PRS For Music has announced that award-winning singer-songwriter Laura Mvula has been appointed to the PRS Members' Council.
A graduate of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Mvula has won two MOBO awards, two Ivor Novello awards, and two Mercury Prize shortlist nominations for her music. She also leads several a capella, jazz, neo-soul and gospel choirs, and in 2017 composed the music for the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Antony & Cleopatra.
Mvula said: “Writing has always been part of my everyday life. Teaching, conducting, arranging, performing – each has taught me something about what it means to be a musician and songwriter. As a PRS Writer Council Member, it’s my desire to ensure music creators are given the support they need to navigate the ever-changing landscape. I believe songwriters and composers should benefit from the structures and processes of which they are the foundation. I believe that representation truly matters. It can turn the tide in conversations and decision-making. As a writer, composer and recording artist but also, a Black British woman with over 10 years in the industry, there are countless experiences to which I can uniquely speak, and I look forward to bringing that to the table”.
Mvula’s appointment follows songwriter and composer Hannah Peel’s decision to stand down from the Members’ Council. Peel was elected to the Members’ Council May 2022 Annual General Meeting.
The role of the PRS Members' Council is to focus on ensuring that the views, concerns and needs of PRS members are heard and met. The Member Council also focuses on strategic oversight and reviewing company performance.
Andrea Czapary Martin, CEO, PRS for Music said: “The PRS Member Council gives a fundamental voice to our member community and is an active and vital part of our governance. We strive to ensure that the council is representative across our varied membership, and I am thrilled to welcome Laura Mvula as she joins the council."
Nigel Elderton, Chair of the PRS Members’ Council says, “I extend a very warm welcome to Laura Mvula as she joins the PRS Member Council. To have the benefit of her vast experience as a songwriter, composer, and performer and as a woman navigating the music industry, I have no doubt that Laura will make a significant contribution to our deliberations.”
Subscribers can read our interview with PRS Members' Council president Michaelle Escoffery here.
