase stage at SxsW London. Sola's show in collaboration with Afro-Cuban Funk band Alvarez Funk was cited as one of the highlights of the SXSW. It also offered Sola's music to a new audience, establishing in our audience's psyche, the idea of connecting African and Latin American music.

Sola: "One of my strongest thoughts, was about feeling seen, acknowledged and supported, which gave me a stronger sense of purpose and focus on what we were trying to bring to the table. I began to think about the importance of the encouragement and trust implied from being connected and associated with LatinoLife and the PRS who appreciates the work and effort that goes in to bringing a project out of an artist’s imagination, in to a space of interaction and engagement, whilst adding momentum and dynamic to what we are trying to launch into the creative space."

Through this opportunity, because it has sharpened my concentration and attention to the behind the scenes, nuts and bolts of producing the work in a sustainable way, through deeper engagement and interaction with the processes within the music industry, that are fundamental to progression. have gained more confidence in being very particular about who to bring into the project, paying very close attention to skill set and work ethic, that contribute positively to moving the project forward, managing personnel and relationships with creative companies who come forward to be involved with what is emerging. I have learned even more, about how to regard the artistic life and space in a continuously disciplined manner, which has been so important to completing various tasks around the project."

Broken Pen

Born in Angola, Broken Pen is a rapper and lyricist who fuses spoken word, rap, and Afro-conscious storytelling. Recognised as one of the leading PALOP voices in British hip hop, a technically sharp and disciplined writer, he moves fluently between English and Portuguese. He first came to national attention on Britain’s Got Talent, where his lyrical control and live presence distinguished him from conventional rap acts.

After inviting Broken Pen to perform on our stage at Lambeth Country Show in 2024, in 2025, with the help of the British Council LatinoLife took him to Brazil to perform at Feira Preta, Latin America’s largest festival of African diaspora culture. In Bahia, the "afro-capital of Brazil" he collaborated as a guest artist with Salvador’s acclaimed percussion-fuelled funk-punk outfit Afrocidade. Arriving 3 days earlier to rehearse with the band, a slightly nervous Broken Pen was immediately put at ease by the Bahian bandmembers, and gobsmacked by the warmth and openness of the musicians. The encounter wasthe first ever bi-lingual exchange between UK hip hop and Afro-Brazilian music. Following the strong creative chemistry established, Broken Pen has been invited back to Bahia to collaborate on a new album and live shows.

Broken Pen: "The experience was the most important of my career, and the best experience of my life. The city just lived and breathed music and the level of musicianship in Bahia was insane, and yet despite (or perhaps because of) this the band members were so generous with their knowledge. I was only supposed to perform a song with the band, and they ended up putting me in every song. Honestly I didn't want to leave. It has been a massive inspiration for me musically and professionally."

Jose Luis: "the musical environment in Bahia is very different to London, where musicians are quite wary of the commercial environment or what they think is a ruthless industry, and can end up being  (understandably) guarded about their work. Here people are making music for the love of it, very freely, without so much caution or expectation, and I think that is why the quality is so high, because this attitude liberates their creativity."

In 2026, accepting Arocidade's invitation, LatinoLife will take Broken Pen back to Brazil to collaborate with Afrocidade on a new album. The trop will involve collaborative writing sessions, recording, performing and networking to increase visibility in Brazil. Bahia is the spiritual home of Afro-Brazilian music, rhythms, and culture, making it a culturally significant location for this work. The project combines studio recording, cultural exchange, live performances, and content creation, resulting in an album and international exposure for all involved. The results will be a release-ready album, content creation & documentation and clear plan for distribution and promotion, strengthened ties between UK and Afro-Brazilian music scenes, expand Broken Pen’s international reach and position him as part of a wider Afro-diasporic movement.