Class of 2019 Show : Interview with Trainee Chris-el

The Class of 2019 Show is on the 16th and 17th of May

Welcome Chris-el, thank you so much for talking to me today. . We have got the Class of 2019 end of year show coming up in a couple of weeks. What are you going to performing?

I’ll be performing an original called Stinging Nettle.  It’s kind of about my journey at ELAM and how I’ve grown a lot from when I started when I was quite nervous and all I would write about was love because it was easier for me!  Now I’m kind of exploring different things and yeah that’s just what it’s about.

And how do you feel about ELAM coming to an end with just a couple of weeks left?

It’s bittersweet man! I’m definitely going to miss everyone, I’m going to miss you, my favourite teacher! At the same time I feel like I’m ready. And I’ve been ready for a while to just (this might bite me later on in the future) but I feel like I’m ready for everything now...

And what are you planning on doing once you leave ELAM?

I’ll be on a Gap year and full time work as much as I can and then just studio time, writing and more meetings with different managers.  Stuff that I’ve been doing at ELAM but stuff that I'll have more time to do now in full.

You’ve  got some exciting stuff coming up, you’ve got a Sofar session next week?

Yeah I’m so excited!

And what are you going to be singing there?

I’ve got a 25 minute set... Oh my god and I’m getting paid for it! I’m singing Stinging Nettle (with my band not just acoustic)  and then a song called Lemon Haze and coconut water, love lessons which is a bit french and just songs like that...

And do you have a pre-show ritual?

Most of the time because I’ve been at ELAM with my friends it’s just being with them at the moment.  My friend Lily told me that at their old singing group they used to look in the mirror and say something like “I am magnificent” three times! So I’ve been doing that a lot but there’s no mirror in the green room so I’ve just been doing it into Jaz’s saxophone (laughing) and say “I am magnificent” and that works yeah!!

Would you say you are a diva?

I’m wearing sunglasses inside! I’m definitely a diva. (laughs)

What do you think would be your ultimate career goal when it comes to music?

I wanna tour the world! But I mean like stadium tour, that would be mad! I went to see Taylor Swift, I’m not the biggest fan but she did a stadium tour and it was crazy, there were big fireworks and dancers and everything  and she had an acoustic section as I was just like “wow”. I’d love that.

And who would you aspire to be like the most in that type of career?

Harry Styles! (Laughs)  Obviously I love Harry Styles and with his shows, obviously I don’t make rock music, but with his shows he has has rock and then he has a little section of the show where he comes out on stage and it’s just him and his guitar for like half an hour and then he goes back and, obviously I do a different genre, I would want to be doing my harcore stuff, my hardcore R&B stuff and then I’d want to come away and do my acoustic sad lovely dovey R&B stuff too.

What has been your ELAM highlight over the two years?

It wouldn’t be my own performance.  Obviously I love my own performances but seeing my friends on stage is my favourite.  You know Cameron Skelton? He did Purple Rain in Shoreditch. His solo! I think everyone in the room said this was one of the maddest moments of ELAM because everyone was like what! It was just silent and then we were all screaming at the end, it was just crazy! It was my favourite, definitely my favourite.

If you could collaborate with anyone in ELAM who would it be?

Izzy Cofie.  Izzy Cofie…...Isaac Cofie.  I would love to be on a garage track!

And out of ELAM?

Have you heard of Lianne La HAvas?  Her. 100%. I would die, I would pass out! I’m like her biggest fan.

Catch Chris-el performing at Class of 2019 this Thursday 16th May

Reach & ELAM announce innovative partnership

 Today Reach Academy Feltham and East London Arts and Music announced a partnership to broaden the access to an exceptional music education for young people in London.

From September 2019 , Reach will be delivering ELAM’s innovative Extended Diploma in Music, a course which has rapidly developed a reputation as the industry standard course. ELAM will share their curriculum and train and develop the Reach music teachers, while giving Reach students access to the wide range of opportunities that their trainees enjoy.

Since the school opened in 2012, Reach has developed a high quality music provision in the school with more than a hundred pupils learning an instrument, a thriving cohort studying music at Key Stage 4 and choir, groups and performance opportunities. Executive Principal Ed Vainker said: “This is an incredibly exciting development. We have long admired ELAM and are delighted that Music at Reach is going to take another big step forwards with students studying an innovative course and being prepared for a career in the music industry.”

The collaboration comes at a time when music education is struggling, with the BPI reporting a 21% decrease in music provision in state schools over the past five years and a worrying decline in music in schools serving vulnerable communities.

