With the Brit Awards 2024 just around the corner, its headline sponsor Mastercard has unveiled a new initiative to celebrate and platform the next generation of music. The organisation is spotlighting a group of trailblazing individuals who are working to drive real change in the music industry – across technology, diversity and inclusion.

The radio/TV presenter and journalist Vick Hope is fronting this year’s Mastercard campaign and sat down to chat to Stylist about some of the latest trends in the music industry, the importance of uplifting new talent and the legacy of music in the UK.

What are some of the new trends you’ve seen happen in the music industry over the last decade?

One major thing, which isn’t a wholly positive trend, is that songs can become hugely popular overnight on streaming and social media platforms, especially TikTok. An artist’s song can be clipped and used as a soundbite for a trend and that song may even rocket to the top of the charts but then we never hear from that artist again. It doesn’t feel as though there’s real development for an artist and their work – it’s simply chasing the next hit song.

It’s quite different to what an artist’s journey was like years ago when I was first starting out in the industry. We had spaces like 4Music and MTV where you could see artists honing their craft and building a fanbase and, more importantly, growing into the kind of artist they wanted to be. But the industry is so fast paced now and I worry that there isn’t always space for that growth anymore.

Even though social media does allow artists to reach listeners directly, it appears as though it’s also accelerated how artists are discovered and music is created.

It puts a lot of pressure on artists, and then you wonder how authentic is the music going to be if it’s been rushed through? This is why I find artists like Raye so inspiring. She took her career into her own hands and turned around and told the industry, “I’ll put out the album I want to make when I’m ready to make it and it’ll tell my story.” I think she’s paved the way for so many artists to now do the same. Social media can be a great tool insofar as someone like Raye is able to share her story directly to the world, in her own voice. There’s a lot more transparency.

Do you feel as though the music and radio industries have become more transparent?

In my opinion, yes definitely. I grew up during the 90s and 00s and listened to all these pop stars and bands but had no idea what sort of things were happening behind closed doors – from how these bands were put together to what being signed to a record label actually meant. Even though some parts of the industry are still hidden from the public, it does seem to be more transparent than it used to be, especially when it comes to artists sharing their experiences.

“It’s always about paving the way”: Vick Hope talks the Brit Awards, the next generation of music and what needs to change in the industry