Mix-up 2025 - From self taught songwriters to up and coming performers

Welcome to Mix-Up 2025, the latest evolution of the student-led musical event that’s quietly become a creative landmark.

Unlike previous years that leaned into live performances and genre showcases, this year’s Mix-Up flipped the script. The spotlight shifted to the recording process, offering artists a unique opportunity to professionally lay down their tracks, some for the very first time.

For young creatives like Hani Mosammat, it’s more than a recording session. It’s a defining moment.

Finding Her Frequency: Hani Mosammat

Hani, a 20 year old music production student, always had a passion for music, even at a young age. “I always liked playing music and singing as a kid, but I wasn’t taught, I had to teach myself.” She began with YouTube tutorials and a second-hand keyboard. Now, years later, she’s stepping into her first studio session.

Hani’s music blends sounds and cultures. “Originally, it was meant to be more acoustic, like with guitar,” she explains, “but people started saying it sounded a bit Amy Winehouse-y. I didn’t really see it. One of my mates said Adele.”

But there's more to her sound than Western soul influences. “I really like Middle Eastern and South Asian music too. The second track I recorded today is in the faded harmonic minor scale, it gives it that sharp, exotic edge,” she says, a nod to her multicultural roots.

Despite her confidence in songwriting and composition, performing live isn’t her focus. “I thought I wanted to perform when I started uni,” she admits, “but I realized I’m not that strong of a performer. So now I want to stick to my strengths which is writing and composing. Being behind the scenes.”

Hani doesn’t have music on Spotify or SoundCloud yet, and Mix-Up is her first real step toward that. “I’m hoping this session helps build something. It’s all been building up to this, really.”

She’s also thinking long-term. “I’d love to write for other people. Maybe one day compose something cinematic like, for a movie”

From Bedroom Beats to Big Ambitions: Harry Bliss

For Harry Bliss, another artist taking part in Mix-Up, the journey started in a very different genre. “It kind of all started from hip hop and underground rap,” he says. “Then it evolved into experimenting with ambient, dance, pop... it’s kind of a blend now. I like mixing all of it together.”

Harry isn’t just a vocalist, he’s a full creative unit. “I produce my own beats, do the mixing, and I also work on the visuals,” he explains. “My girlfriend helps with the art direction, but I’m involved in every step.”

He traces his musical roots back to childhood. “My dad’s a guitarist. He was always playing music around the house. He really encouraged me to explore it.”

When asked what advice he’d give to other young creatives, Harry doesn’t hesitate. “Just release your music. Whatever you think is good, put it out there. Don’t wait for it to be perfect. Let people give you feedback and learn from it. I wish I did that more when I started.”

What makes Mix-Up 2025 feel different isn’t just the music, it’s the mindset. In an industry obsessed with instant success and social media clout, this event offers a refreshing return to the roots: making music because it means something.

There’s no audience, no flashy stage lighting, no pressure to “go viral.” Just a mic, a beat, and an artist figuring it out in real time.

The goal? Progress. Not perfection.

“It was really liberating,” Hani reflects after her session. “Just being in a space where I could try stuff out, no pressure to perform. Just… create.”

Looking Ahead

As Mix-Up 2025 wraps, the hope is that these recordings are just the beginning. Artists will walk away with demos, but also with confidence which is a crucial and often overlooked currency in the early days of any musical career.

For someone like Hani Mosammat, it’s the first line in a bigger song. For Harry Bliss, it’s a stepping stone on an already evolving path. And for everyone involved, it’s proof that real growth doesn’t always happen on a stage, it often happens in the quiet corners of a studio, where someone finally hits “record.”

Mix-Up 2025 may not have filled a stadium, but it filled something far more important. The space between potential and possibility.