What They’re Saying

Yaw is a trailblazer, connector and thought leader. He leads extraordinary work at the intersection of music, culture and content production. He brings people, organisations and brands together with a shared vision. Yaw’s knowledge and understanding of music and the music industry runs so deep that you know any conversation will always be informed and strategic. He has built incredible networks through empathy, kindness and passion. He delivers scalable and groundbreaking work, projects and events time after time.

Vanessa Bakewell, Global Client Partner of Entertainment, Meta

 

Yaw is strategic, tenacious, innovative, highly respected and resourceful. During the Levi’s Music Project, I was in awe of his determination to create a difference in the music community and for the young people that needed it the most. I would jump at an opportunity to work with this kind man again.  

Anna Mills, Business Director UK Partnerships, Warner Music

 

“I am always impressed and inspired by Yaw’s bright spirit and energy. He has real insight and understanding of the creative pathways coupled with an in depth grasp of the music industry and its evolution. Yaw is an invaluable force for good   –  I relish every time we talk and share values and ideas”.

Robert Swerdlow, Starwood Management

 

“Every encounter I’ve had with Yaw has been positive one and so anytime my phone rings and it’s Yaw, I know it’s going to be of interest. He is dedicated to the betterment of the music scene, the culture and is a real positive role model.”

Trevor Nelson MBE, BBC Radio Broadcaster

 

I’ve worked with Yaw since the beginning of his business – and to see it grow into one of the most important things in my little black book is life-affirming.He is a listener, a solver, a connector, an amplifier; he gets big business, the media, youth culture and why joining like-minded people is important.

He is a weapon of a combination of talents. He is reassuring and future facing  – which makes him someone I’ll always seek out ways to work with. Yaw is someone that says “why not?”  – and that is his super power.

Rebecca Frank, Content Director, KISS Network (Bauer Media Group)

 

Yaw is a force of nature! He combines dynamism, determination and creativity with a magnetic personality and the results speak for themselves. He has a demonstrable track record in bringing big ideas to life. 

Tom Lewis, Co-President, Decca Records / Universal Music Group

 

“Trailblazer? Probably. Genius? Definitely. Unicorn? Quite possibly”. 

Mick Ross, CEO Generator NE

 

“Yaw Owusu has been an integral part to my growth as a businessman, a leader and a teacher.”

Donae’O, Artist

 

Yaw is knowledgeable and experienced, yet working with him always feels like a partnership rather than just another job. His dedication and excellent network reaps dividends for anyone he works alongside.  I always look forward to working with him….

Natalie Wade, Director of Music Industry Engagement, PPL and Founder, Small Green Shoots and The Cat’s Mother

 

Liverpool is an internationally renowned music city – but to uphold this title, it takes the talent, ideas, passion, and drive of local industry leaders. Yaw is that leader. From curating the fastest growing music festival, Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF), to developing Liverpool Against Racism (LAR), a week-long anti-racism festival thought to be the first of its kind in the world, Yaw charters new paths for our city and its cultural offering. Not only is Yaw an exceptional creative, but a fantastic advocate for the empowerment of under-represented voices through arts and culture. His work continuously goes beyond expectations, and we truly value Yaw as our city’s talent.

Joanne Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool

 

It’s always a pleasure working with Yaw and I can’t recommend him highly enough to any organisation wanting to authentically develop and deliver music and culture projects. 

Yaw is collaborative by default and very good at bringing people along with his vision or the aims of a project he’s working on. Where others may fail to unite people from different backgrounds and with conflicting views, he is a natural at uniting stakeholders and making progress.

Joe Frankland, CEO, PRS Foundation

 

“Yaw Owusu is not just a strategic mastermind but someone who genuinely cares about his clients and stakeholders, and will carry them through step by step to what they want to deliver in the most creative and thoughtful way possible”

Eunice Obianagha, Founder, ENSPIRE Management / Head of Diversity, UK Music

 

“Yaw Owusu makes great things happen! Driven by a vision for a more accessible and equitable creative industries, Yaw combines industry connections and insight, forward-thinking project management, and a deep passion and commitment to create synergies and opportunities for emerging creatives and multinational companies alike.”

Dr Mathew Flynn, University of Liverpool

 

I’ve worked with Yaw on a range of innovative music projects for 8+ years. I’ve found him to be creative & dynamic, independently agile and simultaneously practical. His knowledge of current and heritage music is impressive. Importantly, his enthusiasm for input and conceptualisation is only eclipsed by his drive and determination to develop a thought into a completed fruition.

Yousef, Circus Events / Circus Recordings / International DJ / Producer

 

Yaw is a bit of a polymath, with his work ranging from setting up talent development programmes to putting together large scale creative projects in the UK and internationally to producing BBC radio documentaries and making a positive impact wherever he goes.

Remi Harris MBE, Founder, Remi Harris Consulting

 

I’ve worked with Yaw on a few groundbreaking projects such as Garage Classical and 3 Beat @ 30 featuring Sigma were we have worked to authentically blend classical with various dynamic genres and present it to mass audiences in unique ways.

I consider Yaw to be a next generation creative – a true visionary who knows how to make real innovation happen…he somehow manages to drive creatively whilst letting all the other creatives sit in the actual driving seat. I’m not actually sure how he manages to do this!! All I know is I always get excited by anything he suggests and love working with him.

Katie Chatburn (MMus, LRAM, ARAM), Composer, Arranger, Music Consultant/Academic

 

I’ve worked with Yaw for many years now particularly around major Liverpool City Council events such as the Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF) and the brilliant talent development programme LIMF Academy. LIMF  which Yaw has curated with authority and sensitivity since its inception has been a huge success and has been a trailblazer in respect of pioneering equality and diversity in festival line-ups. The LIMF Academy, is widely viewed as a model of good practice in regard to talent development and I have seen how Yaw has carefully managed a programme which gives young artists genuinely holistic support as well as providing valuable insights from leading industry figures. Yaw is incredibly well respected in the industry and uses his network to deliver high quality events and programmes.

Kevin McManus, Head of UNESCO City of Music 

 

Having worked with Yaw across numerous projects, I cannot understate have pivotal he has been in my career. His ability to spot and nurture young talent through the pitfalls of the industry is second to none. There are few people who care about protecting an artist’s integrity and identity more than Yaw. Beyond that, the projects Yaw has curated that I have been lucky enough to participate in have always been full of opportunities to meet key people within the industry and make connections that alone would take years to make. He is a lynchpin in the cultural scene.

Michael Aldag, Recording Artist and Singer-Songwriter