YolanDa Brown (Musician, Broadcaster & Author)
For some, world-wide touring and critically acclaimed albums would be satisfaction enough. Not for YolanDa Brown who has garnered praise for her delicious fusion of reggae, jazz and soul. YolanDa has worked with The Temptations, Diana Krall, Billy Ocean and features on Jools Holland’s new album. She is currently composing music for the iconic Sesame Street and an animated series called Bea's Block due for release in 2023.
A champion for the importance of music education, YolanDa is chair of Youth Music (one of the largest music education charities in the UK) and an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust and London Music Fund. She graduated with a first class degree in Operations management from the University of Kent, followed by 2 Masters Degrees and studied a PhD for four years, before taking a hiatus from her thesis to pursue her music career. Brown was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts by the University of East London.
In 2018 along with philanthropist James JP Drake, she launched the "Drake YolanDa Award" offering grants for emerging musicians. November 2020 saw YolanDa roll out her bespoke online music lesson plans for teachers, parents and pupils nationwide as she continues to promote music education in primary schools. Together with Sony Music UK’s Magic Star, kids creative-media agency SUPER and one of the world’s largest provider of online education resources, Twinkl. Launched on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show, an estimated 30 000 children have now used the resources.
An entrepreneur too, YolanDa launched the “London Saxophone Festival” in 2018, currently in its third edition. YolanDa has been invited to sit on panels for the PRS Foundation, The IVORs and delivered Keynotes for Music Mark, ABRSM and music hubs across the country. In 2021, she was invited by the Government and Department for Education to sit on the advisory board of the National Plan for Music Education. YolanDa released a book “The ABC’s of music” with Hal Leonard and also released four play along books showcasing black composers with Faber Music in 2021.
She is a broadcaster working across TV and Radio, including her eponymous series for CBeebies, "YolanDa’s Band Jam", which recently won the Royal Television Society Awards as Best Children’s Programme. She presented the Ella and Dizzy Centenary for BBCProms, Gospel Choir of the Year and BBC Young Jazz Musician of the year. YolanDa has also appeared on TV shows including Celebrity Mastermind, Sunday Brunch, House of Games, The Hitlist, Celebrity Antiques Roadtrip and loads more. On BBC Radio 4, she co presents Loose Ends with Clive Anderson and covers for Trevor Nelson and Vanessa Feltz on BBC Radio 2 and presents “YolanDa Brown on Saturday” on Jazz FM.
YolanDa loves to drive fast cars around race tracks in her spare time and can even rattle off a Rubik’s Cube in around five minutes (on a good day). A real renaissance woman, set to reach new heights.
