Vick Hope: "We Have to Keep Championing Artists in a Non-Tokenistic Way"

Image Source: Mastercard. Vick was speaking as part of Mastercard UK's panel event, celebrating the next generation of creatives driving change in the music industry, which Mastercard is committed to supporting through its work with The BRIT School and long-term partnership with The BRIT Awards.

When we catch up with Vick Hope, she's still on a high from attending her first ever Grammys. "Oh my God - you know what, I was actually so nervous and quite intimidated at first," she says. "I'd never been to an LA red carpet before, but I weirdly woke up that morning feeling really mischievous and I just found the whole day really fun." She adds: "From now on, this is the way I'm going to approach everything in life."

After watching her host Mastercard's panel championing the next generation of music industry trailblazers, it's clear to see that's the case. The radio host led the panel with warmth and the occasional funny anecdote whilst speaking passionately about the need for sustained change in the music industry ahead of the BRIT Awards. We settle into our conversation (with cups of tea in hand) and discuss her love of music, the importance of inclusivity in the industry and the true healing power of music.

Shortly after the pandemic, Hope had a transformative moment with music that will always remind her of its true healing power. "Radio One's Big Weekend. Coventry. 2022," she says. "I remember it clearly because it was what felt like the first proper festival after the pandemic." Hope was hosting on the big stage alongside her former BBC Radio 1 co-host Jordan North. She tells POPSUGAR: "I will never forget looking out into the audience and seeing a sea of young people who would have turned 16 or 17 years old during the pandemic and probably never attended a festival before. Something was fizzing in the air - it felt like electricity.

Image Source: Mastercard. L-R:Kris Halpin, Gawain Hewitt, Megan Steinberg, Vick Hope, Sooree Pillay, Joe Hastings, Geo Aghinea and Elizabeth. J. Birch.

"These kids had their arms around each other in tears singing the words of their favourite songs together because it meant so much. It's a feeling that we get to share." She continues: "What is life if not about community and connections? Music facilitates that and watching it happening I was like, 'Woah - I didn't realise just how much we needed music until we lost it.'" She adds: "When we talk about evidence for why we need to protect and nurture the arts, that moment was all the evidence we need."

The radio presenter is doing all she can to help champion the next generation of talent, driving positive change in the music industry across technology, diversity, and inclusion. "It's so important to recognise everything that goes into being performers in the music industry - and it starts with those behind the scenes. I care a lot about championing and spotlighting everyone behind the scenes who are making sure that music can be for everyone. It's about promoting accessibility, inclusivity, diversity - and the music industry isn't traditionally inclusive enough."

As someone who moved from her hometown in Newcastle to London in order to make her presenting dreams come true, she knows first hand how London-centric the music industry can be. "I was sleeping on my friend's couch in London so I could make my start and it shouldn't be this way," she says. "I think the North East has some of the richest live music traditions in the country." She admits there is still a long way to go in terms of creating those opportunities for those outside of London: "All the talent shouldn't just be coming out of London when there is so much to offer right across the UK."

Hope has been a music presenter for close to 15 years now, but her passion for music stems from her childhood. "My family have always loved music," she says. "I grew up in Newcastle, and I was always dancing around my living room to Fela Kuti." Hope's mother was born in Nigeria and came to the UK, aged 11, after the Biafran war. "My mum used to play us Afrobeats so my brothers and I grew up with these beats as the soundtracks to our lives." She continued: "My dad loved Jimmy Hendrix, UB40 and played a lot of reggae in the house. He actually proposed to my mum with "Red Red Wine" playing faintly in the background."

Image Source: Mastercard

Seeing the rise of genres like Afrobeats, then, is a deeply personal experience for her family: "At Glastonbury in 2022 my mum and I went to see Burna Boy and the crowd was huge. My mum was like, 'Oh my god look at all these people in England watching an Afrobeats artist and knowing every word to every song.'"In the UK, we have watched the Afrobeats scene grow significantly over the last few years. The African sound is now a key part of the UK pop sound and this has even been reflected in the official charts. The Official Afrobeats charts was created in 2020 and highlights the top artists in the genre. "As someone who grew up on Afrobeats, but felt quite 'othered' in their youth — this is no woe is me story, but we were different," says Hope. "To witness Afrobeats being celebrated and loved like that was such an amazing moment. Culturally it made us so proud."

The BRIT Awards returns on the March 2 and Hope is happy to finally see women getting to shine after a disappointing number of nominations last year. "Last year, I was really confused in the best artist category I was like where's Little Simz? Where's Self Esteem? As far as I was concerned, in 2023 they had the biggest years." Although this year women are dominating many of the categories – Raye leads the way with a record-breaking seven nominations — Hope wants the change to be deeper. "I'm really happy to see women so well represented with the nominations this year, but I hope it's not just ticking a box. What I want to see in the music industry is sustained change. Meaningful, tangible, sustained change, which I believe we have been in some ways, but there's still a way to go. We have to keep championing these artists in a non-tokenistic way."