Moderator: Trina Smith [Electric Pineapple]
Panelists: Andrew Kingslow [Electric Pineapple], Chris Papadopoulos [Principal Lecturer in Public Health], Amity Miller [Artist] & Ben Lunn [Composer, Musicians Union]
Panel Description
Join us for an insightful conversation exploring the challenges and opportunities of navigating the music business through a neurodivergent mindset. Led by music producer, Andrew Kingslow, we’ll be shedding light on the pitfalls and mental dangers faced as our businesses and success scale up.
Discover the unique perspective of a successful individual who was diagnosed with Autism four years ago. Andrew Kingslow's journey in the music industry has not only elevated his career but also presented him with significant challenges. Through an engaging panel discussion with like-minded individuals, we will delve into the prevalence of neurodiversity within our industry and the struggles experienced when the neurotypical business setup.
Key topics of discussion will include:
Understanding the impact of neurodiversity in the workplace
Overcoming challenges and leveraging the strengths of neurodiverse individuals
Building a mental health toolkit to prevent burnout, addiction, and depression
Promoting inclusivity and creating a supportive environment
This seminar offers a frank and unfiltered exploration into the world of the Neuromuso. Gain valuable insights and practical strategies that can be implemented to foster a more inclusive and diverse business environment.
Andrew Kingslow [Electric Pineapple]
Andrew Kingslow composes and produces soundtracks for award winning film, television and advertising as well as playing an integral role in commercial music too. A classically trained multi-instrumentalist passionate about crafting authenticity into every note, he enhances emotive story telling through sound from his state of the art facilities in London. His work has won industry recognition and captured the imaginations of audiences globally
Trina Smith [Electric Pineapple]
Trina Smith is the business half of the Electric Pineapple duo. In an industry known for taking advantage of composers, artists and managers alike Trina is the 'David' always taking on 'Goliath' and fighting to stand up for the underdog; the creatives and the talent, to make sure they get the rewards, acknowledgement and respect for their hard work. With her quick thinking, determined and fearless approach she is fast becoming a recognised name in the music industry as a tenacious manager with uncompromising standards for fair treatment.
Dr Chris Papadopoulos [Principal Lecturer in Public Health]
Dr Chris Papadopoulos is the Founder and Chair of the London Autism Group Charity and co-host of The Autism Podcast, the UK's most popular autism-related podcast. Chris, born and raised in north London, is a parent of three children, two of whom are autistic. Chris is also a principal lecturer in public health and director of health research at the University of Bedfordshire, regularly conducting autism-stigma related research aimed at improving policy and professional practice. He is a regular contributor to the Spectator and Daily Express, and makes regular media related contributions and appearances either to discuss public health related issues such as Covid-19 or to discuss his Charity's work. His email is chris.papadopoulos@beds.ac.uk and his Twitter is @chrispaps.
Amity Miller [Artist]
Prepare to “rethink everything you know and love about music” (David Lofts, guitarist with The Orb). Amity’s dark, defiant and dramatic sound has garnered accolades in The Guardian newspaper, who described Amity’s voice as “miraculous” with “dense surreal lyricism”, comparing Amity to Adele and Regina Spektor. Amity’s hard-hitting songs and emotive performances have scooped numerous national and international competition successes, most recently winning the Royal Albert Hall’s hunt for the next generation of emerging talent, Future Makers 2023, hot off the heels of the SAYS panel of industry judges listing Amity in the UK’s top 30 young songwriters in his category.
Already twice award-nominated this autumn, his raw, powerhouse voice and vivid, moving lyrics have made him a regular performer at Sessions58 Rise, where he is the youngest-ever artist. Hailed by Shoreditch’s Q club as “a true prodigy on our stage” and talent scouted by numerous major TV shows on both sides of the Atlantic, Amity increasingly appears at important venues across London including a recent performance at the Royal Albert hall.
Praised by Durham Magazine as “profound, broody and rebellious”, Amity’s empowering lyrics are imprinted by his drive for justice, inner healing, freedom and an overriding determination to lift up those who are struggling, along the way documenting his own ongoing journey from darkness to light. Amity, who is autistic and queer, has written professionally with Dee Adam (Dido, Kaiser Chiefs, Newton Faulkner) and is currently writing with Andrew Kingslow (John Legend). “The talent Amity exudes is immense. You’ll all know his name in a couple of years”. Trina Smith, EPMG
Ben Lunn [Composer - Musician Union]
Ben Lunn has forged himself a unique position within the new music landscape. As a composer, Lunn’s music reflects the material world around him, connecting to his North-Eastern heritage or how disability impacts the world around him or his working-class upbringing. Alongside this, he has become renowned for his championship of others, which have seen him creating unique collaborations with musicians from across the globe and developing unique concert experiences and opportunities for others. He has won accolades from the Scottish Music Awards in both 2023 and 2020 for his work with Hebrides Ensemble and Drake Music Scotland. In 2022, Ben Lunn became the first North-East composer to be selected for the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Composer Scheme which sees him paired with Music in the Round.
Lunn’s music has been described as ‘Evocative’, ‘Restrained Otherwordliness’, ‘Chilling’, ‘sophisticated and most importantly obsessive’ or ‘produces...glorious roaring sounds’ and ‘desolate monotone’. He has also been referred to as a ‘Composer of life music’, as well as ‘like Beethoven but drunk’ or a ‘real barn-stomper’.
Ben Lunn studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama under the guidance of Peter Reynolds, and also the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre with Marius Baranauskas. He has also received mentorship from composers Param Vir and Stuart MacRae. Since graduating from his Master’s Lunn relocated to Airdrie, where he currently resides; working as conductor,
musicologist, teacher and composer. In September 2021, Ben Lunn started his PhD at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he is exploring the impact of political ideology on composition – discussing Hanns Eisler, Alan Bush, Isang Yun, Luigi Nono, Jian-er Zhu, and reflecting upon his own work.