Inspiring Voices Podcast | Singing, Mental Health & Music Education

Does what young people sing matter for their mental health and wellbeing? In these highlights from our live conversation, Do the Songs Matter? Repertoire, Agency and Young People's Mental Health, three experienced practitioners share how they choose songs for children and young people who may be struggling.Chanté Osagiede (actor, singer, music facilitator and programme coordinator at Living Song), Jenny Trattles (music education consultant and co-lead of ABRSM Voices) and Mark Bick (community musician, trainer and former chair of Sound Sense) talk about sad songs as a safe space to feel, why "happy clappy" repertoire rarely works with teenagers, handing young people control over what they sing, respecting their musical cultures, working alongside music therapists, and letting go of our assumptions about what young people will connect with.For singing leaders, choir leaders, music teachers and anyone supporting young people's mental health.

What does it take to create spaces where young people can truly be themselves? In this special episode, we share highlights from our live webinar launching Being Seen, Being Heard,Feeling Connected , the Sing Up Foundation’s new publication on how singing and vocal work can support children and young people’s mental health.

Professor Graham Welch (UCL), Benjamin Turner (Spit Game / Rap Club UK) and Sing Up chair Katherine Zeserson explore Connection Theory, the ‘world of the edit’ that young people are navigating, why disengagement is often a survival strategy rather than apathy, and brand new research showing that what matters isn’t singing well, it’s singing together.

A conversation about youth culture, creative spaces, and the conditions that make singing genuinely transformative.

Singing has been part of human life for at least 230,000 years. Dave Camlin is a passionate believer in its power — and has spent his career exploring what that means for communities and young people.

A professor of music education at the Royal College of Music and Trinity Laban Conservatoire, a community musician, and a friend of Sing Up since the very beginning, Dave joins Baz and Celi to talk about why there's a synchronicity to singing together that goes deeper than just sound, what the research tells us about singing and trauma, and why group singing might offer something that very few other activities can: a safe way to practise connection. They also get into the challenges of reaching young people who say they don't like singing, what happens to music-making in schools when we treat it as performance rather than participation, and Dave's bigger argument — that singing together lets us experience, not just imagine, a kinder and more connected world.

Dave also shares his book Music Making and Civic Imagination and the research behind it.

Thought-provoking and wide-ranging. Find all episodes at www.singupfoundation.org

Welcome to the second of our special Young Sessions episodes, where authentic voices reveal music's healing power. Hosts Baz Chapman and Celi Barberia continue their conversation with Afiya Lucombe-Davis from Lewisham Music, exploring how facilitators support young people's emotional expression without crossing into therapy territory. Then, performance poet Toni-Ann Gurdon sits down with two remarkable artists - rapper Mimi Mxnroe and H-Jay - for intimate conversations about using music as therapy, processing trauma through lyrics, and why authenticity beats perfection every time.

Discover how music becomes medicine when young people are given permission to be vulnerable and completely themselves. From processing difficult experiences through diss tracks to transforming pain into powerful spoken word, learn what happens when creativity meets healing - and why music often succeeds where traditional support falls short.

Hear honest discussions about music's limitations alongside its power, practical songwriting advice, and a stunning live performance of H-Jay's "Mirrors on Windows" - a spoken word piece about finding purpose through pain.

This episode explores the delicate balance between creative expression and emotional processing, revealing how safe spaces enable young people to transform their most difficult experiences into authentic art that heals both creator and audience.

Inspiring Voices is the podcast of the Sing Up Foundation, exploring how singing and vocal work support children and young people's mental health and wellbeing. Listen in and be inspired by the power of music to heal, connect, and transform lives.

Welcome to the first of our special Young Sessions episodes, where young voices take center stage. Hosts Baz Chapman and Celi Barberia speak with Afiya Lucombe-Davis, Community Programme Producer at Lewisham Music, about what makes safe creative spaces truly transformative for young people aged 14-19. Then, performance poet Toni-Ann Gurdon interviews four talented artists from Lewisham's Rap and Lyricism Collective and Vocal Collective about their creative journeys, songwriting processes, and the power of finding your authentic voice.

Discover how award-winning youth music charity Lewisham Music creates environments where hundreds of young people choose to explore their emotions through rap, lyricism, and vocals. From the importance of local facilitators who understand the community, to the freedom that comes from voluntary participation, learn what happens when young people are given genuine ownership of their creative development.

In this episode:

• Understand why facilitators from the local community create instant belonging and familiarity for young participants
• Learn how voluntary participation and freedom of choice transforms young people's relationship with their creativity
• Discover practical songwriting techniques like word association and beat selection that help artists express complex emotions
• Hear authentic conversations about processing difficult experiences through lyrics without crossing into therapy territory
• Explore how peer support creates environments where young people push each other to reach their potential
• Witness live freestyle performances that showcase the confidence and skills developed in safe creative spaces
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Featuring powerful insights from Jaden (Chris MA), Kwasi, Marley, and Ziggy as they share their creative processes, perform original work, and reveal how music has become their pathway to self-expression and growth.

