From Performing to Empowering: One Woman’s Mission to Uplift Young Voices Emerging in The Music Scene

From the rhythmic echoes of her multicultural home to the world-renowned Brit School and beyond, this young woman’s journey reflects a deep-running passion for the arts and a clear mission to uplift emerging talents.

By Ella Campbell

“I want to amplify young voices while introducing the world to new sounds. And, be a catalyst for collaborations in peculiar spaces- per se.”

Luana closes with, after taking me on an impressive walk through her wonderful mind, reciting to me her creative journey. As we sit together on the Piccadilly Line, Luana reminisces about her early experiences with music, which began in childhood. She details how these experiences shaped her journey and finally got her onto a career path that aligns with her mission.

Growing up in a home brought to life through music, she reflects on how her childhood was filled with this defining influence. Her mother, of Latin heritage, would often infuse their home with lively melodies, blending the passionate rhythms of Latin music with the soulful grooves of R&B. Meanwhile, her father, a devoted rock enthusiast, introduced her to the electrifying energy of rock music. Together, the fusion of these diverse musical styles created the unique soundtrack of her early life.

“Whenever my mum had friends over, she’d always make me sing and dance for them,” she reminisces, laughing at how these early performances led to being put into dance and theatre classes.

Her first brush with an instrument came through her older brother’s piano lessons, sparking a desire to learn herself. And over the years, she picked up the skill of teaching herself various instruments at home. “I always used to sing growing up as well,” she shouts as we pass through a scratchy segment of the tube tunnel. A sound North Londoners are all too familiar with.

As her compulsory school years wound down, she faced a pivotal decision: what next? She realised it was time to decide which direction her life would take next. A Traditional sixth form seemed like an uninspiring option for someone like her, “I just wasn’t really feeling any of them”, she confessed while multitasking a lipliner top-up between Arsenal station and Holloway Road. “I knew I wanted to do something in the arts.” this was no surprise, considering her favour for music and drama throughout secondary school, explaining how she loved participating in school productions and concerts.

Her quest to decide her new path led her to apply for the Brit School, an institution she had dreamed of attending since the age of twelve. So when the acceptance letter issued, ‘Dear Luana’, finally arrived, the little girl inside her was ecstatic. “I was thrilled because Brit is known for having quite a low acceptance rate,” she shares.

At Brit, she selected the musical theatre strand, which involved singing, dancing, and acting classes. The training seemed rigorous, learning to combine fast movement with singing and the art of acting through song. “It was a lot, to be fair. We had to train every day while new things were happening all the time, which was kind of overwhelming, especially after not being in school for so long due to Covid,” she explains.

By the time she graduated from Brit, her aspirations had changed. As she understood the immense demands of theatre life, it no longer appealed to her. “I didn’t like the idea of spending all my days rehearsing and auditioning and being away from family and friends,” she said. Instead, her focus turned toward music, a field she had been exploring on the side since she was sixteen.

By eighteen, her network had grown significantly as she attended whichever industry events she could find—some by invitation and others through sheer determination. “Whether I was invited or not, my best friend and I would find ways to sneak in or convince people to add us to the guest list, which helped me build my connections,” she explains. While still recording music and performing at occasional showcases, these encounters opened her eyes to a world beyond performing. “I decided to go into A&Ring,” she reveals, which marries her passion for music and her drive to support other creatives.

With her ambitions now clearly defined, her main goal is to empower emerging artists by serving as the vital link between creatives and the record labels that sign them. “I want to help highlight their unique voices while also introducing diverse, fresh sounds to audiences,” she expresses, as her passion shines through.

Though her journey is just beginning, her goals are already deeply intertwined with her life experiences. Fuelled by a genuine passion, she is undoubtedly due to forge a lasting legacy in the music industry, making waves of change and innovation much sooner than anyone might anticipate.