Christopher BarrettYolanDa Brown, chair of recorded music industry body the BPI, has launched a crowdfunder to open a music venue and restaurant in London.
Brown took over as BPI chair from film producer and ex-head of Sony Music UK Ged Doherty in July last year. A MOBO Award winning saxophonist, and BAFTA-nominated broadcaster, Brown has partnered with music manager Adetokunbo “T” Oyelola with the aim of raising £500,000 in 50 days to open a Music Mama venue in London.
A statement on their Kickstarter page reads, “Launching a restaurant is extremely expensive and the extra element of a music venue even more so. We already have some funds, but we need to raise more to cover things like soundproofing, tech, lighting and more.”
Brown is also chair of Youth Music, on the national council of the Arts Council, a trustee of PRS Foundation, an ambassador for both the Prince’s Trust and London Music Fund and a champion for the children’s mental health charity Place2Be. Additionally she sits on the advisory board of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and contributes to the Government’s advisory panel on Music Education.