Youth Music is a national charity funded thanks to the National Lottery via Arts Council England, players of People’s Postcode Lottery and support from partners, fundraisers and donors.

Set to take place across 27 March to 2 April 2023, Give a Gig Week brings together artists, fans and local communities who want to equalise access to music for young people nationwide. Tia Kofi is one of the big names that will perform there! This is everything you need to know prior to the event!

Tia Kofi thank you so much for being here. It’s such a pleasure to be with you today. How are you?

I’m good thank you. How are you?

I’m great. Thank you. You look fabulous! What’s the secret of your beauty darling?

Teenage acne, scarring and water.

How is everything going in your life? Please give us your latest updates because I started firing up with questions.

Oh, my latest updates! I released single a few weeks ago I have just been recording some bits and pieces for upcoming projects, I am working on things and stuff that I can’t talk about. It’s all very exciting, but, you know, I’ll tell you when it’s out.

Sounds exciting. And we’re really looking forward to seeing everything. So Tia, what is the Youth Music’s Give a Gig Week and how do you decide to participate? What made you say yes?

Music has always been very important to me, especially during growing up. It was like an avenue that I never thought that I’d be able to break into. And I got this platform during drag which helped me start writing my music and got out there and releasing things! Also, I managed to use music as a charity that seeks to help people break into the industry and diversify out, and, that’s something that’s really important to me. So, giving a gig in this way means that the ticket sellers are going to raise money to help with those important projects and will give the option to people who might not necessarily have thought that this was a possibility, to break into the music music industry. There are so many talented people out there, so many incredible musicians, so many artists who don’t have that access for whatever reason to the things that they need to work on their music, this industry that is so hard to crack. I’ve always wanted to do something, anything that I could support people and allow them to do that and be able to work with us music.

Tell us a little bit more about your performance in Youth Music’s Give a Gig . What shall we expect to see?

Well, I’m definitely going to do lots of my own music, which is lovely! I’m very excited with the band, which will be good fun. And also, there will be probably several unexpected covers, which is always my favourite thing to do when I throw into a gig stuff. There will be stuff you might not expect.

Wow, sounds exciting. How was the experience in Drag Race UK and how has your life changed?

It was great. You can watch it all on BBC iPlayer. My life has changed dramatically. I never thought I’d have these opportunities and these possibilities, but I’ve got to do like so many amazing things with my life. Particularly, being able to like release music and do that has been absolutely incredible. Knowing that people are out there enjoying Tia and streaming the music on Spotify is amazing. And that’s the key thing. With this project, it is like giving people access to that wealth and giving people opportunities that they might not have thought that they would have, because I’ve been really lucky by being able to get that.

Before Drag Race, I had 3000 followers on Instagram. And now I don’t, so I suppose my life did change quite drastically after the show. But, I would not go back and do a normal seasonal Drag Race again. I’ve already done it.

How has your drag changed over the last few years? If it has changed?

I think it’s definitely changed. I’ve embraced my main pop girl energy and translated that into my drag. I have been able to focus so much on music and performing at all these massive pride events across the country and I am very fortunate I went on stage to perform at Birmingham Pride with S Club 7. That’s definitely something that I’ve embraced into my drag, which has expanded because I get to write and share things with people. I like to call myself the Taylor Swift of drag, which is unfortunate for all of my ex boyfriends.

How would you define the London drag scene?

I would define it as eclectic and very diverse. There’s lots of different kinds of drags that you can see in London, whether it’s like old school classic cabaret with people on stage for an hour holding a mic or whether it’s like modern mixing with people wearing human hair wigs and jumping into splits, which I’m sure it’s fun for them, but can’t relate. It is all different sorts of drag and that’s like a wonderful thing. We love to have diversity within the drag scene and not like encourage it.

Super. Do you keep in touch with the rest of the of the queens on your season and how’s your relationship?

No, they’re all blocked. I hate them. Yeah, we all sort of like we see each other from time to time at events or we’ll talk on WhatsApp. I saw Veronica Green yesterday, which is lovely. Joe Black just sent me a WhatsApp message. It’s very nice. Oh and and I’ve got a new like on Tinder. How exciting for me.

Anything that you can reveal about your future plans?

My plans include giving a gig for Youth Music, as I mentioned and I’m really excited about it. The money goes to Youth Music, a wonderful charity supporting, you know, grassroots music projects for people across the United Kingdom. That’s what I would like to emphasise because we care about charity and we care about other people.

More info here: https://youthmusic.org.uk/giveagig?gclid=CjwKCAiA3pugBhAwEiwAWFzwdWMkJP4bkQGRFyAlGt6FHlPuKM85Zai4R-UOdaw6HpGOcW_OM4qT9BoCGYIQAvD_BwE