Prepare for an unforgettable night of live music as the Kirklees Most Wanted Showcase lights up The Northern Quarter in Huddersfield on January 10th. This eagerly awaited event will spotlight an amazing lineup of homegrown talent, offering a dynamic mix of genres and an electrifying atmosphere for music fans.
Joining us on stage are 4 exceptional acts, each bringing their own unique flair;
Rillington Place
Rillington Place is an alternative metal band that has been featured on the Kirklees Most Wanted playlist with their track “Lament.” The band’s name is inspired by the notorious street where Jack the Ripper committed his crimes, following a similar naming convention to a band they admire, Whitechapel. Their focus is on creating new music, with an EP expected after their next single, and they are active in the live circuit, including a headline show at Parish’s new space, Amped! in Huddersfield.
Eskar & Micky Swags
Eskar is an impactful, fiercely independent hip-hop artist, songwriter, and label owner (Nuke Fam Records) from Huddersfield, UK. Known for his dense lyricism and genre versatility, Eskar is a prominent figure in the UK underground rap scene and was featured on the Kirklees Most Wanted playlist with his track “Kaiju.” In 2024, he released the widely acclaimed album Thy Flesh Consumed, which featured powerful collaborations with artists like Celph Titled, Tonedeff, and his frequent partner Micky Swags. The album also contained the track “116 123,” a vital song promoting a mental health message by sampling the last voice notes of a friend.
Leo Brazil
Leo Brazil is a Huddersfield-based musician, songwriter, and producer known for his original and exciting songs that blend acoustic, folk, pop, and psychedelia influences. His band, Leo Brazil & his Twitch, features Leo on vocals, songwriting, and guitar, alongside veteran musicians Dave Haigh on bass, Eddie Armitage on violin and mandolin, and Josh Blinkhorn on drums. He has supported notable acts like The Blow Monkeys and Space, and recently launched his own record label, Birds And Beasts Records, with inspiration drawn from the natural world.
Sophie & Songs
Sophie & Songs is an independent singer/songwriter who focuses on folk music and is currently studying music in Leeds. She uses writing and performing for self-expression and self-knowledge. Her songs, such as “Denial” and “Love Betrayed Me,” are described as hauntingly beautiful folk tracks featuring mesmerising acoustic guitar and stirring harmonies, appealing to listeners with their stripped-back, authentic, and vulnerable style.
Fiesta La Ginger
Throughout the night, there will be DJ sets from Fiesta La Ginger, opening up the event and filling the spaces between the live acts and keeping the energy high.
Don’t miss this extraordinary night of music and discovery.
The Kirklees Most Wanted Showcase is more than just a concert—it’s a celebration of the thriving music scene in Kirklees. By providing a platform for local artists to shine, this event highlights the incredible talent within the community and offers audiences the chance to discover their next favorite act.
Don’t miss this extraordinary night of music and discovery.
What has 2025 looked like for you? This year has been a year full of change. For me, finishing at CAPA college just before summer and then beginning to visualise where I stand outside of the education system in the next academic year before looking at the future and university or drama school in 2026, has been exciting and overwhelming all at once. I’ve performed at my first ever festivals, the main stage in Todmorden, two slots at Holmfirth and at the Garforth Summer Jam, it’s really felt like my music has taken off. My writing has developed enormously and I really look forward to showing what has become of me and my music in each and every performance I do.
How did you first get into music? I first got into music through my parents both being exceptionally musical. I grew up with them playing together, my mum on the whistle and my dad playing guitar. Both sing as well, and with that influence on top of their love of folk music, I don’t think there could’ve been a world where I wasn’t as invested in music as I am. I started off playing the piano and did a couple of grades before getting ill with CFS/ME when I was 11. Gradually I began to feel well enough to play again and started playing what I wanted to instead of just what I was supposed to because of the exam. My dad taught me to play four chords on the guitar and I practically never put it down afterwards. It wasn’t long before I started to write about my thoughts, feelings and experiences.
What was the process for creating your sound? I think for a lot of people at first it’s really easy to pick somebody else’s sound that you admire and want to sound exactly like them. I know at the start I’d listen to a lot of music by American artists and so would pronounce certain lyrics using that accent. I made the conscious decision that actually that wasn’t me or what I wanted my music to sound like, as I was so passionate about it being a true and genuine expression of who I am. I’ve definitely learned a lot about sounding unique, and I find I always sound the most like me when singing music I’ve written myself.
Who was your biggest inspiration? I’ve had many varying people that have inspired me. My top artist is Noah Kahan, with his deeply personal lyrics and folk influence I’ve always seen a bit of what I strive for in him and his music. On a more personal note I think the people in my life that have supported me and believed in me inspire me to write and perform, even if I’m doubting myself.
