University of Westminster Music Production, Performance and Business BA Honours alumnus Bradley Jago supported five-time Grammy winner Sam Smith at their London Coliseum residency on 8 September, after being personally selected by Smith as one of ten emerging artists to open the UK shows.
Bradley was selected from more than 1,500 submissions to open for Smith as part of the singer’s UK-wide talent search with BBC Introducing, launched during the summer.
Bradley has found his unique voice in soul pop, a style known for its emotional songwriting, memorable vocals and melodic, instrumental sound. He describes his music as “queer soul for queer souls”, reflecting the importance of queerness to his lyrics and artistic identity.
Bradley was an early participant in Playlist Westminster, a University of Westminster project funded by the Quintin Hogg Trust and designed to inspire and nurture emerging artists at Westminster, enhancing their skills and connecting them with creative work opportunities through external partners. Playlist Westminster participants have the chance to receive feedback from music industry professionals to facilitate the creation of their artistic identity, many of whom are alumni.
Bradley has also performed onstage at Lafayette, a two-storey, 600-capacity grassroots music venue in King’s Cross that provides a larger platform for emerging musicians, and he was selected to represent the University at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton in 2024, one of the leading showcases for emerging artists in the UK. His most recent EP, My Inner Vitriol, is available to download or stream.
Bradley said: “Being chosen out of so many artists to support one of my idols is a dream. I really felt as if I’d earned the moment in a funny way, and that everything so far had led to this.”
Julia Toppin, Senior Lecturer and Playlist Westminster Project Director, added: “When I heard the news that Bradley was going to be supporting Sam Smith, I was beyond excited and elated at the same time. Watching Bradley go from a young songwriter with an amazing voice to an accomplished artist with a distinct artistic identity brings me great joy. It is easy to see why he was selected to support a five-time Grammy Award winner and one of the most celebrated artists in recent history.”
Music courses at Westminster and access to career-supporting projects such as Playlist Westminster directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4: Quality Education and 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about Music courses at the University of Westminster.
Photo credits: Harris Tomlinson-Spence
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