Key Insights:

• Choice transforms everything: voluntary participation creates ownership that mandatory programs can't achieve
• Local facilitators who share community backgrounds generate instant trust and belonging
• Peer pressure becomes peer power when young people support each other's creative growth
• "No rules" doesn't mean chaos - it means freedom to find your authentic creative process
• Complex backgrounds become creative fuel when young people have safe spaces to express them
• Stepping-stone programs bridge the gap between beginner confidence and professional opportunities
• Live performance opportunities (like Royal Albert Hall) provide tangible goals that motivate continued participation
• Processing emotions through lyrics creates constructive outlets without requiring therapy training
• Beat selection and word association are practical tools any young person can use to improve their songwriting
• Safe spaces allow vulnerability to become strength rather than liability

Listen for these game-changing moments:"There's no rules. Literally. You can do whatever you like." - Kwasi on creative freedom"I just feel at peace and I feel comfortable. I feel like just ready to share and get feedback." - Jaden on safe spaces"They really push each other to get to their potential, essentially." - Afiya on peer support"It's giving you an outlet, essentially... how can we make it productive?" - Afiya on channeling emotions"Because it's free, you're under no obligation... giving young people ownership of their work." - Afiya on choice

We explore how racial and cultural barriers in music education impact children & young people's mental health & wellbeing, and examine the healing potential of inclusive singing practices. Baz and Celi are joined by Luqman Ali, co-founder and artistic director of Khayaal Theatre Company, the UK's first professional theatre company dedicated to Muslim literature and culture, and Natasha Hendry, a music psychologist whose research focuses on racial barriers in music education.

The conversation delves into the intersection of race and culture, the concept of "weathering" - the long-term health impacts of experiencing racism - and how singing can provide both immediate healing and contribute to broader social justice efforts. The guests share personal experiences of exclusion from formal music education, discuss the diversity within Muslim communities regarding music and singing, and offer practical guidance for educators wanting to create more inclusive musical environments.

In this episode of Inspiring Voices, hosts Baz Chapman and Celi Barberia welcome two guests who share both family ties and expertise in understanding music's impact on wellbeing. Dr Daisy Fancourt, Professor of Psychobiology and Epidemiology at UCL, brings research on how singing and arts engagement affect mental health across all ages - from mothers with postnatal depression to young people on mental health waiting lists. Joining her is composer Howard Goodall CBE, the first National Ambassador for Singing and creator of TV and film scores, who shares insights into why singing should be part of school and community life. Together, they explore the role of collective music-making in building resilience, the decline of arts provision in schools, the effects of COVID on community singing, and why singing together remains an important tool for connection and healing.

"We have created the ideology of normal... and if we don't deconstruct that, we will 100% be traumatising our young people."

Join Celi and Baz for a deeply honest conversation with BAFTA award-winning broadcasters and MBE recipients Carrie and David Grant. Long-time Sing Up friends, they share their family's journey raising four neurodivergent children in a household where music has always been part of daily life.

In this thoughtful episode, discover:

• How they created a music-filled home where instruments were always accessible and creativity flourished
• Why a TV lighting technician had more autism training than any teacher their child ever encountered
• The importance of "sitting in the ruins" with young people and validating their experience
• Moving stories from their career, including how their TV show helped a parent whose non-speaking child found their voice
• Why music is "free medicine" - accessible to everyone regardless of singing ability

From their early days creating empowering songs to supporting families through their autism parent group, Carrie and David share insights about questioning "normal," fostering belonging, and demonstrating how music can be both refuge and voice for children facing challenges.

A valuable listen for: Parents, teachers, music educators, and anyone working with children and young people. This conversation offers profound insights into acceptance, creativity, and the healing power of truly being heard.

Content warning: Discusses mental health challenges including suicide ideation.

Join us for a revealing conversation with B'Opera founder Zoe Challenor and Professor Rosie Perkins from the Royal College of Music as they explore the powerful dual impact of singing on child development and parental wellbeing.

Recorded during Maternal Mental Health Week, this episode combines accessible science with practical applications that singing leaders, educators, and healthcare professionals can implement in their work. Discover the research behind why babies listen longer to singing than speaking, how singing measurably reduces stress hormones, and the ways musical experiences create what our experts call a "virtuous circle" of wellbeing between parent and child.

Learn about Professor Perkins' research showing how group singing accelerates recovery from postnatal depression, and how Zoe's work in Birmingham Children's Hospital demonstrates improved physiological responses in babies during singing sessions. Our guests share tangible strategies for creating inclusive, responsive musical experiences that address both children's developmental needs and caregiver mental health simultaneously.

Whether you're a music professional seeking evidence-based approaches, a teacher looking for new tools, or simply interested in the science of early childhood, this episode offers valuable insights into creating sustainable, accessible singing programs across various settings—from libraries and community gardens to healthcare environments.

Tune in to enhance your professional practice and be inspired by the transformative potential of singing to nurture wellbeing across generations.

A quick preview of the second half of Series 2 of Inspiring Voices.