This week we are celebrating Independent Venue Week, an annual celebration of independent music venues and the people that keep our scene’s ecosystem thriving in the UK.

The importance of IVW is imperative to sustaining music and culture throughout the UK, it gives venues like Albert Hall the opportunity to recognise the vital role smaller venues play to the audiences and artists that come into our hall. From giving artists a chance to play their first gig or aspiring event managers promoting their first event – smaller music venues are the backbone of the UK arts network.

We begin our three-part homage to Independent Venue Week by delving into three local artists most influential, impactful and important venues around Manchester that have helped shape their careers so far.

First up is OneDa, an artist who is noted for out-of-the-box music; experimental and hedonistic in its own right. Growing up in Manchester has tinged her lyricism with grit, being a frontrunner of female DnB MCs in a male-populated scene inspires OneDa to truly stand out from the rest.

While her musical background started in gospel, she found her way into hip-hop, inspired by the female fire that is Eve, Missy Elliott and Lauryn Hill. Below she recounts the music venues in Manchester that have helped shape her as an artist…

“Grassroots venues to me, as an artist, have played such a huge role in me finding myself as an artist and performer. It’s in these places that I have found myself on-stage, learning my craft and connecting to my audience.

At special Manchester grassroots venues like Band On The Wall, Gullivers, Stage & Radio, Gorilla, Soup Kitchen, YES – I have not only performed but gone to watch artists of all levels perform at these places too.

These are venues that allow artists to connect with their audience and fans in a unique way – fans can come up to the artists after a show and request songs too. These spaces are vital to an artist like me who won’t sell out an O2 or stadium show – but I can connect, on the ground, with my fans at 200cap / 300cap or even 500cap venues.

It’s so, so important that these venues stop getting shutdown, it affects the artistry and music community. It’s not only a place where artists connect with fans but a place where independent artists make a living earning money. I can’t stress enough how vital these spaces are.

It’s OneDa #MannyOnTheRise #PussyPower on tour in February – connecting with so many independent venues, they are the lifeblood of my ‘Formula OneDa’ headline tour.”

 

OneDa will be performing at two IVW celebrations in the coming weeks – Sunbird Records and The Granary Arts Café – get your tickets now!