‘There’s an element of black music history that has not been told’ – the Fringe events sparking joy in MOBO week

When the sound of children’s voices filled a gallery at The Whitworth this week, it was a joyful moment.

Trinity Gospel Choir were at the iconic art gallery to open to Black Sound Gala – an evening celebrating Black music, culture and creative excellence.

The gospel singers officially opened the event, launching Manchester’s MOBO Fringe Week – a moment their teacher Katrina Madden says allowed them to believe in a future in the arts.

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“They were so proud of themselves and were full of joy to be able to share their music. They felt like they were at the MOBOs, nevermind the MOBO Fringe.

“They looked around and I hope they thought ‘we are the future. If I work hard, that could be me’.”

Adeola Adelakun believes it is ‘extremely important’ for young people to see successful black creatives at work.

“When we think about the area we are in, near Moss Side, we want them to see positive representations of black talent. It’s extremely powerful when you see someone who looks like you doing that,” she says.

“When I was younger and moved to Manchester from Nigeria there was shame around culture because you were not from here. Now people are embracing the culture.

“They see it more as a super power rather than something that diminishes them.”

Tomorrow, the MOBOs will take place in Manchester for the first time in its 30 year history. It’s caused a real buzz in the city – but the Fringe events are arguably far more important to Mancunians.

They have given musicians, artists, dancers, poets, spoken word artists, hairdressers and make-up artists a platform during a week of events that is garnering national attention.

“There’s an element of black music history that has not been told. We have a responsibility to tell these stories,” says Adeola.

She’s a creative producer with Black Creative Trailblazers – a social enterprise dedicated to amplifying Black voices and creating opportunities for creatives through showcases, workshops and cultural programming. And she co-produced the glitzy Black Sound Gala with her sister Ronke Jane Adelakun.

The MOBOs is a watershed moment for Adeola, who says she never could have imagined the event coming to Manchester. But she is keen to make sure the event becomes a platform for black musicians, artists, poets, dancers, hairdressers and stylists.

The Gala, she says, was ‘better than anything I could have imagined’. “The music, the drumming, the dancing – it was just really joyous.”

Among the performers was opera singer Sinead D’Abreu Hayling, African drummer Kayode Bamgbose, dancers ASH x Yin Yang and the spoken word artist Saf S2e.

Adeola says it was an opportunity to show off the range of genres Manchester’s black creatives inhabit, from opera, to jazz, to Afrobeats. It was also a chance to embrace the many varied cultures of Manchester’s diaspora.

“We wanted to show black music is not just a monolith,” she says. “To show where the music came from. Embrace the culture.”

The event was opened by mayor Andy Burnham – who said it is “about time we shone the spotlight on the incredible history of black music within our city” – and Manchester Council leader Bev Craig.

She has been instrumental in bringing both The Brits and the MOBOs to the city, but says the contribution of black artists has been missing from the Manchester story for ‘too long’.

“One of the reasons that having the MOBOs for the 30th anniversary is so special to us here in Manchester is that we really do want to shine a light,” she said during the Gala.

“Not just on today’s black music scene in this city, but on the important history and legacy that it’s had in shaping the Manchester that we are today.

“Too often the contribution of our black music scene and the black artists has been missing from our stories and history. We want to do more to make sure that people know their history and they know that Manchester is that migrant city today that speaks 200 languages, it’s confident about itself, it knows its history and knows where it’s going.

“Every single one of you is part of that.”

It’s a powerful message for the Trinity High School pupils in the Gospel Choir. The school’s Director of Music, Katrina Madden, says the children are regularly taught important lessons from history as they develop their musical skills.

Anti-bullying and anti-racism songs are a regular feature in rehearsals, which attracts boys and girls from across the year groups. And pupils regularly work with local musicians to understand the community the school is embedded in, in Hulme.

“We want them to understand where they are in the community,” she says. “It’s paying homage to the music of those communities, whether you are Irish, Polish, Caribbean – we’re all in Manchester together and we are celebrating that.

“We want to make sure that everybody growing up here understands the different types of music brought from the diaspora.”

Katrina says choir members – who were lead by choir leader Carla Jane and sang You Gotta Be by Des’ree – were inspired by seeing black artists at the gala “One of the kids looked around and said ‘Miss Everyone here is so premium’.”

Though the MOBOs will inevitably bring the work of black Mancunian artists into sharp focus this week, Black Creative Trailblazers will continue their work long after the international stars, presenters and cameras pack up and leave the city. Among the most important work they do involves sharing information about how to charge for work and understanding its financial worth.

Black music has made up 80 per cent of the UK’s recorded music revenue over the past three decades, according to new figures from UK Music. A report examining the cultural and commercial impact black music has had on the wider industry found black music by both British and international artists has contributed £24.5 billion out of a total of £30.0 billion in revenue across the UK’s recorded music market over the past 30 years.

But Adeola says black creatives regularly miss out on the financial benefits, often working behind the scenes and not being paid fairly or recognised for their contributions.

“Hopefully it’s something that will change,” she says. “We pour into the economy but does the economy pour back to us?”