BBC Introducing in America is set to launch this Friday, Dec. 5 on college radio stations across Tennessee with new episodes airing on the first Friday of every month.
The new programme will see BBC Introducing join forces with college radio shows, piloting in Tennessee, to support upcoming artists and their music, with the intention of expanding to more states across America in the future.
BBC Introducing in America will be hosted from 90.3 FM WUTK “THE ROCK,” at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, presented by Sherleen Mwaura, a senior majoring in Music Business Administration and minoring in Africana studies, and Cade Beasley, a senior majoring in Journalism and Electronic Media, with minors in Political Science and Advertising/Public Relations. Each show will also feature another campus radio station, starting with WRVU – Vanderbilt University.
Each Introducing in America show will spotlight local, independent artists from Tennessee, and will also feature an artist from the UK, giving up-and-coming UK acts a platform in the US. The first UK artist to be spotlighted on BBC Introducing in America will be Nectar Woode, who was first supported by BBC Introducing in 2022 and performed on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury in 2025.
New musicians and artists from Tennessee will be able to submit their music to the College Radio Foundation’s site to have a chance to get their track played on the radio.
Since its inception in 2007, BBC Introducing has seen a continual growth of independent artists submitting their music to the BBC Introducing Uploader. BBC Introducing in America will offer the opportunity to support new and undiscovered talent on an international level, responding to the rise of independent musicians from across the globe, as well as continuing to promote and support artists from the UK, offering a new global platform for their music.
Kelly Betts, Editor of BBC Introducing, says: “From helping to launch one of the original BBC Introducing shows on BBC Three Countries Radio to championing stars like Olivia Dean, Lewis Capaldi and Tom Grennan at the start of their career, I’m pleased to announce Introducing’s next chapter, BBC Introducing in America with the College Radio Foundation.
“Nurturing and spotlighting new music from across the UK has been one of the highlights of my life and I’m so excited to take Introducing across the pond to see who we can uncover and support in the US and what opportunities this brings to UK and US artists alike.”
Rob Quicke, Founder of the College Radio Foundation, says: “College radio in the USA continues to play an important role in discovering and championing new music, so partnering with BBC Introducing in America is an excellent and exciting opportunity for us. It will give our student presenters an incredible, unprecedented experience!
- BBC Introducing in America will be available to listen to from Friday 5 December at collegeradio.org
WRVU will premier BBC Introducing in America at 7 p.m. on Dec. 5