Pitch, Please…

Introducing Pitch, Please at Output Belfast 2024—an LGBTQIA+ music stage dedicated to generating visibility and opportunities for Queer artists and industry professionals. Putting marginalized voices front and center, creating space for underrepresented talent, and showing what true inclusion looks like in the music industry. Curated by Dwayne Woods (Butter Wouldn’t Melt) and Emily Shaw (The X Collective), the lineup features four of Ireland’s premier Queer artists.

HOSTS: BUTTER WOULDN’T MELT & X COLLECTIVE

VENUE: TETTO ROOFTOP

STAGE TIMES:

19:30 – 20:00 – NIALL MCDOWELL

20:30 – 21:00 – TARA DEVI

21:30 – 22:00 – ZAPHO

22:30 – 23:00 – MELJOANN

“We’re not just ticking boxes for inclusivity and diversity—we’re making waves and amplifying the voices of LGBTQIA+ artists and arts workers. It’s 2024, and while we still need spaces like a dedicated queer stage, it’s a reminder that our community is thriving, growing, and deserves even more visibility and support across the entire music industry.”

Dwayne Woods (Butter Wouldn’t Melt)

Artists:

Meljoann

Meljoann is an avant-hyperpop producer from Ireland. Her sound puts soulful vocals against lush synths and industrial noise. In the US, her tracks have been championed by Pitchfork, Beats Per Minute, XLR8, Singles Jukebox and KEXP radio.

Irish endorsement includes Dan Hegarty, Cian Ó Cíobháin, Jenny Greene, and Tara Stewart of RTÉ radio, Irish Times, Nialler9, Hot Press, The Sunday Business Post, The Goo and a litany of great support from Irish regional Radio. Since moving to Brighton, UK she’s been supported by BBC’s Gemma Bradley, Dummy Mag, Loudd Women HMUK, and the Arts Council of England. 2020 to 2021, Meljoann released an acclaimed series of self-directed video singles. ‘HR’, her anti-capitalist concept album, is out now.

Over the years, Meljoann has played support for artists such as Ghostpoet, Telepathe, and Mu-ziq as well as headliners on the Irish and Berlin scenes. Her live sets contain pop songs, dance tracks, disorientating sound design, and visual projections with dystopian PowerPoint slides.

Meljoann writes, performs, produces and masters all her own music. She directs and stars in all her own videos, using green screen technology and computer game engines and creates all her own visuals for her captivating live shows.

Zapho

ZAPHO has been teasing out singles from her forthcoming debut album which will trickle out over 2024, featuring additional collaborations with artists Ryan O’Shaughnessy, Celaviedmai, and Rvstless. The album explores Zapho’s life experiences through an album she has been writing over the last 7 years, typical college life, a coming-of-age story, she finds herself through music, establishing her voice and identity, both musical and personal.

Zapho’s music effortlessly infuses queer themes, and female-led storylines, that transcend genres and push musical boundaries sounding catchy and familiar yet something you’ve never heard. Co-founding hybrid super group, The X Collective during the pandemic, Zapho has kept busy and secured a number of collaborations under her belt. Her focus this year is to blitz the Irish music scene with her solo works. Having received the FMC recording stimulus and the Arts Council Agility Award Zapho is on track to release her debut album and several music videos this year

Tara Devi

A Slovene, Dublin-based R&B musician with a soulful voice that strikes at the heart of emotions, Tara Devi weaves her personal journey into music, creating a symphony of feelings that resonate with us all. Her unique look is a visual manifestation of her artistry, a testament to the authenticity and creativity that defines her as a true artist. Tara doesn’t just sing, she bares her soul, and in doing so, she becomes a beacon of empowerment and self-expression in the world of music.

Niall McDowell

Niall McDowell is an alt-country singer/songwriter from Belfast, County Antrim. Their music has been described as “somewhere between a choirboy and a cowboy” by BBC Radio 1 with songs such as ‘Brokeback’ and ‘It Was An Honour To Be Nominated’ lauded for their whip-smart writing and vulnerable production.

After an array of sold-out live shows and their involvement in The Oh Yeah Centre in Belfast’s ‘Scratch My Progress’ program in 2022-23, their newest single ‘I Have Given Up’ arrived in 2023 and was subsequently shortlisted for ‘Single Of The Year’ at the NI Music Prize. In Summer 2023, they performed their first international shows in Canada as part of Belfast’s first UNESCO City of Music exchange. They are currently recording their debut album

About The Curators

Dwayne Woods

Dwayne Woods, is a Publicist and Artist Manager at Butter Wouldn’t Melt. With almost 20 years of experience in the music industry, Dwayne has honed his expertise across various disciplines, including Radio Broadcasting, Journalism, Events, PR, and Artist Management and Development.

Currently, Dwayne is managing the careers of producer and vocalist Meljoann, and rising Northern Irish Singer/Songwriter Garrett Laurie.

Dwayne’s passion for nurturing talent extends beyond his managerial role. He is actively involved as a mentor with Minding Creative Minds and works at AIM Ireland (Association of Independent Music Ireland) as a member of their events sub-committee. With a diverse skill set and a keen eye for talent, Dwayne Woods is a driving force in shaping the future of the music industry.

Emily Shaw

Emily Shaw is a Senior Music Consultant at West One Music Group, Ireland, where she oversees licensing and sync for TV, Film, Advertising, and Radio. In addition to her role at West One Music Group, Emily co-owns The X Collective, an Irish creative initiative known for its large-scale collaborative projects.

Through The X Collective, she is deeply involved in the organising of songwriting camps, curating albums, directing and editing music videos, and producing festival showcase performances, drawing from her earlier career as a promoter and artist manager. Emily’s approach is defined by a dedication to innovation and ongoing development.

Currently, her focus is on video production and strengthening her expertise in sync, where her passion for the intersection of music and visual media continues to grow.