Individuals' Journeys Through Music-Based Mentoring: Kyle's Story Of Peer Mentoring

We asked individuals involved in Music-based mentoring to tell us a bit about their experience. Kyle is a mentor...

This page is part of a resource pack on Music-based mentoring.

Having people to bounce off, mentoring you, you learn a lot from teaching people. You work it out in your head. You always learn from people who write no matter what level they are at, the way they start, pick the concept, approach a verse etc because there is no set way to try ... It makes you value people who are willing to work with you and give their time.

Performance makes a big difference. When you know your music is getting heard it just pushes you. When you're working with a mentor it makes you want to get better, shows you the bigger picture of where you want the music to go. Before that it is more of a popularity contest between friends ... I would like to be classed as good. It is a big thing when you are first getting heard, other artists hearing it. Getting amongst the scene is really important before you move on.

(On developing confidence) - The mentor will more than likely be honest with you – in groups it is also good. If you are out of the norm you will get a bad reaction from other kids. But I would make a rule – don't laugh at each other. Performing in front of people in sessions gets you prepared for gigs. Then you do gigs and that is better. Doing gigs in front of non hip hop crowd such as Bradford Mela is good because they are not expecting you to blow them away ... When you first start you think that is your style but you go through loads of developments. Being able to be yourself and being part of something as a young person is definitely a confidence booster. For a year and a half there was nobody I could write with. Then I met you guys. Once you realise you can be yourself and be part of something that is the confidence boost.

At 15 you just see who you know and what they are doing ... You will have friends and life through being a hip hop artist but you are scared to step out of your comfort zone – what friends and peers think is cool. I personally wasn't worried. I knew it was cool. I had a better understanding. When you’re at a certain level ie you're a beginner it isn't cool. There is never a good age to be a beginner. The hardest thing to come to terms with in this programme as a beginner is to start with a good year of just practice. With this they do get recording and can hear themselves back; write a verse, record it and then move on to next thing – which is good. Don't get obsessive about it which is good.

I have noticed about the kids we mentor is they all want to write conscious deep lyrics. I assumed they would write about stabbing people or having sex when they do hip hop or even grime. Without being pushed – they all want to do conscious lyrics. Most of them, 90% ...

Having a studio to work in and work together builds a relationship and builds respect. You work in healthy ways. You push each other rather than trying to knock each other down. Filling the time is very good for the community – fun as well. Even those who didn't do well turned up every week. Everyone finds writing rap lyrics fun. Listening to your own voice, it feels like an achievement instantly. It's good as well they want tracks on their phone. It's just a start but a good one. It shows their friends they are doing something.

[NB Names have been changed to protect the anonymity of this person]