Which song best represents you musically to date? This one’s a tricky one! Because the song that I want to say is an unreleased song I wrote named Burnt Bridges and Made Amends. I wrote it after a friend I trusted hurt me deeply, I’ve always thought it captured a very raw very painful part of me that I think can only happen by accident. On “The Water and The Trees” it may be cliché but the title track really caught the way I felt about how short life is and the importance of not dismissing that the things you say you want to do might not always happen and so make the most of it. As well as the song being purely my voice and guitar, it will always hold a special place in my heart.
Which song has been the easiest / hardest to write? There have been a few life events that have happened that have just spilled out songs with ease because of the intensity of which I have experienced the emotion of them. I sometimes write songs within 10 minutes and sometimes it can take months to finish. Sometimes I go into a bit of a haze, like with Words Wrapped up in Lies, I don’t even remember the process of writing the song it just sort of happened and I was left with it afterwards. I remember playing it to some friends at the time fully formed as it was on the album the same day I finished it. I would say that the hardest song was Bliss Of Being Alone. I had about 8 different versions of choruses and prechoruses and verses and don’t even get me started on the time and effort it took to make the decisions as to which lyrics and version of the song I liked best. I’m definitely happy with what I ended up with there though.
Which song is “the one” that turns listeners into fans? I think when I play my music live, especially now, over a year after my album released. The way I perform certain unreleased songs gets people invested. I think the excitement I have about them bleeds through to the songs and the performance. I can’t wait until I can record and show the world some of these newer songs. I do find that once people have heard The Water and The Trees, they tend to take me a bit more seriously than before though!
Do you have any favourite quotes/sayings? I wouldn’t say there’s anything that massively springs to mind. Although in one of my songs, Indentations (unreleased) I have a lyric that says “I said if you value it truly you shouldn’t need it to always go your way”. And although it may be a very hypocritical statement, I do think it’s really beautiful the idea that you don’t need to control everything for it to be valued and appreciated.
What does the future of “Eve Joné” look like? I honestly think I’m in a bit of a state of limbo in terms of my future. There’s no doubt I’m going to keep making music and performing whenever anyone will have me, but I’m looking at higher education and moving out, as well as thinking about what the future of releasing music will look like for me. No decisions are 100% made but I’m happy knowing that my music isn’t going anywhere and I will make sure to keep playing, performing, writing and hopefully releasing my music for anyone that wants to hear.
What are your next steps to get there? My next steps definitely involve looking at the music I’ve written since my album came out and preparing the songs and myself to have a think about recording and which songs make the cut! It’s also important to me to get out there as much as I can and perform, as that’s what it’s all about really.
Chaos! I released my second album, “He Called Hex”, at the start of the year, and that whole thing feels like an entire lifetime ago. Since then I’ve pretty much been juggling working on this new album on and off with many, many, Uni deadlines, as I’m just now going into my final year as a music student. I’ve also taken on some of my first soundtracking jobs, been playing in our band Nuclear Fishing, produced some songs for other artists and, in my few minutes of non-musical spare time, have recently been getting into watching anime for the first time. So musically speaking it’s been a lot, and that’s not even counting keeping my own personal life in order! But I’m at a point now where I’m absolutely on fire with making and promoting my music and am just so excited to put all this stuff I’ve been working on out into the world.
How did you first get into music?
I had piano lessons from a pretty young age, which gave me the majority of my background in theory – however, I never really had too much knowledge or interest in producing my own music as a whole until the 2020 pandemic hit, and I was trapped inside with nothing better to do. A friend and I wanted to make some crappy Soundcloud rap as a joke, so I downloaded initially Audacity and later FL Studio to help facilitate this, essentially teaching myself how to make trap through YouTube tutorials. As time went on and I got more to grips with the ins and outs of actually producing music I started to realise I could try and develop a sound of my own, and eventually picked up the guitar and started writing more demos. Probably my first fully realised song using my voice didn’t come until “Weightless” (featured on my first album) in 2023, at which point I knew it was something I wanted to embrace.
What was the process for creating your sound?
