whiskas (Sam Nicholls)

Director - MusicLocal

Samuel Nicholls or whiskas as he is mainly known in the music industry, is the founder & director of Music Local and Senior Lecturer in Music at Leeds Beckett University. He is responsible for delivering the Yorkshire-wide talent development program Launchpad, establishing Music:Leeds as a vehicle to support the local music sector, advocating for regional music support across Yorkshire, and founding the BA (Hons) Music Industries Management course at Leeds Beckett.

Previously, whiskas has run a music venue and live promotions company, launched the Dance To The Radio record label and was guitarist in the band ¡Forward, Russia!, signed to Mute / EMI Records in North America as well self-releasing in Europe, achieving two UK Top 40 singles. Since 2010, he has curated music industry development events in Yorkshire, first as the Unconference, and now through Music Local & Launchpad, with 1000 attendees. Established in 2019, Launchpad has now supported over 200 artists and emerging professionals based across the region, and has now announced a partnership with EMI North.

Passionate about supporting local music scenes, Music Local have worked with a range of partners and local authorities including Bradford Council, Rotherham Council, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Yorkshire Sound Women Network, Sage Gateshead and Coventry City of Culture. whiskas has also been on advisory boards for Yorkshire Festival, Come Play With Me, Leeds Music Hub and acts as an advisor to major music funders PRS Foundation, Help Musicians UK and Youth Music.