INTRODUCING FUTURE1000: JAGUAR’S MISSION TO EQUALISE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

The new programme to inspire a generation of female and non-binary talent.

Taking over from Annie Mac as BBC Radio 1’s face of electronic music, Jaguar is the driving force behind Future1000, the new initiative to redress the music industry’s gender imbalance.

“My own experience of coming up in the industry, and often being the only girl in the room, has motivated me to make a change for others from similar backgrounds” - Jaguar

Launching today, the free online course will run from May through to December, offering artist-led, interactive sessions that will equip 1,000 under-18s from minority genders with the training, tools, and mentorship that they need to break into the industry. Accredited by the London College of Music Education, this is an incredible opportunity to join the next generation of music talent.

The programme is also being supported by FutureDJs, who have previously written the DJ course for GCSE Music, as well as being behind the launch of Virtuoso, their own music education platform. Their mission is to make music education accessible to all, and at the end of March this year, they ran their own series of events to celebrate Women’s History Month. Now, they’re joining forces with Jaguar to continue making space for the next generation of women and non-binary people in music.

“By helping more young women, trans and non-binary students take their first steps into the music industry through the empowerment of 1000 young music makers, we want to challenge outdated structures, and create real opportunities for the next generation of talent.” - Austen Smart, FutureDJs Co-founder

Sadly, women currently make up just sixteen percent of artists in the music industry, despite being no less talented or driven than their male counterparts. This imbalance has also been demonstrated in the recent release of festival lineups, including Wireless Festival, who have only four female artists listed for the whole weekend, and other big festivals whose featured acts are more than sixty percent male.

Jaguar is determined to counter this problem from the ground up, drawing on her own experiences as a DJ and a woman of colour to empower others from underrepresented backgrounds. Music is for everybody, after all, and so it’s only right that it’s being made by a diverse range of artists. 

This is where Future1000 comes in; you don’t need any prior experience or equipment to get involved, just a music teacher to nominate you. Visit future1000.org to get involved now!