Diversity + Parity Fund: Rhythm Section selects 6 future leaders for electronic music
Beatport's Diversity + Parity Fund recipient announces artists for its talent development programme
Beatportal
Rhythm Section International has announced the chosen artists for the second year of its talent development programme, Future Proof. Through funding from Beatport’s Diversity + Parity Fund, Rhythm Section is supporting these 6 emerging DJs and producers from across England to evolve their skills and industry know-how, ready to become future leaders in the electronic music scene. Over 6 months, each participant will receive masterclasses from world-class artists and industry professionals, 1-to-1 mentoring tailored to their needs, press photos, peer support sessions, as well as a package of audio equipment and software perks, including a copy of Ableton Live 12, Audio-Technica headphones, microphones, DJ cartridges and Cradle audio plugins.
The Future Proof class of 2025 are:
Abby Harris
Having established herself in the North East scene, Manchester-based Abby has become known for her deep, energetic & genre-spanning sets. Her skills extend beyond the dancefloor, where she is helping shape the underground by championing queer, women and working class DJs through creative initiatives.
Field Motion
Described by Resident Advisor as 'some truly lethal London talent', Field Motion's work sits at the bleeding edge of UK club music, signifying over a decade of wide-eyed fascination with the more leftfield corners of dance music’s past, present and future.
Inda Flo
Inda Flo is a disc jockey, radio host, and event promoter pulling up on the underground club scene to bend and blend cultural sounds in her stomping ground of Global Bass, Percussive Club, Ethno-Techno, Electronic & World.
Limi
DJ and producer, Limi, is known for versatile BPM ranges, percussive rhythms and multi-genre exploration, weaving nu-jazz, UK funky, bass & breaks into her sets, which often spotlight female producers and instrumentalists. She skillfully curates both dark, experimental atmospheres and light, danceable moments, seamlessly merging contemporary bass music, left-field techno, percussive club and breaks.
Luvandula
Luvandula is a queer audio-visual artist based in London, selected as an emerging artist by Body Movements and Secretsundaze. They explore the deep and hypnotic sounds between ambient, house and techno. They curate o:rbyss - a queer ambient mix and event series running monthly residencies.
This Nottingham-based Italian artist with Nigerian & Congolese roots fearlessly fuses electro, hip-hop, funk, global rhythms & house. Inspired by legends like Fela Kuti, M.I.A., and SOPHIE, her sound is bold, innovative, and deeply tied to her heritage. As co-founder of Hunnisuckle, she’s creating space for women, NB and underrepresented voices.
The flagship masterclass series kicked off in January with an in-depth session from Charlie Dark MBE, exploring how to build longevity into your career. Thirty emerging artists assembled at Jumbi in Peckham for the talk, followed by a workshop with Ruby Savage on identifying your core values as an artist. The recording is available on Rhythm Section’s Youtube channel now.
Four more sessions follow over the coming months from the likes of Jamz Supernova, I. Jordan and Bradley Zero. Building on last year’s inaugural Future Proof programme in London, this time the masterclasses are touching down in Bristol, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle. Spotlighting the grassroots music scene that Rhythm Section grew from, each masterclass will be followed by a party hosted in partnership with a local promoter. The party series kicked off on 21st February at Strange Brew, Bristol with I.Jordan, Bex and Luvandula on the bill, in partnership with Noods Levels.
The label’s founder Bradley Zero said: “Last year’s Future Proof was such an inspiring process. It’s been such a privilege to work with the next generation of talent at workshops and events in London, and I’m super excited to broaden the scope and bring the project to more towns and cities across England.” The participants in the first year were Rohan Rakhit, Zar, Ghoßt Assembly (Abigail Ward), Janay, L Daze and Stella Z. They received masterclasses and mentoring from Moxie, Jordan Rakei, Ruf Dug, Ciel, Cameo Blush, and Tash LC, to name a few. Since taking part, members of the cohort have been featured in Mixmag, DJ Mag, played Keep Hush, opened for Four Tet at The Warehouse Project, been signed by a booking agent, and released music on labels such as Ruf Kutz, Third Place and Fragment on Machines.
Future Proof is supported by Arts Council England and Beatport’s Diversity + Parity Fund. All photos by Ellie Koepke.
