FAC Step Up Fund expands support for five UK artists

London, 3 September 2026 – Five independent UK artists will receive free recording time at The Breakthrough Lab as part of an expansion of the FAC Step Up Fund. The initiative’s fifth anniversary will also be marked with a free live showcase at London’s Barfly on 16 September.

The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) and Amazon Music are extending the programme for a second consecutive year. Defences, Lemonade Shoelace, Pencil, Saïna and Sol Paradise will each receive three days at The Breakthrough Lab, a professional recording facility created by Amazon Music and Metropolis Studios.

The additional support follows the announcement of ten Step Up grant recipients for 2026 in July.

Studio access for five independent artists

Amazon Music and Metropolis Studios will also support the engineering costs associated with the sessions. The Breakthrough Lab is based at Metropolis, one of Europe’s leading independent recording studios.

David Martin, CEO of the Featured Artists Coalition, said the additional studio access would allow the five artists and bands to develop their work using professional recording facilities.

“With the generous support of Amazon Music, I am delighted we can yet again expand Step Up’s commitment to emerging UK talent, providing five brilliant artists and bands with free studio time at The Breakthrough Lab.”

Laura Lukanz, Head of Music UK, Australia and New Zealand at Amazon Music, said the initiative was designed to remove barriers facing independent musicians.

“Giving Defences, Lemonade Shoelace, Pencil, Saïna and Sol Paradise access to The Breakthrough Lab is exactly the kind of support that can transform careers.”

Defences said the band plans to use the sessions to produce and record new music. Saïna will use the opportunity alongside work on her EP, Hotel 555, including live sessions, remixes, recording and live instrumentation.

Free anniversary showcase at the Barfly

The FAC and Amazon Music will celebrate Step Up’s fifth anniversary with a special Artist’s Voice showcase at the Barfly in London on Wednesday, 16 September 2026.

The free-entry event is being presented in partnership with Signature Brew and Orange Amplifiers. The programme includes performances by MOBO-winning duo ALT BLK ERA, Ashaine White, Defences and Lemonade Shoelace, all of whom are part of the 2026 Step Up cohort.

Attendance is free, but visitors must RSVP through the Barfly event page to guarantee entry.

Martin said the showcase would provide an opportunity to recognise artists supported through the programme and celebrate its development over the past five years.

Step Up has supported more than 50 artists

The collaboration between the FAC and Amazon Music began in 2022. The Step Up Fund was established in response to the financial and structural challenges affecting emerging independent artists.

Since its launch, the programme has awarded grants totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds to more than 50 artists. Recipients can use the funding for any part of a creative project, with the aim of helping them develop their careers.

The ten artists selected for Step Up grants in 2026 were ALT BLK ERA, anaiis, Ashaine White, Cowboy Hunters, DEELA, happydaze, Jords, Leonie Biney, Olympia Vitalis and Y U QT.

Backstage IPA supports the FAC

Earlier in 2026, the FAC partnered with London brewery Signature Brew and British amplifier manufacturer Orange Amplification to launch a special edition of Backstage IPA.

The beer is available exclusively at independent music venues, including the Barfly. Profits from every pint sold are donated to the FAC to support its work with UK artists.

Matt Reynolds, Brand Marketing Manager at Signature Brew, said the brewery has worked with musicians throughout its 15-year history. He described the collaboration with Orange Amplifiers as a natural fit between two independent businesses with longstanding connections to the UK music scene.

Reynolds, who also has a background as a touring musician, said supporting the FAC was important in a difficult environment for independent artists. He added that bringing Backstage IPA to the Artist’s Voice showcase had personal significance because the Barfly had played a role in his own development as a musician.

Sarah Yule, Managing Director of Orange Amps, said grassroots venues, independent artists and organisations such as the FAC remain important to the future of music.

“We know talent needs places to play, opportunities to create and people willing to back it. We’re incredibly proud to support the Step Up programme and the FAC for this night at a legendary venue.”

Meet the 2026 Breakthrough Lab recipients

Defences

Across three albums, two EPs and numerous singles, Defences have generated millions of streams and developed a loyal audience. The band has received playlist support from BBC Radio 1, airplay from Kerrang! Radio and endorsements from Jackson Guitars and Mapex Drums.

After two UK headline tours in 2025, Defences completed three European tours and appeared at Download Festival, Reeperbahn Festival, SXSW London and The Great Escape. The band also supported Røry across the UK and Europe and headlined Submit Fest in the Netherlands.

In 2026, Defences toured with Mason Hill, headlined the Phoenix Festival in High Wycombe and performed at RodaRock Festival in Germany.

Lemonade Shoelace

Lemonade Shoelace is the psychedelic pop project of Ruairi Richman. Combining nostalgic influences with modern production, Richman has performed in locations including Mexico City, Texas, Paris and Sweden.

After supporting Yungblud, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Sports Team, Lemonade Shoelace stepped back from touring to focus on songwriting and studio experimentation. The resulting release, Magnetised, is a five-track collection of psychedelic pop songs representing a new phase in the project’s sound and visual identity.

Pencil

Pencil are a five-piece London band that recently added guitarist Soph Nathan to the line-up. The group released the single Wingman in late 2025 and has performed at festivals and venues across the UK and Europe, including early appearances at Green Man and The Great Escape.

Following a debut single released through Moshi Moshi in 2023, the band independently released several additional tracks. Pencil have supported The Japanese House, received coverage from publications including So Young and recorded a BBC Radio 6 Music session with Marc Riley.

Saïna

Saïna is a North West London-based singer-songwriter, producer and DJ who graduated from the BRIT School. Her music combines alternative R&B, neo-soul and electronic influences with Japanese folk sounds and lyrics, reflecting the cultural diversity of London.

She has performed at XOYO, Hootananny, Tape London and Bush Hall, appeared at Amsterdam Dance Event with Pastel and supported Bluey Robinson, RUBII and Lewis Fitzgerald.

Her work has received support from BBC Introducing, BBC Radio London, Balamii and Reprezent Radio. Movie, her collaboration with Jackson Homer, was selected as track of the week by BBC Radio 1Xtra and featured on editorial playlists including Fresh Finds, New Music Friday and Life Sucks.

Sol Paradise

Sol Paradise is a London-born solo artist, multi-instrumentalist and producer working within the UK alternative jazz scene. Gilles Peterson has described him as a “great new talent”, while Spotify selected him as a Fresh Finds Artist of the Month and featured him on the cover of Fresh Finds UK.

His live record includes eight consecutive sold-out headline shows in London and a sold-out summer 2025 UK tour covering Glasgow, Bristol, Brighton and Norwich. The tour concluded with a hometown show at Omeara.

Later in 2025, Sol Paradise played his first sold-out international headline show in Paris and another sold-out London show at Dalston Curve Garden. In November, he joined Emma-Jean Thackray on her UK tour, which concluded at KOKO.

In 2026, he released the track Shelter. His music continues to receive support from John Kennedy of Radio X, Huw Stephens of BBC Radio 6 Music, Angela Griffin of BBC Radio 2 and Jess Iszatt of BBC Introducing.