Michael Molloy
As the Scholarship winners arrange a fundraiser for their LA trip, Getintothis’ Cath Bore has the details.
In February of this year, the inaugural Michael Molloy Scholarship was awarded to Liverpool singer-songwriters Deana Walmsley and Charlie Airey.
Michael was a promising young musician tragically killed in a coach crash on his way back from Bestival in 2012 along with coach driver Colin Daulby, 63, from Warrington, and Kerry Ogden, 23, from Maghull, while Zach Washington-Young, suffered life-changing injuries.
The Scholarship aims to give opportunities to other young musicians, nurturing fresh talent, and introducing them to industry experts around the world.
Deana and Charlie are shortly to fly out to Los Angeles to write and record new material as part of their award.
“Words can’t describe how I feel about the Scholarship,” Deana told us.
“I can’t wait to get myself to Los Angeles, write and record my music out there and be inspired by LA and all it has to offer me. Let’s do this!”
“Having this scholarship in my eyes is having a real foot in the door of the music industry,” says Charlie, who played Sound City and Liverpool Pride last year.
“Just having this opportunity to promote and develop my sound out there in LA is something I still can’t get over.”
Listen to Michael Molloy’s Rise and Fall – plus reaction from the Bestival benefit gig
Both songwriters are students at Rare Studio, a charitable performing arts school in Liverpool, which, along with marketing agency Agent, co-fund the Scholarship.
The pair have arranged their own fundraiser in Studio2 Parr on Thursday so they can make the most of their experience whilst in America.
Deana and Charlie will be playing a set each, after which they will perform a few songs together – the event takes place at Studio 2 on Thursday September 21, £3.50 OTD.
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