Three ELAM alumni win at the Youth Music Awards 2026
IMVN, RHIA and Ria Leah took home three of the eleven awards at the first Youth Music Awards held outside London, at St George’s Hall in Liverpool.
ELAM alumni won three of the eleven awards at the Youth Music Awards 2026, held at St George’s Hall in Liverpool on 28 October. It was the first time the awards, which celebrate young musicians and the grassroots projects behind them, had been held outside London since they launched in 2019.
The winners
Music Producer Award, supported by Elephant Music: IMVN. IMVN, who studied at ELAM from 2016 to 2018, is a London-based artist, producer and violinist making genre-blurring electronic music about identity, transformation and self-discovery. Her work has been supported by BBC Introducing, COLORS and Mixmag, and she co-directed the video for Skin while touring with FKA twigs.
Original Track Award (Group), supported by Arts Council England: Trxth & RHIA. RHIA, at ELAM from 2022 to 2024, and Trxth are South London artists who first connected through Bollo Studios. Their winning track, Stay Alive, pairs an uplifting hook with a message of resilience, connection and hope.
Young Leader Award, sponsored by AQA: Ria Leah. Ria, at ELAM from 2021 to 2023, is a cultural leader, creative producer and youth practitioner working across music, film and education. A core leader at Rap Club Productions and The Spit Game, she creates spaces where young people, particularly young women, can build their creativity, confidence and leadership.
ELAM on stage
It wasn’t only the winners. ELAM alumna Eliza Mai was invited to the ceremony as an artist, and alumnus Eric Mustapha was on stage as part of IMVN’s band.
The awards are run by the national charity Youth Music and were hosted by Crystal Raybe and Success Ariyibi. Congratulations to IMVN, RHIA and Ria: everyone at Day One Trust is incredibly proud of you.
