Leeds band English Teacher receive award for 'unwavering commitment' to grassroots music at Youth Music Awards
Leeds band English Teacher is set to be receive an award for their “unwavering commitment” to supporting grassroots music.
The Mercury Prize winning four-piece have been named as the recipients of Youth Music’s Grassroots Hero Award.
The award acknowledges the band’s support for local music venues and the entire grassroots music scene and will be presented at the Youth Music Awards, on Wednesday, October 15, at the Troxy in London.
43 Youth Music Award nominees have also been announced across 11 categories, selected by an panel of industry experts, including ‘Pass Out’-singer Tinie Tempah.
English Teacher have been rewarded for their advocacy efforts and for the backing of overlooked, underfunded and unrepresented projects in the grassroots music scene.
The group has a long-standing history with Youth Music, having been selected through on open call for mentoring at the Youth Music-funded project, Music:Leeds, in 2019.
English Teacher front woman, Lily Fontaine, commented on the award win: “Youth Music were there for me at a time when I was struggling to find a way to keep pushing towards a career in music.
“Through financing vital regional support networks like Come Play With Me and Music: Leeds, and through personally hiring me to explore my interest in music journalism, to giving us the Rising Star Award (Artist) in 2022, I’m really grateful to them for being such an important part of my personal and the band’s evolution.”
The Grassroots Hero Award is the only category announced ahead of the ceremony. All other award winners across the evening’s categories will be revealed on the night.
The 2025 awards will also shine a spotlight on Youth Music’s Rescue the Roots campaign, launched to protect grassroots youth music projects from closure. Every pound raised will be matched up to £1 million, creating £2 million to support youth organisations and emerging creatives in urgent need.