The Head South Café is buzzing is crowded on this cool august evening, every seat taken, and those who couldn't snag one are crammed in at the back, leaning against the walls with their phones ready for snaps. Up front, a long table hosts the evening's stars: Mark Thompson, Cerys Nyland, and Quentin McEwen. Microphones and water bottles on the table.



Lyssa, a woman in her thirties, is perched a little to the side of the table, holding her own mic. She's the evening's conductor, the one who’ll try—probably in vain—to keep things on track.

"Evening, everyone!" Lyssa begins, her voice warm and inviting. "Thanks for showing up to our very first Q&A session celebrating the one-year anniversary of Head South."

The audience bursts into cheers, clearly ready to get this show on the road.

"Tonight, you’ve got the chance to ask anything—and I mean anything—to the three lovely people up here."

Mark leans forward, his face mock-serious. "Anything? Are we really OK With that?"

The crowd chuckles, the mood is instantly lighter.

Lyssa grins. "And tonight, you get to interact with Mark Thompson, co-founder of Head South."

Applause ripples through the room, a few cheers breaking out.

"And, of course, the brilliant Cerys Nyland—co-founder, singer, songwriter..."

The applause grows louder, some people even whistling.

Lyssa pauses, letting the anticipation build before she continues. "And last but certainly not least, the man everyone here already knows because, let’s face it, he basically lives here..."

Quentin leans into his mic with perfect timing. "It’s because I drink a lot here!"

The room erupts in laughter, the kind that shakes the walls.

Lyssa can barely keep a straight face as she introduces him. "Mr. Quentin McEwen, head of our Scouting Department."

Quentin beams. "That’s right, I find the talent and the rest is Magic"

The audience is all in, already loving the banter, phones flashing as they capture the moment. The event has just begun, but the Head South Café already feels like the place to be.

Lyssa scans the room, spotting a young boy who’s practically bouncing on his toes, eager to ask something. She smiles and motions for him to be handed the microphone.

"Okay, maybe we could start with a first question? Oh, I see a young fan here!" she says, her tone encouraging.

The boy, looking about eight or nine, takes the mic with wide eyes.

"Good evening! What's your name?" Lyssa asks, leaning forward slightly.

"Connor," he replies, his voice is small but confident.

"Welcome, Connor! Tell us, what artists do you like?" Lyssa asks, genuinely curious.

Connor doesn’t hesitate. "Hmmm...Voodoo Dolls...Atomic War Bride...Scream Team..."

The room hums with murmurs of approval. It’s clear this kid has good taste.

Lyssa grins. "Wow, impressive! You had a question for our panel?"

Connor nods, gripping the mic like a pro. "Yeah... Can you explain how did you find the label's name?"

The audience seems to collectively lean in, curious to hear the story themselves.

Cerys chuckles and turns to Mark with a playful smirk. "Ah, this one’s for Mark."

The crowd laughs, anticipating something good.

Mark leans back in his chair, a mock serious expression on his face. "Yeah! Cerys brings the cash... I bring the ideas."

The room erupts in laughter, with Cerys pretending to slap him on the arm, her grin saying she’s heard this one before.

Mark holds up his hands, still grinning. "No, seriously, yeah... When Cerys and I started cooking up this label idea, we went through a ton of names—most of them awful."

Cerys bursts out laughing. "Like 'Meteor Records!'"

Mark points at her, feigning shock. "That was your idea!"

Cerys shakes her head vigorously. "It wasn’t! No way!"

Mark chuckles, trying to get back on track. "Well, anyway, we finally figured we might find inspiration in song titles. I’m a huge fan of Modest Mouse, the American band, and I suggested ‘Head South,’ which is one of their songs. I thought it was cool—two simple words that hinted at movement, like artists making their way down here to the South. Plus, you know, we’re literally located in the south. It just felt right. So that’s how we landed on the name. What do you think, Connor? Good choice?"

Connor nods enthusiastically. "Yeah! It’s cool."

Lyssa smiles warmly. "Perfect! Thanks for the question, Connor. Who’s next?"

[To be continued]

[OUT OF RP: hey everyone! This is an interactive RP, if someone is willing to ask a question, well....you can! :) ]

Edited by user 30 August 2024 05:52:38(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Maliah: Being a London girl based primarily in the United States, I know what the UK is capable of in terms of the incredible artists signed and unsigned in this country. But over the last almost ten years we’ve seen less and less talented UK artists or bands make it in the industry compared to the US which has dominated the industry during this time. What you have done so far for the UK music scene in such a short space of time has been incredible, my question is basically what’s next? How do you keep that momentum going?

Maliah: Also, just to add to that. I know your label is very much indie and an alternative to the mainstream record labels right now, but are there plans to expand the label into a bigger operation? You’ve already shown that you are more than capable of competing with the major labels with quality. Could an expansion be the way forward to truly showcase your artists on an even larger scale?

There was a murmur of interest in the crowd. Lyssa turned to the panel, where Cerys leaned forward, smiling.

Cerys: "Thanks for the kind words, Maliah, and for being here tonight. Well, to answer your first question, I wouldn’t say UK artists are any less talented—”

Quentin cut in with a playful grin. "Of course you'd say that, Cerys. You’re a british artist yourself!"

The crowd burst into laughter, Cerys giving Quentin a mock glare.

Cerys: "Guilty! But honestly, I think we certainly have some of the most interesting artists, bands, whatever in music History. It’s more about exposure. It’s hard for artists to break through, especially when they’re trying to do things their own way. That’s where we come in. Our biggest challenge is convincing new talents that we can support them, that we’re not just another cog in the machine. We didn’t expect early success, but we’re not going to let it turn us into something we’re not. We want to keep growing, yes, but step by step. We’re not trying to become a major label overnight."

Quentin nodded, taking the mic next.

Quentin: "Yeah, when Mark first brought me on board, he said something that stuck with me: ‘We have to promote the unheard.’ And we do, we believe in our artists. But let’s be real—this is still the music business. Streams, sales, tours... they all matter. If we want to expand, we’ve got to be smart about it. No crazy leaps."

Mark, who’d been listening intently, leaned into his mic.

Mark: "Expanding is tricky. The genres we focus on - alternative, indie, punk— aren’t exactly chart-toppers compared to, say, R&B or pop. It’s a bit riskier for us to go big. We’ve talked about opening offices in the States, and I went back and forth on that idea for ages. But in the end, we decided Head South needs to stay rooted here, in the UK, in Sussex. We want to keep that local feel, where we know the community and the artists on a personal level."

Cerys chimed in again, laughing softly.

Cerys: "So yes, we’ll expand... just not in a way that will have us ruling the industry anytime soon, I’m afraid!"

The audience laughed with her, the mood light.

Lyssa: “Thank you, all three of you! Maliah, satisfied with answer?