Westminster graduate Bree Runway makes the top 10 of the BBC Sound of 2021 longlist

Brenda Mensah, from Hackney, East London, has successfully created her own unique sound, merging trap, R&B, and hardcore metal on songs such as ATM, with Missy Elliott, and Little Nokia. Her inspirations are very diverse, ranging from Lil Kim to Madonna to Shania Twain. In 1992, when Mensah was performing at her secondary school, Michelle Obama encouraged her, telling her to ‘just keep singing’.

The longlist, now in its 19th year, looks at the top rising talent in music. Previous winners and nominees include high-profile artists such as 50 Cent, Adele, and Khalid. This year, the longlist was put together by a panel of 161 industry experts, including former nominees Billie Eilish and Stormzy. The winner will be announced in January on BBC News and BBC Radio 1. 

In an interview with Gay Times magazine, Bree Runway said: “I’m not just a rapper, like that’s completely impossible. I’m literally everything. I feel like everybody is so obsessed with labels, boxes, territory, this and that, but sometimes the genre is just ‘pop’. A popstar does everything. That’s what I am.”

Hussein Boon, Principal Lecturer in Music at the University of Westminster, said: “We’re so proud of Brenda’s nomination for the BBC longlist. It represents the culmination of the fantastic work she has been doing over the last few years, exemplified by her recent single ATM featuring Missy Elliott. She is like a juggernaut and anyone who comes into her orbit will appreciate her work ethic, humour and pop sensibilities. 

“Brenda now joins an illustrious group of Westminster Music graduates recognised in industry via awards such as this. We in the Music department wish her every success and look forward to seeing the next chapter in her career.”

Learn about Music courses offered at the University of Westminster.