New publication, SEEN, aims to ‘counter the London-centric narrative’ of music journalism

A new publication aims to challenge the status quo of UK-based music journalism.

SEEN is based in Manchester and run by three experienced music industry professionals: Tunde Adekoya, artistic director of Big People Music and Big People Community CIC, which organizes the See My World festival; journalist, academic and contributor to DJ Mag Kamila Rymajdo; and Balraj Samrai of Swing Ting. Their aim for the magazine is to “counter the London-centric narrative that often dominates music journalism”, “to celebrate[e] unheard voices” and link “global scenes linked to Britain’s colonial history”.

The project was conceived in 2021 with a “bold anti-racism manifesto”, and this progressiveness follows forthcoming first issue features celebrating Manchester, including DJ Paulette on the need for DJs to unionise. There is also a feature on local artist HMD, who talks about his experience of migrating from Somalia to Manchester via Denmark.

“Print magazines are like archives of experiences; what was, what is and what could be,” Adekoya said of their decision to focus on manufacturing. SEEN a paper product. “I guess we felt there was a lack of those experiences documented by the world’s majority of real people who make Britain what it is – a cultural melting pot. Throughout history, people were forgotten, written about in books and publications. We thought it was fair to explore how people could write themselves if they felt like it.”

SEENThe co-founders of are celebrating the release of their first issue with a launch event this weekend, Saturday, October 29. Issue 1 writers and contributors Tayyab Amin and Santina Robinson will participate in a panel with the SEEN staff of the Whitworth Gallery’s Bound Art Book Fair. Find more information here.

Lily SEENthe mission statement in its entirety.