The Oh Yeah Music Centre Belfast – Unveils Talent Development Programme ‘Scratch My Progress’ 2025 Line-Up

The Oh Yeah Music Centre is proud to announce the four new acts joining Scratch My Progress 2025: GUSH, The Thing Is…, Pinsleep, and Lord Jane.

Now in its 14th year, Scratch My Progress remains a cornerstone talent development programme, providing mentoring, showcases, and practical support for emerging artists. The initiative continues to thrive thanks to the vital backing of PRS Foundation and IMRO.

Across the next nine months, the selected acts will work with new Scratch Mentor Benjamin Magee (New Champion Management), exploring opportunities for their music through workshops, studio time, professional photo shoots, live showcases, and one-to-one guidance from leading industry figures. Previous Scratch participants have benefited from sessions with PRS, PPL, PRSF, Musicians’ Union, Atlantic Records, Parlophone, Domino, ATC Live, Runway Artists, and Jeff Robinson PR, among others.

Open to artists across rock, alternative, acoustic, rap, pop, folk, punk, and electronic genres, Scratch My Progress has nurtured an impressive alumni network. This includes Problem Patterns, Kitt Philippa, Sasha Samara, Sister Ghost, Wynona Bleach, and Lemonade Shoelace, as well as music and media voices Gemma Bradley and Emer Maguire. Many have since gone on to win awards and secure record labels, publishing, and agency contracts.

We are delighted to welcome Benjamin Magee as this year’s mentor. With a proven track record managing acclaimed artists such as Chalk and Scratch graduate Lemonade Shoelace, Magee brings invaluable expertise that will help shape the next generation of talent.

Ben commented, ‘It’s been an honour to be handed the reins to the decade-long mission that Scratch My Progress has pursued. I look forward to sculpting the programme going forward and shaping the careers of the emerging artists that come through the scheme’.

Charlotte Dryden, CEO of the Oh Yeah Music Centre said  “A warm welcome to the new Scratch cohort. This year saw an impressive number of band applications, reflected in the strength of the new group, with Pinsleep standing out for their innovative solo work. We’re also delighted to welcome Ben, who brings fresh energy and perspective. Our thanks go to former mentor Charlene Hegarty for her invaluable contribution, and to PRS Foundation and IMRO, whose support is vital in enabling Scratch to champion artists in these challenging times.”

GUSH

“We are beyond excited and grateful for this opportunity to be part of such an acclaimed programme that so many incredible artists have gone through over the years.”

The Thing Is…

“We’re so grateful to be selected for this year’s Scratch My Progress Scheme! A huge thank you to everyone involved at the Oh Yeah Centre. We can’t wait to grow our potential in this community of amazing artists and professionals.”

Pinsleep 

“Being selected for the programme means I can tune more into the community which forms the music industry here in NI. To me, as a solo artist, it is especially important to feel being part of something larger, to be cheered, but also kept accountable on this strange journey of turning your deepest dreams into reality.”

Lord Jane 

“We were so delighted to be chosen to take part in this years’ Scratch, especially because of the incredible depth of talent that is currently on offer within Belfast and NI! So to be selected is a huge honour and we feel very lucky to be given the opportunities that Scratch provides to learn and grow as artists!” 

Photo credit – press photo