FAC & Amazon Music Expand Step Up & Announce Live Show At London’s Barfly

by London-TV in Business

For a second year running, the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) and Amazon Music are delighted to announce an expansion of their Step Up Fund by providing free studio time for five independent artists at The Breakthrough Lab, the professional recording studio space created by a partnership between Amazon Music and Metropolis Studios.

This is in addition to the ten artists who received Step Up grants in July 2026.

With Amazon Music and Metropolis Studios providing further support for engineering costs, the five artists to benefit are Defences, Lemonade Shoelace, Pencil, Saïna and Sol Paradise. (See bios below.)

All will enjoy three days at the bespoke state-of-the-art production facility, based at Metropolis, Europe’s leading independent recording studio.

In celebration of Step Up’s fifth anniversary, the FAC and Amazon Music will also host a special live Artist’s Voice showcase event on Wednesday 16th September at London’s legendary Barfly venue.

Presented in partnership with Signature Brew and Orange Amplifiers, the free entry show will feature performances from some of Step Up’s 2026 cohort, including MOBO-winning duo, ALT BLK ERA, Ashaine White, Defences and Lemonade Shoelace.

David Martin, CEO, Featured Artists Coalition:

“With the generous support of Amazon Music, I am delighted we can yet again expand Step Up’s commitment to emerging UK talent – providing five brilliant artists and bands with free studio time at The Breakthrough Lab. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop their craft and make use of some genuine state-of-the-art facilities.

“I’m also incredibly excited we can celebrate Step Up’s successes with this special Barfly show. It’s been a real honour to support artists like ALT BLK ERA, Ashaine, Defences and Lemonade Shoelace, and I can think of no better way to mark Step Up’s fifth anniversary.”

Laura Lukanz, Head of Music UK, Australia & New Zealand, Amazon Music:

“At its heart, Step Up has always been about removing barriers for independent artists, and five years into this partnership with the FAC, that mission feels more important than ever. Giving Defences, Lemonade Shoelace, Pencil, Saïna and Sol Paradise access to The Breakthrough Lab is exactly the kind of support that can transform careers, and we can’t wait to celebrate this milestone at the Barfly on 16th September.”