Scholarship Story Lewis Russell

Lewis Russell, also known as Balby Local, is an artist and Slambarz Scholarship winner currently studying BA (Hons) Professional Music (Business) at WaterBear.

He has developed his career as both an artist and entrepreneur, performing at major events including Glastonbury Festival with his duo DN0 – highlighting how a music scholarship can support real career development in the industry. 

In this Q&A, Lewis reflects on studying music business, the impact of his scholarship, and how opportunities through WaterBear have supported his journey towards building a sustainable music career.

It meant the world to me. When I turned 18, I was unable to access a degree due to poor mental health and the negative social situations I found myself in. Being able to revisit my studies and pursue something that truly aligns with my goals and dreams couldn’t have been more perfect. It has helped me work more effectively as an artist and in my day-to-day work running a Community Interest Company.

I applied for the scholarship online. I think I was lucky because I had been pursuing business and music for 3-4 years before applying, so I had a lot of experience and things already going on, which I think helped set me apart.

The support from mentors, lesson content, and various opportunities has allowed me to extend my network and meet amazing people who provide a wealth of knowledge. The Slambarz Scholarship has also helped me improve my skills across a range of areas, from performance and graphic design to budgeting and goal tracking.

Studying the BA (Hons) Professional Music (Business) course has given me amazing insight into the inner workings of the industry. It has made my approach much more methodical and planned out, and has helped me shape the direction and brand of my business – something we felt quite lost with before I began studying at WaterBear.

I have developed a range of skills from graphic design to better performance ability. My overall tracking and analysis skills have greatly improved, which has helped my business track social impact and gain more funding.

We applied through WaterBear’s Opportunities Page and were lucky enough to get a spot. It was life-changing! The opportunity to be a part of the UK’s largest and most prestigious festival was an honour. The time was so special, it inspired me to work harder and continue to follow the path I am on. 

Every opportunity we’ve had the pleasure of being part of has helped us grow and learn as artists. These experiences have taught us how to improve our stage presence, perform in front of new audiences, and build the confidence to be myself wherever and whenever I am.

I would describe myself as a “Positive Rapper”. I’m part of a duo where I rap, and my friend David sings. We influence each other a lot; we take inspiration from UK rap, US R&B, and a range of other genres.

To make a long story short, we founded GSD (General Social Development CIC) because there were limited opportunities in Doncaster (where I’m from) for genres outside of indie and rock to perform. We took it upon ourselves to create those opportunities. This snowballed into community work, working with schools, the council and organisations like TEDxDoncaster. We now run funded projects with organisations like The National Lottery Community Fund to positively impact at-risk youth in Doncaster.

Community creates success, and positive environments allow people to flourish. I don’t believe enough people value that. We want to change the mindset around investing in local communities and the fact that impact may not always be quantifiable by numbers, but that’s not always what matters.

It is a big challenge to balance everything that I do. The main thing is surrounding myself with people who can help me stay positive and support me when needed. Managing my time is key to ensuring I get everything done and have time to create, think about the future and look after myself.