Tomorrow’s Warriors announced a new partnership with Fontana (Universal Music UK) to deliver an innovative Career Mentoring Scheme to 12 emerging Warrior musicians with a launch event at Fontana’s Kings Cross headquarters on 27th November, where the mentees met their mentors and celebrated the start of the new partnership with a Warriors jam session.

This marks the third round of the initiative, which previously ran in partnership with Decca Records. Recently revived as a label championing jazz, folk, blues and soul, Fontana now takes the lead in delivering the scheme with Tomorrow’s Warriors.

A group of young musicians performing during a jam session at a launch event for the Tomorrow's Warriors Career Mentoring Scheme, held at Fontana's Kings Cross headquarters. The musicians are playing various instruments including trumpet, saxophone, guitar, and percussion, while an audience listens attentively.
A jazz ensemble performance featuring a trombone player, a musician with a woodwind instrument, and a pianist, all engaged in a lively jam session in a modern venue.
A female musician playing the trumpet while wearing a black top and jeans, with a male musician playing the bass guitar in the background.
A young musician playing piano at a launch event for Tomorrow's Warriors and Fontana's Career Mentoring Scheme, with focused expression and wearing a fur hat.

The year-long programme will provide vital one-to-one mentoring to Black, global majority and female musicians on the Tomorrow’s Warriors Emerging Artist Programme. This year’s cohort includes Alex Ho (piano), Christ-Stephane Boizi (trombone), David Kayode (tenor sax), Donovan Haffner (alto sax), Emily Tran (piano/Composition), Genevieve Namazzi (double bass), Kezia Pollendine (piano), Ky Osborne (piano), Mali Sheard (alto sax), Miranda Radford (drums), Nathan Dawkins (electric/double bass) and Shanise Hall (trumpet).

Each Warrior musician is paired with a member of staff from across Fontana’s departments – including A&R, Marketing, Commercial & Streaming and Digital – receiving tailored support, monthly one to one sessions, and group sessions designed to help them navigate and progress within the music industry.

Two men standing in a music studio, smiling at the camera. The background features audio equipment, including speakers and a soundboard.

Dr Gary Crosby OBE, Co-founder & Artistic Director, Tomorrow’s Warriors said “Partnering with Fontana to deliver the next round of our Career Mentoring Scheme is an incredibly exciting step for Tomorrow’s Warriors.

Fontana’s renewed focus on jazz, folk, blues and soul aligns beautifully with our mission to nurture the next generation of diverse talent. For over three decades we’ve committed to providing young Black, Global Majority, and female musicians with the space, support and skills they need to thrive, and this scheme deepens that commitment. Connecting our Emerging Artists with the expertise and generosity of mentors at Fontana will be transformational for their professional journeys.” 

And Tom Lewis, President, Fontana, recognised the benefit the programme brings to his team “We’re so proud of our longstanding and incredibly rewarding relationship with Tomorrow’s Warriors and it’s brilliant to meet this year’s mentorship participants.

We always learn so much and are constantly impressed with the talent, ambition and self-determination that we see in the Warriors; and the sense of community, support and encouragement in which they grow and thrive.  It is easy to see why Tomorrow’s Warriors has unearthed and nurtured such an incredible line-up of stars in recent years. It has played a pivotal role in making the UK such a global beacon for jazz.”

Tomorrow’s Warriors musician and former participant of the mentoring programme Kianja Harvey-Elliot (vocalist) reflected on the impact the scheme has had on her career:

“The scheme arrived at exactly the right moment in my development and helped me understand the business side of music. I built a relationship with my mentor who was, and still is a pillar of consistent support and guidance.

Whenever I had specific questions about a certain department, she put me in touch with different members of the team and she helped me zone in on the kind of clarity I need to present a project to a label.  Tomorrow’s Warriors always believes in you, and the mentoring programme strengthens that belief by connecting us with people who can help turn our ideas into opportunities.”

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