November’s Emerging Showcase is a programme of exciting young talent presented in partnership with Manchester non-profit NQ Legacy.

Tonya – Silky smooth vocals and mesmerising harmonies define Tonya’s unique RnB sound. Music has been the core of Tonya’s childhood growing up in North London, and experiencing a wide array of music developed her ear for melodies and ability to write songs about her life. She began showcasing her music in Manchester whilst studying Psychology at UoM and collaborating with local artists. Her single “Wildflower” is our first glance at her song-creating abilities, and soon there will be more to come.

Lewis Manny is a seventeen year-old rapper from Manchester, quickly becoming an intriguing fresh face in UK Rap / UK Garage space. A social media native, Lewis has been captivating fans with engaging freestyles and relatable TikToks (137.9k likes, 5.1k followers). He has appeared on Mancunican radio station Unity FM multiple times. Lewis was hand selected to perform at Shutdown Festival and to open at fellow Manchester rapper, Tays’ headline show at Factory. In January 2023, Manny signed to northern rap label NQ Records. Geared up for summer, Manny is coming in hot with his first release of the year Foolish (via NQ Records). You can expect more fiery freestyles and sonic expansion into the dance world this year, so be on the lookout for his upcoming releases.

Slimzz – You may not know the name, but you will. Slimzz is a seventeen-year-old rapper from Manchester with the innovation and versatility of a seasoned artist. He subverts expectations by blending genres and beats from Jersey, Drill, UK Rap and more to create a distinctive, signature sound. A fresh face on the scene, Slimzz is already making waves, gaining support from contemporaries like Nemzzz and signing to northern rap powerhouse NQ Records in April 2023.  Slimzz released his debut single Twerk (via NQ Records), garnering 16k views on the music video (released via Mixtape Madness) and peaking at #3 on Audiomack’s ‘Rated UK’ Playlist. With a strong debut and hits to come, he is one you need to keep an eye on.

Treks – At twenty years old, Treks embodies contemporary Hip-Hop with his self assured sound, old school flavour and new school flows. Treks’ mother was a singer for Londons Acid Jazz label, and his father a producer at Def Jam Records which makes it hard to believe Treks could have been anything but a prolific wordsmith, producer and mix-engineer. Hard hitting delivery, wordplay, and the best live performance from an up and coming rapper are all things yo be expected from the South London native. Since his first show in 2022 with NQ, One of Manchester’s most successful Independents whom manage the likes of Aitch and WhyTek, Treks has gained experience at a sold out Academy 3 gig in February of 2023; as well as cultivating an enthusiastic attendance at smaller venues like YES basement. Although Treks takes inspiration from the likes of Kanye, Jay-Z, Dave, Skepta and Nas to name a few, the result of his musical obsession is very much unique to himself.

Freequency3 is an Alternative HipHop rapper, exploring emotion, values and the ripples of life through music, both written and freestyle. Over the past year she has supported Dizraeli on his UK Tour and rapped in the ‘CalibySnoop’ Cypher, which brought together some of Manchester’s best rappers to launch Snoop Dogg’s CalibySnoop wine in the UK.

DJ Olori says “I have a natural passion for music, so around a year ago, I got the opportunity to learn how to DJ at NQ. I now perceive DJing as a true art form as well as a technical skill where I have the freedom to express myself creatively and connect with others through the power of music. Genres I have explored most include Bashment, Afrobeats and Amapiano. I’m continually looking to expand my repertoire and excited for my growth”.