New publication, SEEN, aims to "counter the London-centric narrative” of music journalism

A new publication aims to challenge the status quo of UK-based music journalism.

SEEN is based in Manchester and run by three experienced music industry professionals: Tunde Adekoya, artistic director of Big People Music and Big People Community CIC, which runs See My World festival; journalist, academic and DJ Mag contributor Kamila Rymajdo; and Swing Ting's Balraj Samrai. Their goal for the magazine is to "counter the London-centric narrative that often dominates music journalism", "celebrat[e] unheard voices" and connect "global scenes linked to Britain’s colonial history."

The project was conceived in 2021 with a "bold anti-racist manifesto", and that progressivism follows through on the upcoming Manchester-celebrating debut issue's features, including DJ Paulette on the need for DJs to unionise. There's also a feature on local artist HMD, who talks about his experience migrating from Somalia to Manchester via Denmark.

"Print magazines are like archives of experiences; what was, what is and what could be," Adekoya said of their decision to focus on making SEEN a paper product. "I suppose we felt that there was a lack of these experiences being documented by the global majority of real people who make Britain what it is — a cultural melting pot. Throughout history, people have been forgotten, written out of books and publications. We thought it right to explore how people could write themselves back in if they felt they wanted to."

SEEN's cofounders are celebrating the release of their first issue with a launch event this weekend, Saturday, 29th October. Writers and issue No. 1 contributors Tayyab Amin and Santina Robinson will feature on a panel with the SEEN staff at the Whitworth Gallery's Bound Art Book Fair. Find more information here.

Read SEEN's mission statement in full.