It is the nation that has spawned internationally known names from legends such as AC/DC, Simple Minds and the Eurythmics to newer kids on the block like Lewis Capaldi, Chvrches and Django Django.
Now the Scottish Album of the Year Awards, seen as Scotland's answer to the Mercury Prize, have moved to give lesser known artists a leg up in the cost of living crisis with a Sound of Young Scotland award that is now expected to become a fixture.
The national awards organisers have already shone a light on bands that have gone on to acclaim such as Young Fathers and C Duncan.
But the SAY awards organisers want to encourage a new generation of young musicians who may be struggling in the financial crisis and believe they are promising to push Scotland's musical strength and diversity to a new level.
On Thursday, five of the country’s rising stars attended the SAY Award ceremony in Stirling’s Albert Halls to see Berta Kennedy named The Sound of Young Scotland. She took home the winner's trophy and up to £5000 of funding towards the creation of their debut album.
Supported by Ticketmaster, Creative Scotland's Youth Music Initiative (YMI) and Youth Music, the winner will receive recording time at Tolbooth Stirling.
The award was first introduced in 2021 to drive Scottish music of the future by enabling a young and emerging Scottish artist to create their debut album.
This year 71 aspiring musicians gave eligible submissions which have now been whittled down to five finalists by previous SAY Award nominees. The aim is to ensure "money isn’t a barrier for the next generation of Scottish talent to flourish".
Robert Kilpatrick, creative director of Scottish Music Industry Association and The SAY Award, said: "As Scotland’s music industry continues to try and navigate Brexit and operating in a post-pandemic landscape, significant new challenges have now also emerged, with a cost-of-living crisis and soaring inflation impacting artists at all levels.
"A lack of disposable income to support artistic endeavour, many music fans having to prioritise paying heating bills over buying tickets and funding cuts across the board looking imminent are just some of what makes both launching and maintaining a career as a musician in 2022 a daily challenge.
"For young artists looking to launch their career, never has the path been more uncertain. This is why initiatives like the Sound of Young Scotland Award couldn’t be more important, or more needed. Ensuring the future talent pipeline has the means and support in place to launch a career is critical to the future lifeblood of Scottish music as a whole.
"We need artists to have an industry, and dedicated support like this award provides means to create, confidence and profile to reach audiences. We couldn’t be prouder to be working with our partners to help ensure young and emerging artists can reach their potential; adding to the wealth of outstanding Scottish musical talent that soundtracks the stories of our lives, and supports an industry vital to Scotland’s economy and cultural identity."
Organisers hope the new crop will follow in the footsteps of the likes former SAY nominee turned global star Lewis Capaldi - whose comeback track Forget Me shot to number one in the UK charts - who also benefited from YMI funding to kickstart his career.
Scots jazz pianist Fergus McCreadie's album Forest Floor won the SAY Award for 2022 and was nominated for this year's Mercury Prize won by Little Simz. The artist from Jamestown, West Dunbartonshire, began his musical training in Tolbooth Stirling as part of the Stirling Youth Jazz Ensemble, another YMI Youth backed programme.
Organisers say they are testament to the quality of tuition offered by youth music mentors in Scotland.
Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative, which has received over £140 million investment from the Scottish Government since 2007, is currently celebrating 20 years supporting music to young people.
Berta Kennedy, from Greenock, whose influences range from 90s and noughties hip-hop to RnB said: “I am honoured to be supported by SMIA and represented in the Scottish music scene. I’ve put so much work into this, to produce my own album and showcase what I’ve been working on all these years would mean everything to me.”
Also shortlisted is Glasgow four-piece rock band Dead Pony made up of Anna Shields, Blair Crichton, Euan Lyons and Liam Adams.
They said: “We are blown away to be nominated for the Young Sound of Scotland Award. In our opinion, Scotland is the most fertile ground for cool new music in the world, so to be recognised within that means so much to us. Recording our new EP during lockdown was the only thing that kept us sane, to now release that music and play it all over Scotland and the UK feels amazing."
Glasgow-based internet darkpop artist KLEO, another nominee, has finished her degree in Sound for The Moving Image at The Glasgow School of Art, graduating with a first class all while honing her skills as a songwriter, producer and performer.
She said:“Being selected as a finalist is an honour and something that I could have only dreamed of up until this point. Last year, I attended the SAY Award in person which, being still mid-pandemic, felt like an otherworldly experience and a joy to once again be surrounded by other like-minded individuals and to really feel the music Scotland has to offer.
"Being in such a large hall all the incredible music showcased enveloped me and inspired me to keep going during such a hard and uncertain time. This year it is a privilege that my music could be a part of that."
Fergus McCreadie
Psweatpants, a 23-year-old rapper and songwriter said of making the shortlist: “I’m still sly in shock that I've been nominated! To be considered for the Sound of Young Scotland is a major highlight in my career…watch this space.”
Completing the five is Glasgow-formed Uninvited, a four piece indie-rock band consisting of Taylor Ray Dillon, Gillian Dhlakama, Bex Young and Fiorenza Cocozza who formed with the help of Instagram They said: “We are over the moon to be in the final. This year has been the busiest, most rewarding time for us and to even be considered is mental.”
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