From Early Mulaa Joans Performances to Tomorrow’s Breakout Stars, Unfltrd is Consistently One Step Ahead of the Curve.

If you are a fan of discovering new artists in the UK R&B, soul and hip-hop space, then Unfltrd is the emerging live showcase you should be following. Just two years in, the platform has already championed some of the UK’s brightest voices, including Mulaa Joans, Sissy Ford and many more.

Not only has Unfltrd developed a strong reputation for showcasing emerging talent, it has also cultivated an audience rooted in community and a passion for discovering and championing the next generation of stars.

With an upcoming showcase just around the corner, New Wave sat down with Luca Aureli, founder of Unfltrd, in King’s Cross to discuss his journey in music, what inspired Unfltrd, how he hopes the showcase will grow and much more.

Luca arrives at the interview fresh from a series of exciting meetings, and there is a noticeable positivity about him as he discusses what lies ahead. It is a fitting mood for someone who has spent the past two years building a platform that continues to grow.

Luca began his journey in the music industry when he moved to London five years ago to study Music Business Management at the University of Westminster. Since then, he has worked across different areas of the industry, from A&R for music publishers to events and management, gaining as much knowledge and experience as possible along the way.

As Luca spent more time in London, he noticed a gap in the market. He felt that many of the live music showcases highlighting Black music and culture were not always being set up in a way that truly allowed the artist to shine.

He explains that although there has never been a shortage of talent, he began questioning whether the spaces themselves were always giving artists the opportunity to present their work in the way they deserved.

“I wasn’t able to understand their artistry, and I needed to do something about it.”

Digging a little deeper into this thought process, Luca explains that as a fan of the culture, he would regularly seek out different places to experience new talent. However, the coordination of the nights and technical mishaps would often seem to overshadow the performers. As he talks about these experiences, there is an air of exasperation — a sense that, as a fan, he had been frustrated by seeing good artists let down by the spaces around them. Clear communication was what appeared to be missing, and this quickly became something he wanted to remedy.

This realisation spurred Luca to create a platform that was both people- and community-driven, while ensuring that every event was meticulously planned and set up so the artists on stage could let their artistry shine without compromise.

The first Unfltrd Live Event was held at Map Studio Café in Kentish Town, with a capacity of just 70 people. Intimate in scale, it marked the beginning of something that would grow largely through word of mouth and the strength of the community forming around it.

Two years on, that growth has been impossible to ignore. Unfltrd has steadily built a reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting grassroots platforms for emerging R&B, soul and hip-hop talent, creating a space that feels as much about discovery and connection as it does performance.

Now, Unfltrd is preparing for another show on 15 September at The Lower Third, with a capacity of 250 people and performances from Javan, Sheila Dnl and Lou Kadara, it isn’t to miss. The jump from 70 to 250 in just two years is a clear reflection of the demand the platform has created, and the community built around it.

The conversation then moves to brand identity, which has become increasingly important to Unfltrd. Luca has noticed that although there is an abundance of showcases in London giving R&B, soul and hip-hop artists a platform, many lack a distinct identity that sets them apart.

“I have really started to put more time into the Unfltrd identity as I know this is one of the ways people can remember you.”

That identity is apparent across the platform, from social media posts and stage design to lighting and everything in between. Each element helps tie together the vibe and energy of the night, creating an experience that can turn one-time visitors into regular attendees.

“Brand identity is crucial to establish and maintain in this field, otherwise you can easily get lost in the algorithm.”

One of the key factors behind Unfltrd’s emergence as a strong new competitor in the UK music showcase space is the talent that graces its stage — and how Luca goes about selecting the artists.

“For me it’s all about trusting my gut.”

Speaking about the selection process, Luca explains that it is a mix of artists reaching out to him and him deciding whether they are the right fit for Unfltrd, alongside reaching out to emerging artists he believes in and wants to champion.

“Of course there is a business side to it. If they have a buzz in the industry and have good numbers, then that is of course great to have as it can boost ticket sales. However, the most important factor is the talent.”

It is this keen eye for raw talent, as well as his ability to build a cohesive bill with enough variety to keep each night engaging, that sets Unfltrd apart. Artists must not only work as individuals but also bring an energy that translates to the audience and creates synergy with the other acts on the bill.

From one of the UK’s brightest stars at the moment, Mulaa Joans, who has recently performed at Reading and Leeds Festival and supported Sekou on tour, to Jedsoul, who has gone on to secure a performance with DJ AG, received Kiss 1Xtra radio support and reached 190,000 Spotify monthly listeners, Unfltrd has quickly become an exciting hub for artists to get their music not only heard, but heard by the right people.

When discussing the challenges he faced when starting up, Luca recalls that one thing he wished he had understood better was the promotion side of the business.

“In the beginning, I thought it would be easy, but it is quite the opposite. It’s all about creating new ideas in marketing the event and making it seen to as many people as possible.”

“I also didn’t anticipate how much running around I would be doing in making sure everything in terms of staging, the venue, the artists and the guests were running smoothly. Good communication is key to have when setting up an event.”

One way Luca was able to prepare himself for the planning and initial launch process was by reaching out to platforms and companies that had come before him and created a similar culture to what he was aiming for, including iluvlive.

His partnership with iluvlive has been extensive and continues to grow, from working as a talent selection advisor to help the next generation of musical artists get their foot in the door, to hosting an Unfltrd X iluvlive collaboration show in February 2026.

It is this constant drive to learn from his peers and grow with that newfound knowledge that keeps Luca and the Unfltrd platform moving forward.

As the conversation comes to a close, we discuss the future plans for Unfltrd. With the platform growing and demand increasing, Luca notes that the iconic Jazz Café would be a dream venue for the showcase — one of the most renowned venues for the kind of music Unfltrd and Luca want to continue championing.

Alongside this, he is setting his sights on taking the Unfltrd brand and ethos to the US. There is a clear sense of excitement when he discusses the possibilities, particularly with meetings and prospects already beginning to take shape.

However, for Luca, the growth represents more than just bigger rooms. It reflects the community that has formed around Unfltrd and the appetite for spaces where emerging artists can be seen and heard on their own terms.

And while Unfltrd may be expanding, its original mission remains unchanged: to create a stage where artistry comes first, and where nothing gets in the way of the artist’s voice.