The Youth Music Awards 2026 made history this week as the prestigious ceremony took place outside London for the first time, bringing a celebration of the UK’s brightest emerging music talent to Liverpool’s iconic St George’s Hall.
Held on Wednesday 28 October, the awards recognised the artists, innovators and community projects helping to shape the future of British music. The evening featured live performances, special guest appearances and recognition for those making a difference in grassroots music.
Hosted by Crystal Raybe and Success Ariyibi, the ceremony brought together an impressive collection of music industry figures, including The Wombats’ Dan Haggis, Lisa Maffia, Youth Music Co-Chair Guvna B, Michael Aldag and Lady Ice.
Winners were selected by a panel of industry experts and artists including Myles Smith, BICEP, Sister Bliss of Faithless, ALT BLK ERA and Jess Iszatt.
A Historic Night for Liverpool’s Music Scene
The decision to bring the Youth Music Awards to Liverpool marked a significant milestone for the event, recognising the city’s rich musical heritage and its status as a UNESCO City of Music.
The move also highlighted the importance of supporting grassroots music opportunities beyond London, with 86% of Youth Music funding currently supporting organisations outside the capital.
Liverpool rapper KOJ was among the night’s winners, taking home the Lyricist Award sponsored by PRS for Music.
Known for his distinctive blend of grime, rap and punk, KOJ has established himself as one of the city’s exciting emerging artists, with his powerful storytelling and socially conscious lyrics exploring the realities of modern Britain.
The rapper also opened the ceremony with ‘Humble Abode’, a track written and recorded exclusively for the Youth Music Awards, before taking to the stage to perform ‘A Roadman’s Tale of Home’ and ‘Punk Panther’.
Another Liverpool connection came courtesy of Dan Haggis from The Wombats, who presented the Outstanding Project Award to West Yorkshire organisation Conscious Youth CIC for its Elevation Music initiative.
The project supports young people aged 16 to 25 through songwriting, production, recording, live performance and music industry development. The rest of The Wombats also appeared in a special video message congratulating the organisation on its achievement.
Celebrating the Next Generation of Music Talent
Among the other winners were London duo TRXTH & RHIA, who received the Original Track Award (Group) for their song ‘Stay Alive’, while electronic music producer and violinist IMVN claimed the Music Producer Award.
Sister Bliss of Faithless presented IMVN’s award through a special video message, praising the artist’s distinctive sound and creative vision.
North West organisation TiPP was also recognised, winning the Social Action Award for its Rhythm and Renewal project, which uses music and creative activities to support young people involved in the youth justice system.
Elsewhere, Righteous Reck was named Rising Star (Artist), while Rianne Lewis received the Rising Star (Industry) Award for her work creating opportunities for emerging musicians through her platform RUN IT.
The evening featured live performances from Roukaya B, Cherry Seraph, Righteous Reck, Livvy K, IMVN and BEASTIE, followed by an official afterparty featuring Tracks on Tap and a DJ set from Hannah Lynch of Girls Don’t Sync, joined by G33.
Calls for Greater Support for Grassroots Music
While the awards celebrated the achievements of emerging talent, the evening also highlighted the challenges facing grassroots music organisations across the UK.
Youth Music CEO Adam Joolia called for greater collaboration and investment from government and the music industry, warning that more than a third of grassroots youth music projects remain at risk.
Speaking about the importance of the sector, he said: “The grassroots music ecosystem is more than just a talent pipeline. It’s about who gets to take part, empowerment, connection and joy. Grassroots music doesn’t start with a stage or a venue. It starts at the places we celebrate at the Youth Music Awards: the youth clubs, community centres and projects.”
He added: “It’s an honour to recognise so many inspiring young people at this year’s Awards. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees!”
Youth Music Awards 2026: Full Winners List
- Rising Star Award (Industry): Rianne Lewis
- Inspirational Music Leader: Abi Johnson – The Music Works
- Young Leader Award: Ria Leah – The Spit Game UK
- Original Track Award (Group): TRXTH & RHIA – ‘Stay Alive’
- Lyricist Award: KOJ
- Music Video Award: Hillarynx – ‘The 3rd’
- Music Producer Award: IMVN
- Outstanding Project Award: Conscious Youth CIC – Elevation Music
- Original Track Award (Solo): BEASTIE – ‘Pilot’
- Social Action Award: TiPP – Rhythm and Renewal
- Rising Star Award (Artist): Righteous Reck
The Youth Music Awards 2026, held in association with Wingstop, showcased the breadth of emerging talent across the UK while reinforcing the vital role grassroots organisations play in making music accessible to young people.
For Liverpool, hosting the ceremony was another opportunity to celebrate the city’s musical identity while shining a spotlight on the next generation of artists and creatives.
To find out more visit youthmusic.org.uk/awards