So building on that a lot of my early works spawn from a weird cross section of influences – my piano writing, which leaned more classical and soundtrack-music inspired, my production skills which leaned more towards modern hip-hop and my songwriting itself which gravitated towards emo and other left-field online singer songwriter-y stuff. On my first album you can hear all those sounds kind of thrown at a wall at random since, while I’m still really proud of that record, I’ll admit I didn’t exactly know what I was doing! At this point, the influence of a lot of fifth wave emo and similarly online rock and shoegaze began to take ahold of me, and you can hear me trying to emulate these very noisy and chaotic mixes. Only on my more recent material, like on Hex, have I been able to wield these influences with a bit more intent. It’s also helped that I’ve spent a lot of time improving my skills on guitar and finding tones and mixing techniques that I like for the instrument – although, I should say, my next album maybe strays away from the guitar a bit more than the last couple and veers back towards the piano, so to an extent it’s like I’ve come full circle.
Who was your biggest inspiration?
Honestly, it changes every month, but I think the artist who really inspired me and pushed me to start writing songs for myself was Parannoul. I massively admire how his early albums were somehow made entirely in the box, with his vocals recorded on an old Samsung phone, and yet it’s some of the most emotionally raw and compelling shoegaze music out there. I know I’m not alone in taking influence from him, but the fact he was able to make such a resonant record on such a shoestring budget is a testament to how far music production has come in the digital age, and really convinced me that maybe I can do it too. I have so many online generation artists to thank for this kind of inspiration; Asian Glow, what is your name?, acloudyskye, Vylet Pony, even P.Rosa who I collaborated with on my last album – there’s an incredible wave of creatives who started out as just kids writing songs in their bedrooms and again it’s impossible to hear some of this music and not be desperate to write your own.
Which song best represents you musically to date?
Maybe “Softly, Softly”, one of the non-album singles I put out during the summer – I think it’s maybe one of my most direct songs, but it encapsulates a little bit of everything that I’d done up until that point. It’s got a dark and gloomy atmosphere, some super noisy yet blissful guitars, tortured vocals and lyrics and even some of the weird left-field electronics, all packaged into a little bundle under 3 minutes.
Which song has been the easiest / hardest to write?
There’s a song on my next album called “Ever Turning Field” which is by far the hardest song I’ve ever had to put together for a number of reasons; not just because it’s 8 minutes long or so but also because it’s a massive dirge of emotions that I still haven’t quite managed to wrap my finger around. It’s the one time in my career so far where I’ve put together a song that’s larger than life – it feels like I’m trying to confront something unknowable throughout that song, which I hope will make sense within the context of the record when it eventually comes out.
Which song is “the one” that turns listeners into fans?
I’d like to think my new song “I’ll Be There”! Maybe it’s recency bias, but I feel like people who might have been curious about or enjoyed elements of my music in the past, maybe even people who didn’t like my last album, can hear it and get the impression that this is Kit Le Bihan 2.0 so to speak, and that now’s the time to really start taking note of my music. It’s why I think it’s a perfect single – it’s got elements of my first 2 albums, but a new layer of tenderness and clarity that I think maybe they lacked at points.
Do you have any favourite quotes/sayings?
“…even if something is a lie, even if it’s fiction… If it has the power to change the world, then it must contain some kind of truth. Aren’t we proof of that?” – Shuichi Saihara
What does the future of “Kit Le Bihan” look like?
Aside from my own university deadlines, I’m currently hard at work putting the finishing touches on my next album, which will come out in 2026. I started writing it sometime towards the end of 2024, and had envisioned it to be my “rock” album, but as time went on it actually ended up being my most electronic and piano-leaning album yet! I feel like every record is a bit of a left turn for me, but all I want to say is be prepared for something different, something more gentle and yet more emotionally intense, something brighter and yet more heartbreaking. Oh, and some more weird genre combinations – there’s bits of synthpop, EDM, indie rock, folk, even a bit of glam. I’m also really hoping to play some more live shows – I did one which was streamed live on the Live forever twitch and had such a great time doing it, so I really think I’d like to try and carve some opportunities to play my songs a bit more in the live space in person.
What are your next steps to get there?
Lots of work and promotion! It’s no secret that it’s always gonna be hard to carve out a niche for yourself as an indie artist, but I really think I can build on the steady growth I’ve had this year and do something really special in 2026.
On Saturday 6 November, Dewsbury town centre will be filled with family-friendly festivities – the perfect recipe for a fun day out, with a fantastic selection of entertainment for all ages!
Christmas in Dewsbury will stem from the brand new public space out front of the town hall and across to the Prince of Wales precinct, including a traditional Christmas market, a community music stage, and even a fun Santa’s grotto.
Best of all, everything’s completely free.
Say hello to Santa To make this event as fabulous as possible, we’re working with the Arcade Group – the community organisation set to manage the Dewsbury Arcade when it reopens next year. On the day of the event, the Arcade Group have even agreed to loan out their pop-up shop to Santa for his grotto, and have teamed up with more local businesses to hide some sneaky Christmas elves around the town centre… Do you think you can find them all?
