Jay Ajayi: POWER UP Industry professional
Bio: Jay is a brand partnerships and creative industry professional working across music, youth culture and community development in the UK. With a background spanning BBC Radio 1Xtra, GRM Daily, JD Sports/Size?, Sony Music and Columbia Records, he has built a reputation for connecting emerging talent with meaningful opportunities both on and off stage. His work has included securing partnerships from brands such as Puma, Apple Music, Shazam, Nando’s and Drip Water, alongside grassroots initiatives supporting young creatives entering the music industry. Through Grime Pays and Ruff Sqwad Arts Foundation he has helped dozens of young people access studios, radio platforms, live events and industry connections. Alongside community work Jay supports artists through consultancy, live events and networking experiences focused on music discovery and cultural impact, with interests sitting heavily within UK rap, grime, R&B and Afrobeats. Through POWER UP, Jay is launching Sauc’d — a brand partnerships and creative agency — and Breaking Into Brand, a workshop series equipping emerging Black artists in the North of England with the tools to pursue commercial opportunities independently.
Concise Description of activity: Launching Sauc’d, a brand partnerships agency, delivering Breaking Into Brand workshops for emerging artists while developing professional skills through training, industry events and POWER UP.