Pictures by Dijana Capan / D-Vision Images / http://www.dvision-images.com
If you had the chance to ask a Reading Festival artist anything at all – what question would you choose? And what message would they give to the local community?
Bracknell-based rapper NonameDisciple performed at the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading Festival today.
After her set, she talked to The Wokingham Paper and offered some advice to up and coming artists…
What brought you to Reading Festival?
I submitted some music onto BBC Introducing Berkshire’s website last year. Since then they’ve been playing my music. They got the opportunity to select musicians to play at Reading, and a wonderful woman called Linda Serck put my name forward.
I’d had such a bad day, then I read the message that I’d been accepted. At first I thought “if anyone’s messing me about, I’m really not in the mood today” – then I realised it was serious! It was incredible!
How did it feel to play here today?
Unbelievable – when I got on stage I had to tell myself I was really here, it was crazy! The support from the crowd was insane – the whole experience was something I’m still absorbing. It’ll take me a long time!
What do you think of Berkshire’s music scene?
I haven’t done many gigs in Reading or Bracknell – I originally grew up in Cardiff, and I was probably more known in London than in Berkshire.
But as the days go on, I can feel that start to change. When my music gets played on BBC Berkshire, the love I get online from Reading and Bracknell is incredible, really supportive.
I’m still finding my feet here, but now I’m living in Bracknell (I’ve been here about 4 years) my aim is to encourage more people to come along to my gigs. There’s a music scene in Bracknell that I’d love to help grow – there’s so much space for more music in the community, it’s just a matter of time until it happens.
What advice would you give to local musicians?
Understand what you’re doing and what makes you different – you need your own unique selling point in order to thrive.
So know who you are, know what you’re doing, and don’t compromise – know that your art is your art. It comes from you, and you’re unique, so don’t try to be someone else. Be as confident as you can – and believe in yourself.
Finally, look up BBC Introducing – the help they can give you by uploading just one song is amazing. It’s what brought all this on for me today, and it’s definitely the way to go.
