For US-based industry insider Wayne “Kinetic” Smith access is a crucial part of an up-and-coming artiste’s career.

According to the president of non-profit organisation Musically Unifying, access to behind-the-scenes stories and exclusive insight from established acts can help to distinguish an aspiring artiste. That, he shared, is the reason he and his team decided to launch a programme giving specially selected individuals the opportunity to connect with industry professionals to gain insight into the business of music.

“When I started in music I wished I had access to the persons before me, and many of my colleagues also shared that dream. We would have [wanted] to speak with some of the persons who inspired us,” said Smith.

He was speaking with the Jamaica Observer’s Splash at the recently concluded Island Music Conference in Kingston. Smith said he made the trek to Kingston to forge more business relationships, as he intends to expand the reach of his project dubbed, Unsigned Access.

“Now that we’ve built a foundation for ourselves in this industry, and we’ve gained access to these persons, we want to share those connections with the younger generation,” he continued. “Real talent comes from the grass roots, and there is so much talent out there, and we realise we have the power and access to help change their lives. We have made music our life’s mission, and now it’s about giving back to the youths in a substantial way.”

According to Smith, Unsigned Access is a free programme which has already gained support from prominent individuals in the local industry including iconic music producers King Jammy and Bunny “Striker” Lee.

“Unsigned Access is a programme for 21 and under youth to give them access to artistes, producers, and other industry players to help them in whatever entry point they want in music. It will give them the unique opportunity to connect with these individuals and to get first-hand glimpses inside what they do and how they contribute to the business of music,” Smith said. “We want to formally introduce the professional side of the music industry through Grammy Award-winning producers and other professionals to let them see what it’s like in a studio environment with a professional.”

Access to the programme is given via invitation after the programme officials have vetted interested individuals.

“Interested persons can gain access by signing up via musicallyunifying.com or by sending us an e-mail to
info@musicallyunifying.com. We sponsor everything from our end at Musically Unifying and so it’s free of cost to the individuals selected,” he said. “The sessions are held in-person and we’re trying to see if we can have at least one per quarter. As we get more support from industry professionals we will expand. We just want to do our part in helping to launch the careers of the future players.”