Multi-platinum rapper and musician Professor Green has been announced as a headline artist for this year’s Leicester Music Conference (LMC), bringing his powerful personal story and advocacy for mental health to the Midlands-based event.
The London-born artist, known for using his own experiences to raise awareness around mental health, will appear at the conference’s evening showcase. He will share the stage with Zdot, Gemma Fox, the South Asian Showcase with Brown is Everywhere, DESI TRILL, Queen Millz and the HQ Familia Show, with more acts still to be announced.
Picture credit: Professor Green
Conference founder Dr Yasin El Ashrafi said securing Professor Green was a major moment for the event.
“I’m honestly buzzing that we’ve been able to secure Professor Green for this year’s Leicester Music Conference,” he said. “He’s a multi-platinum artist with a story that a lot of our artists can really relate to, and he’s also been a strong voice around mental health which matters a lot to us.”
He added that Professor Green’s involvement reflects the conference’s mission to support regional talent.
“He’s living proof that it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you start with, anything is possible. He’s joining an amazing line-up full of opportunities for artists at every stage, which is exactly what LMC is about.”
Designed as a snapshot of the region’s grassroots music ecosystem, the showcase brings together emerging, developing and established artists across multiple genres, giving local acts the chance to share a platform with bigger names, build connections and create real progression opportunities.
A significant focus of this year’s programme is South Asian music career pathways, reflecting Leicester’s diverse population, with 43 per cent of residents identifying as Asian. Music data specialist and Bye 2 Stereotypes founder Sania Haq returns to curate a future-focused South Asian session, following the success of last year’s panel. Haq also led the South Asian Soundcheck study, the first in-depth survey of South Asians in the UK music industry.
“This year we’re building on that momentum,” Haq said. “The focus is shifting from understanding the challenges to exploring tangible change, including funding, representation and progression.”
The panel will include Shabz Naqvi, co-founder of DESI TRILL and member of the influential So Solid Crew, whose platform fuses traditional South Asian elements with modern genres to champion emerging talent.
The conference opens with a keynote address from Myn Jazeel, Co-Chair of the MOBO Trust, Chair of Music Against Racism and former senior vice president at Warner Music.
“The Leicester Music Conference shows what can happen when a thriving city puts people, culture and ambition at the centre of its growth strategy,” Jazeel said.
Founded three years ago, the Leicester Music Conference continues to grow in ambition and impact. This year’s programme includes panels, workshops and funding clinics covering artist development, music technology, wellbeing, industry careers and digital growth, supported by organisations including UK Music, Music Minds Matter, TikTok and BBC Introducing.
Delegate passes for the Conference and Expo are priced from £10, with full details and the complete programme available at www.leicestermusicconference.co.uk.
