Music platform brings free artist performances to Luton street corner
A music platform is giving artists in Luton a chance to showcase their talent for free through weekly outdoor performances.
Off The Record (OTR) returned to the town, bringing back its freestyle sessions with outdoor recordings on Manchester Street.
The project’s organiser, Olumide Kolapo, said: “Ultimately, OTR is about creating opportunities, giving people a voice and showcasing the talent that already exists within our community.
“It is about creating opportunities, giving people a voice and showcasing the talent that already exists within our community.”
OTR originally started in 2019 alongside its Mic Drops, with recordings initially filmed from a garage in Marsh Farm. It has now moved to a film studio in London, where it offers free videos to artists aged under 18.
The outdoor performances are held every Friday from 9.30pm and are now free for artists of all ages, and take place outside VS Food & Wine on the corner of Manchester Street.
Artists who take part receive a professionally filmed and edited performance video, which is uploaded to OTR's monetised YouTube channel and promoted through its social media platforms.
The aim is to give performers professional content they can use to promote themselves while reaching a wider audience without having to pay for video production.
The project welcomes established artists as well as people just starting out, including rappers, singers, producers and others passionate about music.
Organisers also want to help strengthen Luton’s music community by giving the town’s artists greater visibility and opportunities to connect with others in the scene.
Alongside the freestyle sessions, OTR also has a weekly radio show on Diverse FM, featuring interviews with artists about their music.
The platform is also working on live music events, artist showcases, radio content and collaborations with musicians and other organisations.