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UEL student wins first new music award for young Londoners

Thursday 17 December 2009

Mariama-Samba

A University of East London (UEL) student has been awarded an innovative music award in a new inspirational scheme designed for young Londoners and judged by top celebrities in many fields including Leona Lewis, Christine Ohuruogu, Richard Blackwood and Ms Dynamite.

Mariama Samba, 20, from Greenwich, is in her first year at UEL studying for a BA Honours in Media and Creative Industries. Originally from the Gambia, she won the award for the best achievement through music at the Spirit of London awards on November 27 after being nominated by a friend.

Held at the Alexandra Palace in North London, the awards will be broadcast on the 29 December on Sky. They are a celebration of young people from different walks of life whose common bond is that they are from London and are making the most of their communities.

As part of the awards, Mariama and the other nominees for each category met Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah at No 10 Downing Street. Mariama has also opened for top Senegalese musician, Youssou N’dour earlier this year at the O2.

Mariama said: "It’s been a fantastic year so far and I’ve been really privileged. I started writing poetry when I was fifteen and it was in response to racial tension in my school. I wanted to express that injustice and later on, those poems became my music. It’s an achievement to be at UEL too and I’m here to meet all my personal goals."

With musical influences ranging far and wide, Mariama’s songs reach out to vast audiences. She has written and produced 2 albums and is also involved in the charity, At Risk of Offending. Her work inspires her to deliver her music to educate people with positive messages of hope, love and realism.

For further information on the Spirit of London Awards visit www.spiritoflondonawards.com

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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