Music Forward Foundation

Meet our Artist of the Month for August, the amazingly talented Megan Winsor! She started her journey with us when she performed on Open Mic Fridays back in 2022 and now she is performing at our Live @ The Viper Room show happening on August 20th! We can’t wait for you to get to know her this month so keep it here to see more about Megan💫
 
 
 

PAID APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITY! Hey Los Angeles, we're partnering with Wasserman to find the perfect candidate for their Talent Apprentice role. This is a paid, on-the-job training Apprenticeship; those accepted will work full-time for 6 months and receive a certification of the completion of their work. Apply now by clicking this link: https://musicforwardfoundation.submittable.com/submit/19d81da8-0418-438c-9f9c-a9cb6dcef2a7/wasserman-x-music-forward-apprentice-submission

🚨PAID APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITY🚨 Hey Los Angeles, we’re partnering with Wasserman to find the perfect candidate for their Talent Apprentice role. This is a paid, on-the-job training Apprenticeship; those accepted will work full-time for 6 months and receive a certification of the completion of their work. Apply now by hitting the link in our bio!
 
 
 

Attention LA! We are excited to announce another live show on August 20th at The Viper Room. Join us at 7 PM for an evening featuring exceptionally talented artists and industry leaders. The night will start with an industry mixer hosted by Q***r Capita, providing an excellent opportunity to connect with a network of professionals eager to share their insights. Following the mixer, enjoy performances by our alumni JeRonelle, Megan Winsor, and Priscilla Ariana, along with a guest headliner performance from Austin Crute! This event is 21+ and free to attend. Secure your tickets now by clicking here: https://www.universe.com/events/live-the-viper-room-tickets-LD07J2

We have another live show happening on August 20th at The Viper Room🐍 Join us at 7 PM for a night of insanely talented artists and industry leaders. We’ll kick off with an industry mixer hosted by Q***r Capita, where you can chat with a network of amazing people ready to share their knowledge. Then, the live music begins with unforgettable performances by our alumni JeRonelle, Megan Winsor, and Priscilla Ariana, and a guest headliner performance from the electrifying Austin Crute! ⚡️ Don’t miss out—it’s going to be a night to remember!

21+ only and tickets are FREE. Get your tickets now by hitting the link in our bio.
 
 
 

We are excited to announce the launch of the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award in partnership with Gibson Gives. This award offers $3000 grants, $1000 in Gibson retail, quarterly mentorship opportunities, and performance opportunities for ten emerging LGBTQ+ artists aged 18-24. Applications open on August 5th and close on August 23rd so be sure to share with your network this month! Hit this link to learn more and apply: https://musicforwardfoundation.org/emerging-artist-award/

Today we announced the recipients of our 2024 scholarship awards!
 
With the support of our generous partners , we are once again able to award impactful scholarships to deserving young people, providing a plethora of opportunities as they work to achieve their goals and dreams.
 
This year’s extraordinary group of talented scholarship recipients were selected based on academic performance, leadership skills, and an enthusiastic commitment to the live entertainment industry. 
 
Congratulations, Adina Aaron, Cristian Meza, Jasmine Gordon, Michael Brown, and Raagavi Venkatesh!

Big congrats to Eva Westphal, last year’s recipient of our LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award! Because of her hard work and the support from , she had the incredible opportunity to perform the National Anthem at Citi Field🏟️👏 We couldn’t be prouder of her amazing journey so far. Keep rockin’, Eva🎸🌈
 
 
 

Are you based in San Diego and aged 18-24? We’re excited to offer a PAID Warehouse Technician Apprenticeship at Show Imaging in Vista, CA! This 6-month on-the-job training experience is a fast track to becoming a stagehand for incredible gigs like Comic Con and more. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity! Help us spread the word to your San Diego friends. Apply here: https://musicforwardfoundation.submittable.com/submit/296823/show-imaging-x-music-forward-apprentice-submission

