Sound Futures Cohort 3
From Beats to Full Tracks: Young Creatives Shine in Sound Futures
In January 2025, a group of talented young people became part of Cohort 3 of Sound Futures, a creative employability project designed to empower young people through music and digital arts. This initiative fosters self-expression, teamwork, and professional growth, providing participants with the tools to develop their musical talents and prepare for future opportunities in the music industry and beyond.
Joining a vibrant community of local musicians and creatives, they have been honing their skills both collaboratively and independently, producing original beats and full-length songs.
Among these emerging artists are… Lucz, a producer specializing in drill and trap beats. He has made a name for himself with over 40 million streams and collaborations with major global artists. His track ‘Freestyle On Me’ offers aspiring MCs in the Bay an opportunity to add their own lyrics to a hard-hitting drill beat.
“The inspiration from these tracks comes from being bored in lockdown, and then I saw people making music and was inspired to try it for myself.”
“For this track someone sent me a loop and as soon as I heard it I thought it would be a great drill type beat. I added unique drums and arranged the track, then added my effects and it was done.”
Listen below!
Cicada Season (aka Jamie), a 17-year-old singer-songwriter from the Bay, channels raw emotion into his music, with Shout Out to Modern Baseball reflecting his personal experiences with heartbreak and loss through the lens of Midwest Emo. Through their journey with Sound Futures, these young artists have embraced both individuality and collaboration, contributing to the growing creative community in Torbay and beyond.
“My inspiration comes from the bands I listen to and my experiences. I make music like Modern Baseball, Title Fight, Mom Jeans and Panucci’s Pizza because I really like how their music is done and their style. I’m inspired by them!”
“I love music, it’s how I express myself and I feel like I should be making music because I haven’t got anything else. I feel it in my chest and it wants to come out. If you pick up a guitar, and write some lyrics, it helps a lot.”
Listen below!
JP, a rapper and producer from the Bay, known for his introspective lyricism. His track A Day at the Zoo, marks a stylistic departure, showcasing his versatility as an artist.
“This song was a different way of writing for me, I started with zoo related words, and fill these out into bars about a zoo from an animal’s perspective. I was then able to flesh this out into a full track, but struggled a little with the conflict of wanting to write serious stuff, whilst keeping things light.’ “Lucz made our beat, and it did a great job!”
“If you find your passion in life and truly practice it, you will succeed, but you need to be passionate and find the spark. Find the community that supports this and grow with them! Be part of the ecosystem, and don’t just stay by yourself”
Louis, co-writer and all-around creative, brings his talent to this project crafting meaningful, engaging songs to the table.
Louis: “We initially had the idea to base this track on Torbay, so we focussed on a local landmark and chose to write about the Zoo. Our aim was to play on the theme of parody and make the track fun and interactive to our listeners. Keeping things fun is relatable, as if we were downbeat all the time the world would be a dark place, so we need to find some happiness even if it comes from writing a song about a zoo.”
Listen below!
What’s next?
Looking ahead, Lucz is excited to continue collaborating with local creatives, expanding his network, and refining his music production skills. Meanwhile, Jamie plans to form his own band and pursue a career in the music industry, aiming to land a job that allows him to further develop his passion. JP, with his introspective lyricism, is eager to continue writing bars and performing more gigs, expanding his presence as an artist. Louis, passionate about supporting others, hopes to find a role where he can mentor and guide young creatives, helping them to realize their potential. With their talent and determination, each of these artists is set for a bright future in the music world.