Voice of Torbay's young people heard loud and clear with pioneering project

The voice - and sound - of South Devon’s young people is being heard loud and clear thanks to a pioneering project in Paignton.

Sonar Sessions is being launched with a spectacular live event at Stage Left in Palace Avenue on Wednesday January 22 featuring music performances by local acts and popular headliners The Scribes. 

Tickets for this live event were sold out within days, but it will be broadcast live on the free Ocean Youth radio App, available on Google Play and the Apple App Store - and it is just the start of a new way of getting heard for the youth of Torbay and South Devon.

Sonar Sessions is a brand new series of radio shows from Ocean Youth - a radio station run by young people for young people based at Winner Street.

With 33,000 listeners, the station is now expanding its schedule with a series of specialist shows giving young people aged 16-plus the chance to make radio and podcasts about things that interest them. 

Anyone 16-plus can apply to learn radio skills, present their own show, make podcasts or create performances and media. 

Ocean Youth’s Daisy Lloyd is the creative producer of this new Sonar’’ radio series.

She says: “The live event is a really exciting way of kicking off Sonar. The Scribes are a fantastic band with a dedicated following. The other performers are also incredible – and I’m not just saying that because I work with them.”

The Scribes are headlining the launch event. The band have played a key role in the local and regional music scene for many years and are an exciting act who exemplify the spirit of local music across the Bay and beyond. 

The Scribes say: “As independent musicians who have been performing and making music since our teens, we fully understand how important it is for young artists to be given platforms to hone their craft and share their work, especially those who may find it hard to access such spaces. 

“We are therefore ecstatic to be able to support the launch of Sonar Sessions which is set to provide exactly these types of opportunities to a whole range of young adults in the South West, we couldn't be happier to be involved.”

This Sonar live event also brings together young people who have been involved in a music project supported by the Arts Council called ‘This Is Us’. 

Over the course of two years young people in schools across South Devon have created their own music. This live event will bring them and their enthusiasm for music together in a celebration of their achievements. 

‘This Is Us’ Project Manager Sophie Hammill says: “When people see their peers perform live it has an incredibly empowering effect. The ‘This Is Us’ project has given many young people the skills and confidence to make their own music and record their own radio shows, now it's time to give them the aspiration to get out there and perform.”

The next day after the live launch, on Thursday January 23, Daisy will be holding the very first Sonar Radio Session at the Ocean Youth Radio Station at 1-3 Winner Street from 4.30pm to 6.30pm with sessions repeating every other Thursday from then on. 

Ocean Youth Station Manager Charlie Cuff says: “The station is really well equipped. It’ll be fantastic to welcome new presenters who want to make radio shows about the things that really interest them. You do need to register your interest in advance as we have limited spaces- do it via our Ocean Youth App which you can download on Google Play or Apple App Store.”

Sonar Creative Producer Daisy says: “There’s no other radio station that caters for us 16-plus young people so why not do it ourselves? I want Sonar to give us the voice to share our hobbies, interests and talents – wherever you live across our area.”