#RSDUnsigned Competition Winners 2023
CURRLS

Dan Smith – Bastille

Dan Smith is a double Grammy-nominated and Brit award winning singer, songwriter, composer, and record producer. He is the creative force and lead singer of British band Bastille, who have had three acclaimed UK Number 1 albums, sold over 11 million records worldwide, had billions of streams and video views, and 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Karen Emanuel – Key Production Group CEO and founder

Karen started out in the music business by booking bands and DJ-ing at Leeds University. In the late 80s, she took a job at Rough Trade Distribution, climbing the ladder in an overwhelmingly male dominated sector by asking the right questions and taking every opportunity to learn the numbers side of the business. In 1990, she used a redundancy pay-out to start Key Production which still specialises in the production and manufacture of CDs, DVDs, vinyl records and beautifully art-worked bespoke packaging for music and other industries.

Through organic growth and acquisitions, Key is a leader in its field, employing over 60 people at four offices in the UK and Europe. Sustainability is a pillar of Key’s ethos. Karen has made it a priority to continue to research the best practice and share knowledge in this area, placing her as an industry leader. Karen is an advisor to Evolution Vinyl, part of the Vinyl Alliance, and on the advisory board of The Centre for Sustainable Design and Women in Vinyl. She has also contributed to the Impala vinyl pressing group and AIM Climate Action Group.

In 2007, whilst on holiday in Nicaragua, Karen saw a sign proclaiming “Island for Sale.” Three years later sees her having built and opened www.jicaroisland.com a luxury sustainable hotel created with Rainforest Alliance certificated wood.

Karen’s awards include the NatWest Everywoman Award, Women in Music Roll of Honour and Great British Businesswoman.

In her “spare” time, Karen mentors students, talks and volunteers at schools and universities and helps the charity www.migrateart.com. Karen has also set up a CIC (Community Interest Company) called Moving the Needle. MTNnow is an educational initiative to ensure more women achieve life long careers in the Music Industry.

Nadia Khan – Women in CTRL founder & AIM Chairperson

Nadia Khan is the award winning founder of CTRL Music, a music development organisation for creators and professionals, Women in CTRL a non-profit on a mission to advance gender equality in the music industry and is the elected Chair of AIM (Association of Independent Music), the UK music trade body for the independent music sector. Nadia brings over 20 years of experience in the music industry developing artist careers, talent management and running independent label businesses with a passion for developing talent from grassroots.

As an advocate for sharing knowledge and education, Nadia has developed training courses, workshops and programmes to upskill music professionals working with leading UK music organisations, including PRS for Music, Music Managers Forum (MMF), and PPL. As the Founder of Women in CTRL, Nadia is a passionate champion for diversity, equity and inclusion, and her work in promoting gender parity and representation of women in music has been widely recognised, being awarded Outstanding Contribution at the Music Week ‘Women in Music Awards’ in 2021.

Martin Black – Spinning Discs Sheffield store owner

I am the owner of Spinning Discs, an independent record shop in Sheffield established in 2015 after some inspiration during a late night conversation in a local pub. Since my early memories of coach trips heading on holidays, days spent at University, life events and all the time in between, music has been a big part of my life.

I’m passionate about music and what it can bring to each and everyone of us. From dancing in a kitchen with eyes closed late at night to Adele, gazing in amazement at Lambchop playing live in a room with not nearly enough people, to standing in a field in a packed tent listening to Peaness with my family - all memories that have helped to form who I am.

Eva Davies - Artist Manager & Label Manager at Come Play With Me

Eva is the Label Manager at Come Play With Me alongside managing Leeds artists Bug Teeth and Pop Vulture. She plays in FIKA and at the age of 16 she set up event promoter, GRRLS DO THAT TOO, which celebrates women and people of marginalised genders in the local music scene. In 2021 she was awarded Youth Music’s Young Entrepreneur Award for her work in creating safe spaces, and in 2022 represented CPWM as they won the Diversity in the Workplace award at Music Week’s Women in Music Awards. You can also find her DJing in bars and clubs around Leeds.