The Sound of Young Scotland Award

Tito Daramola (also known as Aleena) is a 22-year-old singer-songwriter of Nigerian heritage who grew up in the north of Scotland and now lives in Glasgow. She was born in Kenya, where her love for music began. Raised in a musical family, she grew up singing in church every Sunday and learning the piano, being taught by a friend at church at aged 4. Moving to Scotland at the age of 7, she picked up violin lessons in school and began to teach herself the guitar. By the age of 12, Tito was playing the guitar, piano, violin and viola as well as singing wherever anyone would let her. Inspired by storytelling, she naturally turned to songwriting - the place where she could fully explore her creativity, blending her gift for telling vivid stories with her love for melodies and instruments.

Beginning on GarageBand and later transitioning to Logic Pro X, the real music creation began during the pandemic. Left with lots of time and opportunities to explore arranging, recording and mixing, Tito began to produce and attempt to mix songs of her own.

When she finally went to release music, she found that ‘Tito’ was too popular of a name to be used on music platforms, she was faced with the challenge of coming up with a stage name. She chose Aleena which means ‘light’ in Greek and reflects her vision for her music.

At university, she met Henrik, a friend of a friend who she started to work closely beside as he mixed her music. This partnership quickly led to the release of her debut single ‘Out Of Reach’ in 2022, swiftly followed by ‘Second Best’ later that year. She then went on to release a single in collaboration with nathn called ‘nervous’ which was featured on BBC introducing both in Scotland and Surrey.

Most recently, Aleena has steadily been building momentum with a trio of new releases in preparation for her upcoming EP. The first was ‘Storming’ in March of 2025, followed by ‘How It Started’ which was in collaboration with Cathal Murphy, artist and producer based in Edinburgh. Her most recent release ‘Middle of May’ dropped as the first single from her upcoming debut EP and earned Track Of The Week on BBC Introducing Scotland. Known for her emotionally raw songwriting and soft, soulful vocals, Aleena is a rising talent that you do not want to miss.

Her upcoming EP is called ‘Raw’ and is an EP containing all of her most vulnerable music. As she matured as a songwriter, Aleena transitioned from songwriting being merely a form of story telling to also that of emotional processing and expression, which is how the EP was created. She quickly found that she had a body of work that was open and vulnerable but that she was deeply proud of and ready to share. Raw is an EP designed to break your heart and comes out towards the end of this year.

Alice Faye is a singer-songwriter and vocalist with a uniquely recognisable voice and distinctly vintage sound. Alice has an innate passion for live performance expressed through her vulnerable-to-powerful singing style and her engagingly genre-fluid song-writing style. She has carved out this confidence and sense of artistry through her varied musical influences ranging from Vaudeville, Opera, 1930s jazz, 1960s pop and vintage-country. Faye would describe her music as either ‘pop-opera’ or ‘retro-pop’. The musical world of 'Alice Faye' may contain a whole host of moods and genres but her voice acts as the clear glue that binds each song and aesthetic idea together, all woven together with a strong sense of self visually as well as sonically. Faye's lyrics speak to the experiences of young women, coming-of-age and empathy for yourself and others. This has resulted in a fanbase that varies completely in age, lifestyle, gender expression and background. Alice has had widespread airplay on BBC Radio 2 (Jo Whiley), Radio 6 Music (Guy Garvey), BBC Radio Scotland (various) and BBC Radio London. Featuring too in articles for the List, the Skinny and Snackmag. Recently, Alice also featured in 'The Piano' (Channel 4) representing Scotland with her original song 'Edie' for the show's final performance held in Aviva Studios, Manchester. Faye also embarked on her first ever tour of Europe in April this year, selling out shows - without a label’s backing - in Paris, Amsterdam and Nijmegen as well as London. She also managed to sell out her ambitious headline show at Glasgow’s Saint Luke’s in 2024, promoted entirely independently. Alice recently had the chance to support Rufus Wainwright twice for his Scottish shows in 2024, as well as Nick Lowe, Marlon Williams and US guitarist Joshua Lee Turner and Liverpudlian-pianist Brad Kella for their mini tours around the UK this year. When it comes to live performance and songwriting, she strives to remain authentic and energetic, forming a genuine and passionate connection with her audience. She is a multi-disciplinary Artist that will perform, sing and write songs for the rest of her life no matter what capacity, with a vital and bubbling energy eager to prove her artistic voice is uniquely worthy of a place within the Scottish music scene.

