Urban Development would like to offer our congratulations to the following musicians who have all been awarded Urban Music Bursaries to help them develop their musical careers. We promise to keep you up to speed on their developments.

The following artists were awarded £10,000

Andreya Triana

Ms Triana is a singer/songwriter based in Brighton currently working on her debut album. She has eletricfied audiences from UD Unplugged sessions to Emerging Proms with her beguiling mix of electronica and earthy harmonics.

http://www.triana.moonfruit.com
http://www.myspace.com/andreyatriana

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Noah Ball

Noah runs successful club nights in Leeds, Newcastle and London, including The Outlook Festival - the first Dubstep-heavy music festival in the world. 

http://www.outlookfestival.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/newbohemia

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Ronika Sampson

Ronika is a Singer/Songwriter as well as a sound engineer, DJ and vocal coach. With two DJing residencies, part-time jobs as a youth arts tutor and live sound engineer, Ronika is also making a new album with established producer Joe Buhdha.

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Dan Marshall

Dan is a producer, merchandiser and promoter from Cardiff heavily involved in the Cardiff DnB scene. He is a major force in creating exciting new collaborations as well as bringing headline acts to Cardiff.

http://www.myspace.com/danmarshalldnb
http://www.myspace.com/apertureuk
http://www.wheresthejungle.co.uk

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thecocknbullkid

Currently causing waves in the industry, this singer/songwriter from London recently signed a publishing deal and played at Glastonbury.

http://www.myspace.com/thecocknbullkid

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Adetokunbo T Oyeola

Ade is a Londoner who runs his own artist management company and is currently seeking to expand his roster.

http://www.myspace.com/blackgrapeproductions
http://www.blackgrapeproductions.co.uk

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Jay Diamond

Presenter, journalist and artist, Jae is Manchester's triple threat. Lady Jay currently hosts a radio show online, writes for hiphop websites has created a successful DVD around interviews she has done with urban artists both in the UK and USA.

http://www.ladyjay.blogspot.com

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Double S

Double S is a gifted London-based grime artist. As one of the hotly-tipped acts from the Always Recording stable, the Tottenham-resident is looking to up the lyrical levels for UK emcees.

http://www.myspace.com/marvelluk
http://www.grimegenre.co.uk/wiki/double_s

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Vertex

This London based film-maker and emcee made his mark with Always Recordings specialising in music videos.

http://www.myspace.com/vertexmc

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Solja

Solja has created a very successful pilot project with Mothers Against Violence, using urban music workshops in schools to address gun and knife crime issues. He has done business training and would like to become a full time events manager and hopes to take school projects on tour outside Manchester.

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Wariko

Wariko is a MC/producer who has had success creating mix tapes and has worked with Miss Dynamite, Alesha Dixon amongst others.
He runs a 'Lyrics Rhymes and Grime' project, which is creating mix CDs with kids from different areas of Nottingham who would not mix otherwise. Longer term he is looking to create a city centre studio for local talent, in a 'neutral area'.

http://www.myspace.com/wariko
http://www.grimegenre.co.uk/wiki/wariko

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Mary Wakelam

Mary studied saxophone at Birmingham Conservatoire and currently works full time for as a promoter for Birmingham Jazz. As well as being an instrumentalist, Mary composes and leads a 7-piece band which fuses jazz and hip-hop.

http://www.birminghamjazz.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/maylightmusic

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Shaki

Shaki's from London and runs record label Real Hot Records, as well as being band member / manager of The Real Heat with her two sisters.

http://www.therealheat.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/therealheat

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The following artists were awarded £5,000

Stig of the Dump

Originally from Newcastle, currently based in London, Stig is a rapper/promoter with a successful monthly club night. Stig's first EP 'The Homeless Microphonist' sold well and he developed a good live following. Stig also writes a monthly column in Hip Hop Connection and runs a successful monthly.

http://www.myspace.com.stigdastardly
http://www.ukhh.com/features/interviews/stig/index.html

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Alex Blood

Fresh off a national tour with Mark Ronson, Alex is now building on the strong support shown by Radio 1, Channel U and MTV all of which gave airtime to his earlier underground work.

http://www.alexblood.com
http://www.myspace.com/alexblood

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Konny Kon

Konny has had success as a DJ with 'Broke N English' but now wants to go his own way.
He is currently working on an album and plans to use the funding to help complete and promote it.

http://www.myspace.com/konnykon

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Kobi Onyame

Kobi Onyame is a producer and MC who takes his influence from his African heritage. His first official release 'Unsigned & Hungry Vol. 1' was released earlier in 2008 with good reviews in a variety of UK music magazines.

More about Kobi

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For further information, please contact Miriam.okeeffe@bbc.co.uk or visit

www.bbc.co.uk/performingartsfund