A group of young people have released a powerful 11-track album called ‘Positive Choices’.
The album, which is available digitally, takes its name from the Positive Choices project which supports young people in the city by involving them in a number of creative, musical after school sessions.
The project ran for two years at Sydney Stringer Academy, Foxford School, The Westwood Academy and Grace Academy. During this time, pupils learnt invaluable skills such as song writing, musical production and how to play various instruments.
Now the young people have put those skills to the test and created this original album. The album is unapologetically authentic and tackles many topics relevant to young Coventry residents. It touches on themes such as heartbreak but also provides raw social commentary by shining a light on difficult topics like gang violence and the cost-of-living crisis.
The creators showcase their wide array of interests and talents by engaging with multiple genres on the album such as RNB, UK Rap, Spoken Word, Latin and Electronica.
During the production the pupils were able to rely on Coventry's diverse and talented music scene with a large number of organisations such Soundlab-Cov, Studio X, Media Mania, The Tin Music and Arts lending their support to the album's production. Coventry's Grammy award winning artist Daddy Woody also recorded vocals to an instrumental reggae tune produced by the young people.
The album is the second project released by the Positive Choices scheme with the first album 'In These Towns' being released earlier this year. The project continues to highlight the tremendous musical talent found in the city's schools.
Cllr Dr Kindy Sandhu, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: "As the birthplace of 2-tone and pioneering bands like The Specials and The Selecter, our city has such a rich musical heritage. That's why it's fantastic to see projects like Positive Choices helping to discover and nurture the next generation of Coventry musicians.
"This project is all about broadening the horizons of our young people and giving them a creative outlet for them to focus their energy on. I'm thankful to all our partners who have helped us bring this invaluable project to life.
"Lastly, I just want to say a huge congratulations to all the young people involved in this project. Creating an album like this requires not only skill but incredible amounts of dedication and hard work too. I am so proud of you all. "
The album can be found on YouTube.
The Positive Choices project is funded by Youth Music and was delivered by the Coventry Music Hub in collaboration with local schools, West Midlands Police and the Schools Violence Reduction Team. To hear more about the project please watch the video below.
For all the latest with the Coventry Music Hub, please visit their website.