Live performances Our music stage will host loads of local acts throughout the day – including our very own Maisy Brown, bhangra artist Hardeep Sahota, singer Mitchy, the Yorkshire Folk Choir and the Musica Combined Children’s Choir.
Local children’s theatre company Tell Tale Hearts will be performing their much-loved Trunk Tales – through which children can hear stories and adventures from all across the globe – with a special winter theme, along with Topsy Turvy Theatre who, in conjunction with Creative Scene, will be performing their special festive production Christopher’s Christmas.
There’ll be more walkabout performances around the town centre throughout the day, including Christmas elves ‘Ebor n Gum’, Huddersfield Samba, and a beautiful giant barn owl called Thingumajig.
Get creative and crafty There’ll also be lots of opportunities to get crafty at Christmas in Dewsbury! ‘Make and take’ activities through WOVEN will include the chance to make your own festive rag wreath, using recycled textiles, and take it away on the day. The Creative Scene ‘Pow Space’ will provide an open space for art and creativity. And local artist Ruth Dyer is creating a giant interactive colouring wall especially for the event – come along and make your mark.
Location: Dewsbury Town Centre, Dewsbury, WF13 1DQ
Huddersfield-based rock band Knuckle are a perfect example of the kind of talent that thrives in West Yorkshire. Known for their raw energy and sharp sense of humour, they bring a refreshing edge to the local music scene. Their track “Sick at the Fair” is a punchy punk anthem that blends witty, comedic lyrics with tight, hard-hitting rock instrumentation. The song tells the story of a date at the fair gone hilariously wrong, capturing the awkwardness, chaos, and unpredictability of modern dating.
Through its vivid storytelling, the track paints a clear and relatable picture of what it feels like to navigate romance today, complete with miscommunication, unexpected mishaps, and the kind of embarrassing moments you can laugh about later. The driving guitars and upbeat tempo give the song a lively momentum, while the playful lyrics add a sense of novelty that sets Knuckle apart. By the time the chorus hits, you’re left both headbanging and grinning, fully caught up in the band’s unique mix of humour, honesty, and punk-rock charm.
SAMH are a Huddersfield-based act founded by singer-songwriter Sam Hodgson. Their unique sound is characterised by “Organic lyrics with trance-like repetitive rhythms and psychedelic overtones,” described as feeling like a “lucid dream,” and drawing influences from artists like Pink Floyd and Radiohead. Samh has built a cult-like following through notable performances at festivals like the Edinburgh Fringe and Tramlines, while garnering radio support from BBC 6 and Radio X.
“Animal” by SAMH mixes folk, singer-songwriter, and psychedelic sounds to create a raw, energetic track. It’s driven by steady, repetitive guitar parts, while the rough, natural vocals make the song feel personal and honest. The melody is easy to follow and sticks with you, letting the message take all the attention. As the song goes on, the rhythms become stronger and more intense, giving it a lively energy. Overall, the musical style of “Animal” blends simple folk ideas with emotional vocals and powerful lyrics to create an engaging and impactful song. The theme of the song surrounds humanity and how self-obsession & materialism counteract the basics of humanity and human values.
What was it like to be a student studying music whilst also trying to get your name out there in the industry? – How has studying music affected your musical understanding?
From when I studied music in college, I found my coursework was a great way to motivate myself to build my skills in both performance and production. However, coursework was extremely overwhelming, and I struggled to find the time to work on my solo project whilst also working hard for my grades. I wouldn’t change my choice to have studied music, though, because it’s helped me to raise my understanding of composition, the art of performance and has helped me gain a lot of musical connections.
What got you into making music and specifically folk music?
I’ve loved music from a very young age: I have memories of dancing around the room singing ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ with my dad from when I was two years old, to learning to play ‘Song from Bridget’ with my mum on the ukulele when I was around 7. Singing and performing mean the world to me, and if I could do it every day, I would. I’m not quite sure how I’ve ended up making folk music, as the majority of what I listen to is rock and pop with a lot of other genres in the mix. I’ve found folk to be the only music I’m able to write freely without thinking too much about it and how it’s going to work with other instruments; it’s just me and my guitar.
Who are your main musical influences?
My musical influences change a lot, but my main ones at the moment have got to be Sofia Isella, Ok Goodnight (specifically their vocalist Casey Lee Williams) and Seb Lowe. All create very different sounds, but all are absolutely incredible music.
Have you got anything in the works right now that we can expect soon?
