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Photo Credit: @so__graphic
At 5th November, GRM had the pleasure of attending an unforgettable event at London’s Tate Modern – Impulstar, France’s biggest street style football tournament, brought their popular community football tournament to the UK for the first time, in collaboration with Instagram. Impulstar was built around grassroots football, dedicated to providing a platform for underprivileged youth communities to showcase their talent on the international stage.
The exclusive event, hosted by YouTube star and artist Yung Filly, buzzed with energy and passion throughout. Colorful flags lit up the 5-a-side pitch in the main area, where young players put their heart and soul into football games. There are surprises from football legend Patrick Vieria, and Odsonne Edouard, who played in the Impulsar tournament itself. A host of star-studded guests, including Khaby Lame, Jack Downer (“Street Panna”) and hundreds of other international creators, attended the event as part of the final day of Creators Week of Instagram.
The day was packed with a selection of performances from some of the biggest names in the UK and the world right now, including Ashley Walters, Oxlade, Russ Millions and Highlyy. The program aims to celebrate the talents of tomorrow and to remind us how much we love the gifted youth of today.
After her performance, we had the opportunity to sit down with UK icon, Ashley Walters, the award-winning actress and artist who has become a household name. He was very happy to talk with us (“GRM all day, man”) and he shared important moments of wisdom as he reflected on that day.
Impulstar teamed up with Instagram to provide a platform for young people to showcase their talent in front of professional athletes, coaches, musicians and their communities. What does it mean to you to participate in events like this?
“That’s what I do – to be able to give back and experience this kind of connection with the people who support my work. Going deeper than that, Impulstar’s work and their partnership with Instagram is important – we live in a world where social media reigns and rules the world. For them to support an event like this, where children are given an international project… for some, this is an important opportunity to change life. And if not, at least it will give them confidence, empower them and motivate them.
You’re right… the culture has changed. Across your industry, how much do you see the impact of social media and its impact on the creative industry?
“It’s a lot for me. As an 80s baby, I grew up in a time when there were no cell phones. I have to use the phone box to connect with my friends. Seeing the integration of cell phones and social media is amazing. There are pros and cons. We have experienced a new way of communication but overall it is very beneficial for young entrepreneurs with young brains and minds that are not heard. They will have the opportunity to show their gifts and talents. When you find something on Instagram, I think it’s good.
We’ve heard Instagram played a big role in your Top Boy journey – can you tell us more about that?
“Michael [Ward] DM’ed me three years before he got the part [of Jamie in Top Boy]. I didn’t see it, the message disappeared from my DMs. But he said, if there’s a role that I know he can fit into acting, I should consider him. He said one day he would be on Top Boy with me. Surprisingly Top Boy was not released at the time. We were offered by Channel 4, we didn’t even get the Netflix deal and no one knew it was coming. But he talked about his situation.
“The fact that you can connect with people you respect or look up to through social media is amazing. I’ve made a lot of connections through Instagram, though I didn’t see Michael’s message, a lot of great people I worked with sent me messages like that.”
There are many talented young people here today. What words of wisdom would you share with young creators who are passionate about their work but feel anxious or worried?
“Don’t be afraid. Being told ‘no’ sometimes doesn’t go right. But you have to believe in the concept of winning all the time. Even if you lose, it’s part of your journey. That is the way of learning. It never hurts to learn from a mistake… No one you look up to has won anything they’ve tried. You have to be able to stay inside for a long time. If you can’t hone your craft until opportunities come your way, you’re out of the game.
You have had a long and successful career in the acting and music industry. There are many people who are very talented but never reach that level of success. Why do you think you left?
“I think it’s just thick skin, not stopping and being able to adapt. It’s a tough road. I think the industry is very different and open now. It doesn’t feel like that to me – very few black people have on TV when I started, so it’s hard to get work, it’s hard to get fired. There are more opportunities now but it’s still against me sometimes and it takes time. But you have to take it the end goal in your head and just focus on waking up every day feeling good.”
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