Bread studios are available FREE, 24/7 aimed at supporting children from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. These are mostly
children who have no house to stay in or are displaced from home. We want to ensure they remain positive and have
something in life they can look forward to and enjoy. The first has been launched in West Auckland with 4 more in the
works.
The studio teaches kids how to start with an idea, brand it, release it, market it. Music is a great medium for
inspiration. It also doubles up as study space where they can complete homework (great as it's a quiet space with a
computer).
The studio programme aligns with our philosophy of creating long term assistance which stay in the community and make a
real difference. One off approaches don't work.
We're lucky to have some very talented and successful friends that make music. Every few months or so we will have our
international music friends zoom call the group of children and give them a direct insight into how they got where they
are.
Our vision is larger than just making music. It's giving these kids vision and something productive they can dedicate
their time to. The fundamentals of being an artist/producer are exactly the same as creating a new business. One creates
a brand (including aspects like a logo and a story behind the brand). They then create a product which in this case is a
song or instrumental. They then have to market it out to the people, create campaigns. We're teaching kids life skills
with music as the medium. With kids from rough backgrounds, this also creates an isolated space where nothing that may
be bothering them matters. This is why I didn't go buy a random second-hand couch and bench off TradeMe. They also get a
brand new apple computer. The items are of high quality to show respect to these kids, we care about you and are
providing you with cool stuff because we believe in you.
From Bread Founder Mussie:
Creating such a medium also opens the door for me to ask my celebrity mates or successful people in the music industry
around the world to teach these kids. I have a few Zoom lessons organised from some amazing people around the world just
to teach the kids how to make a beat or how to rap over a beat. It's created an educational hub for the exchange of
information. Re-investing knowledge is a crucial aspect for me and something I do with our supercar owners as well. They
come into our mentoring sessions to talk to the kids and bring their supercar e.g. Ferrari. Bread links everything
together and brings knowledge from those who have achieved right back to the kids. I see a big disconnect between two
ends of the spectrum in our societies and therefore attempt to facilitate the transfer of knowledge. We all grow
together.
I guess all this is based on my own growing up going to low decile schools and why we as the people can make the biggest
change. Our experiences are valuable, no politician sitting at a desk can make policies this effective. One has to live
within it to know how to make a difference. When I first started the piano it was on a cardboard cutout with a piano
drawn on it. Now we're giving these kids a proper studio.