Next Stage & PPL unveil ‘chrysalis’ - a collaborative mixtape championing new voices!

Emerging from a unique development programme backed by PPL and Attitude is Everything, 'chrysalis' is a five-track mixtape that spotlights six deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent artists from Birmingham and Manchester. The initiative focuses on more than just the music itself, offering a full, hands-on experience of what it takes to create, shape, and release a project.

Leading the creative direction is Layfullstop, whose role as both producer and mentor plays a central part in defining the project’s tone. Through her guidance, each contributor is given the space to explore their individuality, resulting in a body of work that feels both cohesive and creatively free.

The mixtape unfolds with intention, moving through a range of moods and perspectives. Rumina sets the tone with ‘Knots’, offering a soft and reflective starting point. Kintsuku builds on that foundation with ‘Detour’, bringing a sense of movement and vibrancy. The project then shifts with B. B. Kaizo’s ‘Blues for the Newtypes’, before Joolee B lifts the energy through the warmth of ‘In A Day’. Closing things out, kaoti delivers ‘My Heart is Whole’, a raw and honest finale that ties the journey together.

More than a mixtape, chrysalis represents a platform for underrepresented voices - highlighting the power of access, collaboration, and creative freedom within today’s music landscape.