ELAM, which opened in 2014, was set up to address the abundant support of young creative talent across East London and the growing demand within the UK’s creative sector. The collaboration will increase access to ELAM’s approach. Principal Charlie Kennard said: “ELAM is getting 500 applications a year for 75 places in Music and we are having to turn away a lot of talented musicians with great potential. Working with Reach, in another part of London, is a pilot that could become the way we provide more young people with this experience”.

Students interested in the course should visit https://www.reachacademysixthform.com/ for more information. For more information or to arrange an interview, email ed.vainker@reachacademy.org.uk or ckennard@elam.co.uk.

Notes:

1)     Reach Academy Feltham is an all-through free school in the London borough of Hounslow. The school was judged outstanding in 2014 and recently featured in the documentary ‘H is for Harry’. More information at www.reachacademyfeltham.com               

2)     ELAM is a 16-19 Academy specialising in music, games design and film and television. It was judged outstanding in 2016 and developed exceptional links with the creative industries. More information at www.elam.co.uk

Stormzy Masterclass

Stormzy delivered a masterclass alongside Mo the Comedian this week, in partnership with Adidas on the theme of using your community. We gave him a little glimpse of the future MCs coming through to take his throne.

Launch of ELAM Innovation Lab in Partnership with YouTube

We officially opened our Innovation Lab on Wednesday 12th September. The Innovation Lab which has been developed in partnership with YouTube contains green-screen facilities for visual effects and motion capture, with a multi-camera vision mixer setup and dynamic studio lighting utilising 360 degree camera technology. All this impressive kit will allow us to create some truly groundbreaking content which is what we do best. ELAM Alumni Shireen, Ezria, RASiDA and Y.P all performed on the launch.

Azi Eftekhari, Head of Music Content Partnerships, UK, commented: “YouTube is committed to fostering the next generation of musical artists and are so pleased to be working with ELAM on the launch of the Innovation Lab. We look forward to seeing the success of future students from the programme.”

‘Battle of Nature’s Finest’ An awesome 3D Tower Defence game where you can save the world!!

On a planet where fruit inhabit the lands and are ruled peacefully by the Giant Pumpkin King, they must protect their kingdom against the vengeful vegetables who are out to destroy that peace. You control. You protect.

Battle of Nature’s Finest: Fruit vs Veg or BNF: FvsV for short is a 3D Top Down Tower Defence game where you control the battle between the Nature’s Finest. In an array of stages, you will battle to protect various lands within the kingdom of the fruits and stop the vegetables from passing through, using your many fruity troops, each with their own unique personalities.

“A fun game to work on, been cool to be a big part of the visuals”

— Andrea Pop

“One of the best projects I have worked on so far, I definitely want to expand and make it even better and more unique”

— Christopher Halliday

The game is currently in its beta stage after 6 weeks and the developers are planning on adding a lot more to it in the coming week. Including new Bosses, extra levels and possibly more recruits to the ranks. This is a game anyone can play anywhere and will no doubt prove to be a hit. The game after a web release will be continuously worked on for a later mobile release. Watch this Space.

Fresh Labs is an Independent company working in game development, they are only a few months old but hope to get our name out there by producing awesome games like Battle of Nature’s Finest' and more.

Contact Team Details:

Games director: challiday@elam.co.uk , Christopher Halliday

Visual Artist: apop@elam.co.uk , Andrea Pop

Programmer: amarmo@elam.co.uk , Andrew Marmo

Sound Designer: mchummun@elam.co.uk , Mohammad Chummun

'Lost Melody' A Brilliant Game Influenced by Legendary Music

Restore music back into the world as you dive into the world of 'Lost melody'. Queen and Bowie are singing  a duet in  concert when suddenly they are transported into a dull world where music does not exist. Join the duo on their adventure as they begin their journey in order to regain colour into a world so dark.

““This is probably one of the best games that I have personally created and I am proud to be the games director for this game””

— Islam Dallali, Games Director and Programmer

Due to captivating and addictive gameplay. Players can enjoy their time playing as Queen, with the help of Bowie as her companion as they put on live concerts. However, the duo must fend off against dark forces that want to top Bowie’s and Queen's attempt to bring music and joy back into the world. The game currently has 2 playable and repayable levels with a variety of musical tracks to accompany them. The player must also fend off the enemies to the beat of the music, making audio an essential part of gameplay.

You can also follow the development of the game by following Islam Dallali’s twitter account where he will be documenting new updates about the game. You can follow him using this link. You can also follow Blade Studios, a games studio that Islam Dallali and Saikumar, another ELAM trainee have started with this link to follow any updates in what we could be making next.