Wingstop UK specialises in serving amazing Flavour, with ten unique flavours across its range of fried chicken. With stores ranging from Soho to Cardiff and Glasgow to Southampton, Wingstop UK operates over 70 restaurants around the United Kingdom. 

Since launching in London in 2018, Wingstop have invested heavily in supporting emerging musicians and contributing to the music culture in every city and town they operate in. From hosting in-store meet and greets, working with local artists for restaurant launches, catering at musical festivals to running their own end of year party, Flavours, Wingstop has become synonymous with the UK music scene. 

As Wingstop continues to grow around the UK, they will be exploring new and exciting ways to support musicians, labels and, most importantly, young artists across the country. 

Max Wood

Max is a content creator, radio host, presenter and music journalist. His social media channels are a hub for UK Rap content, featuring interviews with some of the biggest artists, freestyles from the next gen of talent, as well as deep dives into the best albums and keeping you up to date with UK music news. He has also worked with brands, events, and festivals to provide unique and engaging coverage of relevant moments in the culture.

Melissa Dee

An award-winning presenter, Melissa Dee has hosted and set the vibes at events including All Points East, Cross the Tracks Festival and SXSW London which have all brought together a community of music lovers across the nation. Her weekly radio show helps to amplify the British voices of R&B/Soul. The journey has just begun but the purpose is clear: to foster a vibrant community of music enthusiasts and to champion the rich legacy of R&B.

Chloe Nattrass

“Part-Time Musician, Full-Time Embarrassment” is the tagline content creator, presenter, and independent artist Chloe Nattrass uses when introducing herself. Hailing from the North East of England, Nattrass has been writing and releasing music since she was 17. Her debut EP, Is This What It Will Always Be Like?, dropped in June 2024 — a five-track collection of emotionally charged pop that caught the attention of A&R teams at both Warner Music and Polydor. 

Since then, Nattrass has been steadily growing her online presence through TikTok, where her candid, comedic takes on pop culture and television have resonated with a wide audience. Her unique voice and engaging style earned her a presenting role with the BRIT Awards as one of their POV creators. She’s since contributed to over 6.6 million engagements across their social platforms and racked up more than 7.5 million views on her own — interviewing rising stars like The Last Dinner Party and Good Neighbours along the way.

Nakeira Westmaas

Nakeira is a South London-born presenter with Guyanese roots and a big love for Caribbean culture. Whether it’s the carnival energy of soca, the raw edge of dancehall, or the smooth grooves of UK R&B and hip-hop – she is here for it. She’s also an Arsenal supporter and works in football and sports. 

You’ll catch her interviewing artists, footballers, fans, and celebs – whether it’s backstage at a festival, on the red carpet, or in the heart of a press junket. She's all about spotlighting the intersections where music, sports, film and culture collide. Expect big energy, chat for days, and a whole heap of vibes.

Ellen Shorthouse

Ellen Shorthouse is an editor and videographer based in West Yorkshire. After recently graduating from LIPA, she is now continuing her studies with OCA with a focus on visual communications and filmmaking. Prior to her university education, she completed her ALevels in Production Arts at CAPA College, which catalysed her love for live events and working with emerging talent. 

Ellen’s passion for music has led her to working with emerging artists and musicians across the UK, including events at the Royal Albert Hall and documenting the process of an earlycareer band creating their first album. Ellen is dedicated to making live events accessible to everyone through her practice in filmmaking, editing, and videography. She believes in creating an immersive experience for an online audience.

Whelan Barzey

Whelan Barzey is a journalist, podcast host, and community organiser with a focus on uplifting the lived experience of marginalised groups. This passion has underpinned his work for the likes of The British Blacklist, TimeOut London, and My London respectively.

Since first coming aboard the Youth Music team as an interviewer for the 2021 awards show, he has become ever-present. Over the years, his conversations with music's brightest talents have induced laughter, tears, and meaningful discussions about creating equity and diversity in the music industry.

Mollie Taylor

Mollie is a 24 year old Social Media Manager, Content Creator, Producer, Songwriter and Artist (Mollie Coddled) from Yorkshire.

Olly Carter

Olly Carter is a podcaster, content creator and music industry professional based in Liverpool. He is the founder and host of Sound Advice, an award-nominated weekly podcast where he interviews people working behind the scenes in the music business, sharing advice for independent artists navigating the industry. So far Olly has spoken to guests from the likes of AWAL, Sentric, Music Venues Trust, BBC Introducing and more, releasing over 60 episodes and counting and having been featured in Music Week.

Originally moving to Liverpool 5 years ago to study music, Olly launched Sound Advice in 2023 out of a passion for the city’s vibrant independent scene, and tackles everything from the big issues of venue closures and gender equity to practical insights on getting gigs and building a fanbase. He also works in music marketing and content creation, having taken positions at organisations such as The Tung Auditorium and The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.