I have a few pieces of work at the moment, but how soon we can expect them is a different question. I produce and record everything at home right now, and, with my limited knowledge and skill with production, I’m struggling to get anything finalised to a standard that I think is acceptable. With regards to producing at home, I find writing is the easier part, although it’s still pretty difficult. I’ve got several songs that haven’t seen the light of day because they’re incomplete or just aren’t up to my usual standards. Recording is fun but extremely hard work and I need a lot of motivation to manage to get any done; the actual recording part is fine but getting the best take and then all the editing afterwards as well as trying to compose extra instruments is so difficult and more days than not I just give up, leaving behind a project until I can come back to it with fresh ears.
What is the story behind your song ‘Love betrayed me’?
‘Love betrayed me’ is honestly quite funny, the more time that passes since I wrote it. I was in a very bad place and struggling with communication in my relationship at the time. I got it in my head and wrote this just a day after I thought everything had finally become clear, my anxiety overwhelming me and leaving me feeling like I couldn’t breathe right. This song became an expression of my anger and was almost like my voice of reason, trying to snap me out of the little delusions I’d trapped myself in. ‘Love betrayed me’ is a reality check up until the last chorus. A drastic change to the first two lines, flipping the song from a rational place of rage to one of hope and longing, almost childlike in a way: “Do you love me, do you love me not? Because I’m getting sick and tired of all these anxious thoughts.” Honestly, I could ramble on about the way I interpret my songs for hours, especially this one. I love getting to analyse writing and go over the potential meanings because a lot of the time, I still haven’t fully understood what I was writing about, or even better, the meaning of the song changes with time, and I get to look at it in lots of new ways.
What does performing your music mean to you?
Performing, in my experience, can be almost euphoric, especially if I’m feeling confident about my setlist. I’m usually extremely nervous and pessimistic before I go onstage, but once I’m there, I’m having such a great time getting to sing my heart out. Whether it’s covers or originals, in a band or on my own, I have so much fun performing, and I would love to get more opportunities to be able to do it much more frequently.
What’s next for you?
I have absolutely no idea what’s next for me. I’m trying to figure out everything all at once for both my personal and musical life. I hope that I’ll get to perform a lot more gigs, write hundreds of songs and release them (with good quality production of course), but I know I struggle to stay motivated and have been in a slump with anything musical for months now, but I’m hoping to bounce back soon. Ideally, I’ll be better than ever when that happens.
The Parish in Huddersfield, known for its intimate, energetic atmosphere, was the perfect crucible for the sonic fireworks delivered by Ibibio Sound Machine on Friday night. It was an evening that started in soulful reflection and exploded into a joyous, sweat-drenched dance party, proving once again that the best nights out are those where the walls feel like they’re breathing along with the crowd.
Support: Hannah Rowe—A Local Star Shines Bright
Leeds based and Kirklees Most Wanted alumni Hannah Rowe set the bar high, proving exactly why she’s generating so much buzz. Trading the massive festival stages for the confines of The Parish, Rowe’s powerful, soulful voice filled every corner of the room. Drawing heavily on her jazz and soul influences, she delivered tracks like the reflective “Bellevue” and the massive “Waistcoat” with an emotional depth that belied the venue’s small size. Performing with a scaled down outfit from her normal 10-piece band they managed to create a sophisticated, layered soundscape that was both rich and intimate, providing a perfect, locally-sourced dose of warmth before the main event.
Headliners: Ibibio Sound Machine
When Ibibio Sound Machine took the stage, the vibe shifted instantly. Led by the magnetic Nigerian-British vocalist Eno Williams, the eight-piece group immediately plunged the packed room into a mesmerizing blend of West African highlife, post-punk electronica, and pure 80s synth-funk.
Williams is an unstoppable force of nature, narrating in the Ibibio language (often translated in real-time through her movements and sheer energy) while commanding the stage. The band’s setlist, featuring fan favourites like “Electricity,” “The Chant (Iquo Isang),” and the hypnotic “Protection From Evil,” was a masterclass in controlled chaos. Each song was a vibrant, polyrhythmic workout, driven by the relentless, propulsive basslines and the swirling, retro synthesizers that give the band its distinctive electronic edge.
The Parish’s relatively small 300-capacity room amplified the intensity; there was no room to stand still. By the time the band launched into the irresistible call-and-response of “Fire Fire Fire, Higher Higher Higher” the floor was a unified mass, hands in the air, echoing the sheer joy radiating from the stage.
The Huddersfield crowd’s embrace of the band’s global sound was a testament to the universal language of rhythm. Ibibio Sound Machine didn’t just play a gig; they curated a transcendental experience that lifted the spirits and left everyone feeling like they’d just participated in something primal and necessary. An unforgettable show, cemented by the raw energy that only a venue like The Parish can provide.
