Jamal Edwards, regarded as one of the most influential figures in British music, will be this year’s recipient of the Music Industry Trusts Award.
The entrepreneur, who founded music platform SBTV in 2006, passed away on February 20 from a heart attack at the age of 31.
The MITS award will be honouring Edwards’ significant contributions to the UK music business, with each year aiming to bestow an acclaimed peer for their achievements in the industry.
Edwards helped launch the wildly successful careers of homegrown talents turned global superstars- from Dave, Ed Sheeran, Jessie J and many more- through his YouTube channel SBTV.
His platform was also critical in helping to catapult grime to an international audience, as by the age of 24, Edwards was recognised for his feats by being awarded an MBE in 2014.
The list of his accomplishments extend to his successful work as an author, entrepreneur, designer and philanthropist.
Edwards’ family hope to continue his legacy in providing a voice for all, as Brenda Edwards, mother and Loose Women panellist, announced on Instagram recently on the establishment of the Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust.
Within the post’s caption, Ms. Edwards stated that The Trust was set up “with an objective to support those causes that mattered most to Jamal”, which included “three key interrelated areas” such as tackling homelessness, mental health issues and offering life skills to young people.
The Edwards family will be accepting the posthumous MITS award at a gala ceremony, which will take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on November 7 2022.
The Music Industry Trusts Awards will additionally support two charities, Nordoff Robbins and The BRIT Trust, and has thus far raised over £7 million during its 30 year course to crucially aid the charities’ works.
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