GAÏA makes neo-soul straight from the source. She is a French singer-songwriter based in Glasgow, blending nu-jazz, R&B, and neo-soul. She began her artistic journey in Glasgow’s vibrant grassroots jazz scene—listening, learning, and developing her craft—eventually gaining recognition through local jam sessions and collaborations. Deeply influenced by Black music, GAÏA draws on her mixed heritage to create a genre-fluid sound rooted in soul, hip-hop, and R&B. Her songwriting explores identity, belonging, and self-expression, shaped by both personal experience and community.
In 2023 and 2024, GAÏA was nominated for back-to-back Scottish Jazz Awards, highlighting her growing impact within the Glasgow Jazz scene. Since debuting her project, she has supported a diverse range of artists including Bemz, Theon Cross, Brian Jackson, and corto.alto, and performed at Scottish festivals such as Celtic Connections, Eden, Kelburn, Houseguest, and both Glasgow and Edinburgh Jazz Festivals.
Earlier this year, GAÏA released her first mini-project, live in my living room—a self-produced live session series filmed in her flat in the southside of Glasgow. The project featured many of her close collaborators and offered a raw, intimate insight into her sound and process. It also secured her first national radio plays on BBC Introducing Scotland and BBC Radio 6, marking a new phase in her visibility as an artist.
GAÏA continues to build her presence in the soul and rnb scene, always remaining grounded in collaboration and creative exchange. She is now focused on expanding her artistic vision and reaching new audiences across Scotland and beyond. This next stage represents a significant step in her evolution as an artist, rooted in community but aiming outward toward broader recognition.

Rahul.mp3 is a Queer Indian-Scottish Producer based in Glasgow, known for fusing genres such as Techno, Hip-Hop, Jersey Club, Baile Funk and Bhangra music inspired by global and queer club culture. In the past year, Rahul.mp3 has gained international attention for his remixes and originals released on SoundCloud, which have been co-signed by the likes of Diplo, Bimini, and Crystal Mess, with tracks featured in Boiler Room, the Eusexua rave tour, and more.

Recently coming off tour as Cupcakke’s opening act for Manchester, Leeds, and Glasgow, Rahul.mp3 has shared stages all around the UK with groundbreaking artists like TAAHLIAH, James Massiah, and Alice Longyu Gao at some of the most prestigious venues in Glasgow such as The Art School, Sub Club and SWG3 cementing his place among the most exciting and forward-thinking names in the scene all while being self managed.

On the 25th of July, Rahul.mp3 released his debut single “Want It” a high-octane dance track that channels the experimental energy of early A. G. Cook while firmly planting itself in the club circuit. Blending hyper-glossy production with gritty underground textures, the track is a whirlwind of sensual vocals, pounding basslines, and distorted synth stabs that feel both chaotic and controlled. Sonically, "Want it" draws from the frenetic rhythms of Jersey club, think chopped vocal samples, rapid kick patterns, and stuttering breakbeats, while injecting the tongue-in-cheek bravado and percussive bounce of donk.

Taking cues from Shygirl, TAAHLIAH, and A. G. Cook, Rahul.mp3 pushes Scotland’s reputation as a powerhouse of boundary-breaking electronic music into a bold new era.

Alongside producing and djing, Rahul.mp3 has a following of devoted queer fans from being an event producer, having created Scandal.gla: a new age DIY queer clubbing experience that blends many genres, presenting the diverse tastes of its DJs and attendees, covered by both British Vogue and The Face Magazine as the best clubbing experiences in Glasgow.

Tarran are an exhilarating contemporary folk group from Glasgow, with deep musical roots spanning Ireland, Scotland, and New Zealand. The band is made up of Sophie Joint (keys), Breanna Wilson (fiddle), Malachy Arnold (harp), and Rory Stark (whistle and bodhrán) — four musicians who blend innovation with tradition to create a sound that is unmistakably their own.
Formed just before the Covid-19 pandemic, the formation of the band was somewhat accidental, though it was apparent from the start that these four musicians with their unique talents came together naturally to create an exciting sound. Drawing on influences from funk, blues, jazz, and traditional folk, their music brings a fresh and lively twist to Scottish traditional music. The result is a rich, rhythmic soundscape that balances driving melodies with unexpected textures.
Tarran’s energetic and captivating performances have been enjoyed on stages across Europe. Highlights include appearances at Celtic Connections, the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, and Celtica Valle d’Aosta in Italy, where their ability to engage and surprise audiences has made a lasting impact. Their recent debut EP, "Heartwood", showcases their distinct sound and evolving musical identity. With a growing following both at home and abroad, the band is now preparing to share even more new music with international audiences.
Accolades include the Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award and the Hands Up for Trad Battle of the Folk Bands, two prestigious honours that have helped establish Tarran as one of the most exciting young folk acts in Scotland today. All four members have carved out impressive paths in the traditional music world individually. Malachy Arnold, Breanna Wilson, and Sophie Joint are all BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year finalists, while Rory Stark is a three-time All-Ireland Champion. Breanna and Sophie also received the Trip to Birmingham Molloy Award, underlining their contributions to the future of folk music.
At the heart of Tarran is a deep friendship and a shared respect for the traditions they’ve grown up with. Their music is rooted in heritage, yet forward-looking — a reflection of the multicultural, collaborative spirit of Glasgow’s folk scene. With a commitment to musical excellence, innovation, and inclusivity, Tarran continues to push boundaries while honouring the culture that brought them together.