We filled The Peppermint Club up with Music Forward alumni, industry experts, aspiring artists and professionals, and family and friends for a night of live music and networking. Our artists, Kennedy Ray, Jozondi, and Lyn Starr took on the stage and showed off exactly why they were selected to perform. An amazing chat went down with knowledge-dropper Kayode Badmus-Wellington and to top it all off, the entire night was hosted by the amazing and charming Maya Jupiter. Straight from London, Shae Universe closed the show with her endlessly smooth vocals and had the entire crowd singing and vibing. You can now check out our entire recap of the night here: https://musicforwardfoundation.org/uncategorized/music-forward-live-the-peppermint-club/

Are you trying to up your resume game and land the dream role!? We have a summer full of the perfect virtual and FREE workshops for you! Our National Resume Workshop is happening on July 17th and we'll be taking you through resumes that have landed roles, answering questions, and giving live feedback on your resumes during the session.

Then don't forget to check out our Artist Readiness Series built for artists and those who want to be on an artist's team. Happening every Wednesday in July and August, attend these sessions with music industry professionals where they'll talk about building a brand, pitching your music, promoting, and more. Don't miss out on some knowledge this summer! Register for both of these programs by hitting this link: https://livenation.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkcemrrzgvGdzb3oFxOIlvsW7DTOT7DQ35

July is Disability Pride Month and it's a month dedicated to recognizing the history, struggles, and accomplishments of people in the disabled community. We’re taking this month to highlight a very necessary company for the disabled community in the music industry: RAMPD

RAMPD attended All Access Fest: Live this past April and helped to spread their mission to our young people at The Hollywood Palladium. To learn more about RAMPD and how you can get involved, click here: https://musicforwardfoundation.org/uncategorized/spotlight-rampd/

In the recent school year, we were in classrooms filled with students studying music production and technology at Morningside and Lawndale High Schools in South Los Angeles, offering them insights into the music industry. Our all-star classroom facilitators talked about their unforgettable experiences teaching the students in our most recent blog post! Click here to read more: https://musicforwardfoundation.org/uncategorized/spotlight-all-access-in-the-class/

How cool is this?! Two of our alumni, Yna and Cuee, recipients of last year's LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award, just performed at the Citi headquarters. We are so proud to see you both hit the stage at Citi

Elevate your music career with our free virtual Artist Readiness Series! This program is designed for artists and aspiring music industry professionals. Gain exclusive insights from industry experts on building a successful brand, mastering pitching and promotion, managing royalties, and effective networking.

Don’t miss this opportunity to advance your career and connect with key players in the music industry. Register here: https://formstack.io/242D2

Today, we honor Juneteenth by celebrating the rich cultural impact of the Black community on the music industry and beyond. We recognize the hardships and ongoing fight against inequality, and we will always be committed to fostering diversity and equity. Happy Juneteenth!

VENUE CHANGE! We are so excited to announce that we are holding our show next week at the legendary venue, THE PEPPERMINT CLUB in Los Angeles! Are we going to see you there? Don't miss our all-star lineup of performers and a Q&A session with an A&R expert. Tickets are completely free so don't miss out! Hit this link to get your tickets: https://www.universe.com/events/music-forward-live-the-peppermint-club-tickets-XNF1MK

VENUE CHANGE🔥 We are so excited to announce that we are holding our show next week at the legendary venue, THE PEPPERMINT CLUB in Los Angeles! Are we going to see you there? Don’t miss our all-star lineup of performers and a Q&A session with an A&R expert. Tickets are completely free so don’t miss out! Hit the link in our bio to get yours!

The results are IN 🥁🥁🥁 The winners of Open Mic Season 12 are Martin Leon and Mia Walz 👏👏 CONGRATULATIONS! The competition was stiff and the talent was off the charts, so a huge shoutout to all of our performers of the finale. We hope to see everyone back for Season 13. If you want to perform at a future Open Mic, hit the link in our bio!

Join these BMG powerhouses for a masterclass on showing up to work in the music industry as your authentic self! Our virtual workshop will highlight pathways that are available through internships with BMG and Music Forward. You can register for this event by clicking this link: https://livenation.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAudeuhqDopEt2eRKdRIBKq-vv3oiVLKjOP

We want to shoutout all of the amazing recent graduates and say CONGRATULATIONS! You made it! A special shoutout to our alum who earned their degree this year.

