Young Huddersfield artists shifting the narrative on drill music

Two young Huddersfield artists are challenging perceptions of drill music through original tracks, which have been combined with classical music.

JHS Driss and KelzGoneWest have been supported by Yorkshire Youth & Music, a charity that uses music to help children and young people build confidence, express themselves and access new opportunities.

Through a West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) initiative, the duo created tracks drawing on their own experiences, changing the narrative on drill music, and giving young people a platform to tell their own stories.

The pair collaborated with the Musica Youth Strings orchestra and filmed live performances at Huddersfield Town Hall earlier this year.

Their tracks, License to Drill and Winter Knights, officially launched at a Kirklees youth conference on Friday 2nd October.

At the event, organised by Local Services 2 You at the University of Huddersfield, KelzGoneWest performed a special track for the audience alongside the Marsden-based Rossignol String Quartet.

Artist KelzGoneWest said:

"I didn’t just benefit from being able to come to the studio, it changed my life, kept me out of trouble and helped open my mind to new people and new opportunities giving me a safe space to speak on my emotions, trials and tribulations through my art and gave me the chance to meet other amazing, talented people who share the same drive and ambition as me to create music.

“Music has been like therapy to me and has helped keep me out the way of violence, giving not just me but a lot of people like myself a voice to speak on what they go through and how they feel.

“Just as important for us has been the constructive criticism and help from people like Dan that know about the music industry and what to expect and to strive for."

Artist JHS Driss said:

"The orchestra experience was mind-blowing for me. It really opened my eyes to instrumental music and showed me a different side of music that I hadn’t really experienced before.

“It opened up a career path for me, and I’m really grateful that I got the opportunity to be part of it. Working with the other young people and the mentors, and then getting to perform, was an experience I’ll never forget.

“It showed me what we could do when we were given the opportunity and the support to create together.”

KelzGoneWest is now volunteering with Yorkshire Youth & Music to support other young people, while JHS Driss is studying a degree in construction management.

The VRP project aims to demonstrate the positive potential of drill music, showing it can offer young people a creative outlet and a way their voices can be heard.

FarangDan, Yorkshire Youth & Music’s music leader and producer, helped write and develop both tracks, Musica’s Will Mace arranged and programmed the melodies into sheet music, Peter Simons conducted both tracks and Huddersfield artist Thabo supported with the development of the performance.

Becky Pugh, Deputy Director at Yorkshire Youth & Music, said:

"JHS Driss and KelzGoneWest, with production support from FarangDan, put their own experiences and ideas at the centre of this project, and the tracks show what happens when young people are trusted to lead.

“Working with Musica Kirklees string players pushed them creatively, and they responded with commitment, skill and pride in what they've made.

"We're especially proud that KelzGoneWest now volunteers for us supporting other young people in lyric writing and production. Seeing someone move from taking part to helping others find their voice is exactly what we hope for when we open the studio doors."

Peter Simons, Assistant Principal at Musica Kirklees, said:

“Musica Youth Strings were delighted to be part of this unique project.

“It provided an opportunity for the strings to broaden their horizons and perform drill music, which is a genre of music they are not familiar with. It also provided opportunity for the artists to work with the strings and develop their knowledge of the classical instruments and their capabilities.

“It was great to see both young men grow in confidence and deliver a superb performance. A superb collaboration bringing two different styles of music together.”

Baroness Alison Lowe OBE, West Yorkshire’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, said:

“It’s fantastic to see the confidence and opportunities the young artists have gained through this initiative.

“For children and young people to thrive they need the space, support, and the freedom to pursue their passions, whether that’s music or art, dance, or sport.

“It’s crucial that we put them at the heart of our decision making and vision for a safer, fairer West Yorkshire.”