Cherise Squire

Hey, I’m Cherise Squire – good vibes curator, creative storyteller, and self-proclaimed matcha enthusiast!  I’m all about confidence, creativity, and conversations. With a camera in one hand and a ring light in the other, I’m here to capture moments you’ll actually want to remember.

Madelaine Stonehouse-Hedley

I'm an emerging events professional and musician based in the North East, with a passion for grassroots music, especially my local Tees Valley scene. I currently promote gigs under Little Miss Music Promo and have worked on a range of music and outdoor arts events across the region. I'm also an events management apprentice and play bass in an indie alt-rock band that I love.

Drusila Pons

With a background in event management and logistics coordination, her love for soul, r&b and other genres how allowed her to grow within the music community in the UK and support upcoming artists. Young, talent individual looking to assist the growing music scene in any way possible.

Isha Lakhani

Isha Lakhani is a final-year Events Management student at Oxford Brookes University with a passion for creating seamless experiences. Known for always spotting the logistics behind any event, she’s excited to join the Youth Music Awards 2025 as an Event Runner, supporting a day that celebrates emerging talent and champions diversity and inclusion in music.

Grace Bower

Grace Bower is a creative producer and presenter from Rotherham, where she helped deliver the town’s year as the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture. She has produced major youth-led events and regularly hosts festivals across the region, as well as presenting The Next Stage on Rotherham Radio, a platform for emerging local talent. Grace is excited to join the Youth Music Awards team for her first gig in the Big Smoke.

Tiffy Lo

Studying in London and originally from Hong Kong, Tiffy is a student entrepreneur focused on cross-border marketing between the global and Chinese market. She served as tour manager for DragonForce’s 2025 China tour and is currently preparing for the next round of NextGen applications. You’ll catch her at the YMA 2025, learning, connecting, and building toward her vision of bridging music cultures worldwide!

Kate Rice

Kate (she/her) is a Birmingham based creative and dancer passionate about facilitating and inspiring children and adolescents to keep pursuing creative outlets and help break down barriers with accessing this. Kate aspires to be able to coordinate and help produce both larger scale and community-based events and projects within the arts, championing grassroots venues and initiatives. 

Kate has a particular interest in how the arts, in particular music and dance, can help positively impact mental health and is really excited for the opportunity to work at the Youth Music Awards, to gain valuable career experience whilst celebrating such brilliant individuals and initiatives.  

Isabel Eustace

Hey, I'm Izzy, a recent geography graduate looking to pursue a career within the music industry. I’ve previously stage-managed gigs and recently completed an internship as a Curated Programme Coordinator. I applied to be an event runner to build my skills and confidence whilst working my biggest event to date. I love Youth Music’s mission, and I'm beyond excited to have the opportunity to be an event runner at the Youth Music Awards!

Mwathi Muriu-Gakonga

Mwathi is a music lover whose passion for events comes from bringing people together through shared experiences. He enjoys creating spaces where audiences can have a great time and leave with lasting memories. Excited to join the Youth Music Awards team, Mwathi looks forward to contributing his skills and being part of celebrating the amazing work Youth Music does.

Jack Oliver

Jack Oliver is a 20 year-old Photographer based in Manchester and Bristol who’s work mainly centres around music photography across England as well as portrait photography. Despite his age Jack has a plethora of experience across different sectors of photography and videography with him being a part of sports media teams, working as a director for music videos and photographing gigs at over 20 venues and multiple festivals.

Jess Robinson

Jess is a freelance photographer from Manchester specialising in live music and events. After studying her undergraduate in music Jess found her skill for visual creativity through taking photos of her friends playing gigs around the city then went on to start her career in photography and now works with several bands, artists and organisations in Manchester and beyond. 

(Nga Kei) Katie Ho

Based between London and Milton Keynes, Katie is a photographer specialising in event and performance photography. Growing up in Hong Kong, they developed a passion for capturing people in motion and emotion, sharing the world through their lens. Often found buzzing around concerts, theatre shows and conferences, Katie feels most at ease behind the camera.

Lauren Mikki Burrow

Lauren is a versatile and committed music professional whose work spans artistry, songwriting, event curation, and grassroots advocacy. Whether creating original music, championing gender equality, or producing community-driven events, she is passionate about shaping a music industry she’s proud to be part of. 

Her music has been featured on BBC Radio 6, Spotify’s Fresh Finds UK & IE, and Universal’s Production Music library, reflecting both her creative range and growing influence. With a steadily expanding portfolio, Lauren is carving out a rich, purpose-driven career in music.

Isobel Tidball

From the West Midlands and a big jazz fan, I love how music connects people. I enjoy singing and playing bass, and I’m passionate about supporting women in the industry. I’m proud to celebrate and amplify the voices of young artists shaping the future and excited to join the Youth Music team!