Zsana Hoskins: Graduated from Howard University and is a member of our first Youth Advisory Council! She was also a soloist at her commencement ceremony at Howard!

Bailey Frerichs: Graduated from Minnesota State University, Manakto. She received the Affinity scholarship presented by Music Forward in 2023!

Taylor Contarino: Graduated from University of Southern California with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism. Taylor has been helping us to facilitate workshops and put on our events for years!

Did you graduate this year?! Shout yourself out in the comments👏

It's about to go DOWN on Friday night for our Open Mic Season 12 FINALE🤘🎤Catch the all-stars of the season perform for the title of Industry Pick and Fan Favorite. It's all happening live on Twitch on Friday at 5pm PST/8pm EST. Don't miss it!

Join us at our Live @ The Echo show featuring Shaé Universe, Lyn Starr, Jozondi, and Kennedy Ray! We're so excited to announce that the night will also feature a keynote and Q&A from the veteran A&R executive, Kayode Badmus-Wellington! AND, to top it all off, it's all hosted by the amazing hip-hop activist Maya Jupiter. Come jam out with us and make some new friends and connections! Hit this link to get your free tickets: https://www.universe.com/events/music-forward-live-the-echo-tickets-XNF1MK

We are proud to introduce you to Music Forward’s inaugural council of incredible youth ready to help us change the music industry for the better. They are artists, ambassadors, and advocates and you can network and chat with them at All Access Virtual 2024 this September. To learn more about our Youth Advisory Council, click here: https://musicforwardfoundation.org/upnext-youth-advisory-council/

Join us in partnership with BMG for a masterclass on showing up to work in the music industry as your authentic self!

During this virtual workshop, BMG employees will chat about their experience in the music industry and the importance of diversity in the workplace. We will also cover opportunities and pathways available through internships with BMG - an opportunity exclusively offered through Music Forward! Register here: https://livenation.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAudeuhqDopEt2eRKdRIBKq-vv3oiVLKjOP

Our Artist of the Month, Yna released a music video for their song "chasing daydreams" two weeks ago and gave us an exclusive look behind the scenes with these pics! The video was created by a diverse group of visionaries from all different backgrounds. Here's what Yna said about what the song means to her:

"chasing daydreams” is a song about the feeling of being immersed in the many different fantasies I wish I could have existed in, which deviated me from reality.

Whether it was daydreaming about who I wanted to be, overthinking about different decisions I made or didn’t make, or even being consumed by the lives of other people—I always got stuck in those fantasies. As I got older, I started chasing a lot of these different fantasies. In turn, it cost me my relationships, my presence, and my love for the people I cared about because I was so fixated on alternate realities rather than the one I was currently living in. So instead of trying to make the most of the life I had now, I fell into a helpless nature of accepting defeat, knowing I would fail to become this fantastical ideal version of myself I knew I could never be.

Be sure to check out the video and Yna's new song, "yet" which comes out June 7th.

Three times a year, in partnership with BMG, we provide several diverse young people across Nashville, Los Angeles, and New York City with internships. Sam, one of the marketing interns in NY, shared "Being in a work environment that was so supportive and believed in me truly made me realize my full potential”. We love how empowered our interns feel through this experience! Hear from more of these amazing young people by hitting the link in our bio!

Rocktion has launched! We’re bringing you an exclusive chance to own iconic music memorabilia! We have signed posters, photographs, albums, and more on the way! Join us online for this ultimate music lover's auction, starting NOW on our eBay site through May 31st. Don't miss your chance to own a piece of rock history and make memories that will last a lifetime! Click here to see all of the available items: https://www.ebay.com/str/musicforward

It’s about to go down! Join us in Los Angeles for a night of live music and networking at The Echo on June 18th! This show will feature live performances from Music Forward alum and a keynote Q&A with an all-star industry professional! Doors open at 7PM and the event is F R E E 🎸🎤