Vuse Street Covers docuseries discovers underground scenes in five global cities

Vuse Street Covers has released a sneak peek of its forthcoming docuseries. The five-part series explores the underground music and arts scenes in Dubai, Barcelona, Medellín, Johannesburg and Liverpool, in celebration of modern urban culture and the budding local talent within these cities.

The series follows Vuse Global Ambassador and international DJ and producer Anfisa Leytago and acclaimed album sleeve artist Brian Cannon as they take us to the streets, uncovering local talent and bringing together music and art in a celebration of five unique street cultures.

To celebrate 10 years of Vuse supporting emerging talent and cultural creativity, the docuseries will serve as a platform for the work of exciting, up-and-coming local artists who are excluded from the digitally determined mainstream, saluting the key individuals driving their spaces forward and allowing them to charge beyond their creative boundaries.

It will also devote special attention towards those fusing music and art, honouring the beauty of album covers, which are an increasingly dying art among mass digitisation.

John Beasley, the Global Director of Consumer experience at BAT, says: “Every city has more than meets the eye - we’re pulling back the curtain and inviting people to look beyond their feed, as we discover the artistic pulse at the heart of these cities and uncover the amazing talent that sits within them. Street Covers tells the stories of the urban underbelly where creativity explodes, inspiration thrives, and the provocateurs rise. We’re so excited to be celebrating the fusion of music and art and reviving the artistry of album covers lost to the digital world, while putting these creative talents on a global stage for all to discover.”

Over the next few months, Vuse - the world's leading vape brand - will release five episodes, each corresponding to a city and reflecting the role of the surrounding street cultures on the creatives working within them.

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Two key artists and their work will sit at the heart of each episode, supported by an exploration into their surrounding communities and the impact these spaces have had on the individual and their creations. In doing this, the series hopes to dismantle viewers' preconceptions of each city, plunging them into the contemporary cultures and scenes that they would otherwise be unaware of.

In Dubai, the Vuse team meets Visual Artist Foad Hamzeh, as well as DJ and producer Rami Chami, and embarks on an exploration of the melting pot of artists making a name for themselves under the towering skyscrapers of this 50-year-old metropolis.

The team then go to one of Europe's cultural capitals, entering Barcelona’s bustling, hedonistic nightlife scene. DJ-producer Camelia and plastic and mural artist Murfin take the spotlight here, as we find out the ins and outs of the Catalan underground movement.

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We then go to the mural painted streets of Medellín in Colombia, witnessing the city's street art in all its glory, as well as the thriving nightlife scene and its idiosyncratic genre fusions. Singer-songwriter Solizanta and international visual artist Manurat guide the team through a dynamic, transforming city running on an engine of creativity.

Despite Johannesburg's turbulent history, we soon come to find that the South African capital truly is the beating heart of African cosmopolitanism. The series hones in on the city's queer scene, where collectives work tirelessly to create an open, safe space for its local LGBTQ+ community. We see this through the lens of cultural creator and DJ Lelowhatsgood, and graffiti artist, painter and designer Shaun Oakley.

Finally, the team heads over to England to focus on the strong, independent spirit that drives Scouse creativity. Led by contemporary artists Bold Place - a collective devoted to empowering female creatives - founder Cherie Grist, and rising underground talent Dowd, explore the key players and communities that are pushing the boundaries of British culture.

Read this next: Anifsa Leytago: "when you go outside your comfort zone, it can inspire you"

Anfisa Letyago said these words on the experience: “Being immersed in the true culture of all these beautiful cities from around the world is unlike anything I’ve done before. All of the local talent are so inspiring and working with them on their new tracks has been an amazing experience over the last few months. They are true stars that charge beyond the mainstream in their creativity, I can’t wait for them to show the world what they’ve been working on.”

Brian Cannon added: “Meeting the local talent in each of these cities has been inspirational – no matter what their background or where they’re from, they’re oozing with passion for their discipline, and that’s very relatable for me. Seeing them taking on the challenge of making art for music, a unique task, and being by their side to help guide them through the process, has been very rewarding.”

Watch the teaser below, and subscribe to Vuse's YouTube channel to catch the episodes dropping over the coming months.

Find out more about Vuse at vuse.com

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Tiffany Ibe is Mixmag's Digital Intern , follow her on Instagram