Sounds of Success: November 2024
We absolutely love celebrating the BIMM students and graduates who are making their mark in the music industry.
Our Sounds of Success series is all about highlighting the achievements of these wonderful people. This month, we’ve had a festival announcement, a Wembley performance, and a lead role in a musical written by Elton John. And we can’t get enough of it.
Via Culpan receives a nomination at This is MCR Awards
BIMM Manchester graduate Via Culpan has been smashing it lately. As part of the team at NQ Records, she’s made a name for herself as rapper Aitch’s day-to-day manager. Her success has reached new heights now, as she has recently been nominated for ‘Woman of the Year’ at the This is Manchester Awards. We’re so pleased that she’s getting the recognition she deserves.
BIG LOVE to play at new Dermot Kennedy festival
Made up of BIMM Dublin graduates, the alternative rock band BIG LOVE has just been announced for MISNEACH, a global music festival curated by Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy.
The brand-new annual festival, due to take place in Sydney and Boston in March 2025, describes itself as a “celebration of Ireland’s rich musical heritage” and will form part of each city’s St Patrick’s Day festivities.
Ava McKechnie opens for The Feeling in Canterbury
BIMM Brighton alumnus Ava McKechnie has had an extraordinary year. After a run of shows at Brighton’s indie venues, she lit up the stage at Electric Picnic festival and even appeared on Irish national television, performing on The Six O’Clock Show on Three Ireland.
Ava’s latest triumph was a support slot for Sussex pop rock legends The Feeling at Canterbury Festival. Performing in Canterbury’s stunning Great Hall, Ava and her band delivered yet another incredible set.
Wilder Vocals and Choir Noir’s stellar performance at Wembley
Wilder Vocals is a session vocal agency made up of current BIMM students and graduates. With a diverse roster of clients, including Hospital Records, RCA Records, National Geographic, and Bring Me The Horizon, they bring power, depth and emotion to a wide range of genres.
In October 2024, they teamed up with Choir Noir for a spectacular show at OVO Wembley Arena, supporting rock bands Black Veil Brides and Creeper. Noizze magazine praised their performance, describing how they “hauntingly and magnificently set the scene for the main acts to follow”.
BIMM Music Business lecturer helps get James Blunt back in the charts
Erik Nielsen’s role as James Blunt’s Digital Strategy Manager has proved pivotal to the musician’s recent success. Thanks in part to his collaboration with the Atlantic Records marketing team, the 20th-anniversary edition of Blunt’s debut album Back to Bedlam re-entered the charts.
The campaign, which gained global attention, featured James Blunt’s bold promise to legally change his name if the album hit no.1.
Amy Di Bartolomeo secures starring role in The Devil Wears Prada musical
Amy Di Bartolomeo, who studied vocals at BIMM London, has built an impressive career in musical theatre, starring in productions like Starlight Express, Six the Musical, and Bat Out of Hell. She has now landed one of the lead roles in The Devil Wears Prada, a new musical partly written by Elton John. Break a leg, Amy!
Fontaines D.C. have made the list for 6 Music Artists of the Year
Fontaines D.C. have just been named one of the 6 Music Artists of the Year 2024! We’re buzzing for our BIMM Dublin grads on another amazing accolade. They’re up there with some of the best 2024 has seen, from Charli XCX to Little Simz, and many more.
BIMM London student lands work experience at Abbey Road Studios
On 14 October and 5 November 2024, our BIMM London students had the pleasure of a visit from Abbey Road Mastering Engineer Oli Morgan, thanks to our fantastic Creative Futures Team. Oli held several one-to-one sessions with students and was especially impressed by Parris Levy, whom he later invited for a day’s work experience at Abbey Road. If all goes well, this could even lead to a longer-term opportunity.
Huge career moment for Events Management graduate
After graduating from BIMM with first-class honours in Event Management, Caitlin Ford’s career has skyrocketed. This month marks the start of a new chapter at Warner Bros. Discovery as Logistics Lead for the upcoming film tours of Red One and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
Reflecting on the move from the world of music to the film industry, Caitlin said, “It was something that I put out into the universe on my vision board earlier this year and the opportunity landed right in my inbox. I can’t wait to learn and grow!”
From festival stages to innovative marketing campaigns, BIMM students and graduates continue to achieve remarkable things. These stories are just a glimpse of the talent and hard work happening across the BIMM community. Head to our Student Success page to discover more inspiring achievements.
We’ll be back next month with more standout successes in the next edition of Sounds of Success. See you then!
