A city restaurant is helping local talent find its voice after discovering a young busker on the streets of Derby and inviting him to take to the stage.
Twenty-five-year-old Liam Hulmes was the first artist to open the new live music nights at COSMO Derby, following a long-standing relationship with the popular all-you-can-eat restaurant.
Liam first came to the attention of restaurant manager Sid Panday, who spotted him performing while passing through Derby. Impressed by his strong vocals and talent, Sid invited him to perform at a special event at the restaurant.
Now, following five years of collaboration, COSMO Derby has chosen Liam as the first performer to launch its new acoustic music evenings.
Liam said: “I feel incredibly honoured to be the first artist to launch the live music evenings here at COSMO. The team has supported me from the very beginning and I’m genuinely grateful for every opportunity they’ve given me.
“Playing at the restaurant was one of my first bigger gigs and really helped build my confidence as an artist. Since then, it’s opened the door to more bookings and exciting opportunities.
“There was a period where I stepped away from music, but getting back on stage here reignited my passion.
“I’m now writing my own songs and recently reached more than 500,000 views on TikTok in just a month, with 11,000 at one time, which has been amazing.
“I’m really grateful to Sid and the team. It’s really nice to feel so appreciated and to be part of such a reputable venue.”
Liam, who has performed at events at the restaurant including its annual birthday celebrations and charity events, plays a mix of original songs and popular covers, including music by global superstar Ed Sheeran, who recently left praise on a social media post of Liam covering one of his tracks.
Manager Sid Panday has recently been nominated for a 25/26 Derby Civic Award by former Mayor Councillor Ged Potter in recognition of his longstanding support for charitable initiatives, including providing venues and opportunities for fundraising and community engagement.
He said: “I heard Liam a few times on my commute to work and thought his voice was so powerful, with such great energy when he performed.
“At our annual birthday celebration, I wanted to bring that energy into the evening and invited him to perform for us. That was five years ago now, and Liam has been a regular ever since.
“For the sake of variety, we are always on the lookout for other talented musicians in the city to perform with us.
“We want to support local, up-and-coming talent. We can see Liam is going places and we are honoured to be part of his journey.”
Over the past 12 years, COSMO has raised thousands for local causes. In 2019, its ‘Charity Tuesdays’ saw children dine for £1, with proceeds supporting Derby County Community Trust projects such as Rams in Kenya. A Peppa Pig promotion raised £750 for When You Wish Upon a Star, and during the 2020 lockdown COSMO delivered free meals to Treetops Hospice staff as they cared for patients at home across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Director of COSMO Group, Kan Koo, said: “COSMO has always been about more than just food – it’s about bringing people together and being part of the communities we serve.
“We’re proud to have been part of Derby for more than 12 years and to have supported a wide range of local charities, events and initiatives over that time.
“Discovering and supporting local talent like Liam is a perfect example of what we aim to do – creating opportunities, celebrating creativity and giving people a platform to grow.
“Being part of the wider movement focused on ‘Bringing The East Midlands Together’ is something I am incredibly proud of. Over the last few weeks, it has been inspiring to see so many passionate individuals, organisations and community leaders working together to create purpose, opportunity and hope across the region.
“At COSMO, we believe businesses should play an active role in supporting communities and we are excited to continue supporting initiatives that make a genuine difference across the East Midlands.”
-ENDS-
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