The one and only Destiny McCatty stunned at last year’s Wordplay Awards with her piece Political Playground after scooping up our Best Slam Poetry Performance award. With a degree in Politics and Sociology, performing powerful, politically fuelled pieces is what Destiny has become known for in an ever growing poetry scene that encourages expression at its finest. Where did your creative journey start? Once upon a time Destiny wanted to be everything from an astronaut to a journalist. For her the possibilities were endless but her family wanted her to focus on something more grounded. It wasn’t until she attended Warwick university that she discovered her love for performing. She participated in the annual Afro-Caribbean showcase, AfroFest, reigniting her passion from drama and spoken word. Her first performance was in front of over 250 people. I loved it and the community so dearly. So much so that I did it again the following year. Her belief that people are becoming disillusioned with politics has inspired Destiny to take a creative approach towards educating the masses. Poetry has also become a great way for her to express her thoughts about themes that are important to her. Poetry serves as a way for me to vent some of my thoughts about complex topics from my communities. What are some memorable achievements? Destiny joined a collective called Black (Untitled); a group that nurtured black creative talent in Warwick where she became their Literary Arts Lead. The position allowed her to co-lead the collective to the national university poetry slam competition and win first place. We won first place beating a team that had previously won three times in a row. Following this success, Destiny was commissioned to perform at the inauguration of the upcoming Chancellor of Warwick University who also officiated her graduation. Another major achievement that showcased her increasing talent and highlighted how far modern poetry and spoken word has transitioned into different educational spaces. How did you hear about the Wordplay Awards? Destiny discovered the Wordplay Awards through previous winners and initially forwarded details to her friends so they could submit. She was met with the question as to why she wasn’t nominating herself and realised that she often understated her work. I felt that I wasn’t experienced enough nor bold enough, but this was my opportunity to put myself out there and be a part of the inspiring stories from Warwick. Destiny stepped into her poetry era through her university and it became the true catalyst for further opportunities to use her voice with a new found confidence. The creative is formally working on merging her poetry and youth advocacy strands together to elevate the voices of others as well as her own. Her focuses include education, race equality, and food justice to name a few. Destiny will also be collaborating with charitable organisations that target societal issues with the aim of raising awareness through creativity. When we asked what the future looks like for Destiny she kept it real short and sweet: More performances, more content, and more connections. Written by: Tannika Taylor @tannikataylor Photography: Tannika Taylor @tannikataylor Editor: Shariar Graphic designer: Torrin Westerman @torrinwesterman
Tag Archives: Wordplay Awards
Exploring Poetry, Music and Charity with Rayritess
Birmingham based poet and musician Rayhanah Rowe, also known as Rayritess scooped up our Best Emerging Artist award at last year’s Wordplay Awards. The achievement highlights how far Ray has come since she first graced the stage as a poet less than three years ago. With a new album on the way we look at where Rayritess has come from and where she’s heading in our latest Flow Feature. Where did the journey begin? A music lover from as long as she can remember Rayritess was raised in a strict household that limited her creative outlet. She began writing poetry at the age of 11 and continued to develop her craft as she got older. Fast forward to now, Ray is letting her creative outlet bloom in more ways than one and we love to see it. You can’t do wrong with this poetry ting! What inspires your work? Inspired by the likes of Edgar Allan Poe and Suli Breaks, Ray reflected on what it was like when she decided to pursue poetry and music on a serious level. I asked myself why I wanted to do this a few years ago and I just know it’s my purpose; my calling. Suffering from low self-esteem in the past, Rayritess didn’t have many people that she could connect with. Dedicating time to her creative ventures changed that as she slowly built an audience who recognised her growing talent. Ray has been determined to put the Birmingham creative scene on the map ever since her own journey started and one move at a time she is achieving just that. Poetry allows me to pour my heart out in a personal way. The amount of people that I’m able to touch with words is mad to me. She realised poetry was more than just people clicking their fingers. People were listening. People were resonating with her experiences for the first time. When she discovered the Wordplay Awards she instantly knew what the next step was for her; becoming an award-winning poet and musician. Winning the award for Best Emerging Artist has set a strong tone for how the musician wants to showcase her work moving forward. The focus has shifted from short form releases to more extensive projects. What’s next for Rayritess? After recently becoming a finalist for the Inspiration Youth Awards, Ray has started her own charity called Rising Levels. The charity aims to support young and homeless people to develop new habits that will help them move forward in positive ways. Her upcoming album, Born To Be Great, sheds light on the perspective that there are always two sides to a story. Not all the time opportunities are handed to you. More time you have to just take it. An advocate for pushing boundaries, Rayritess is always weaving her experiences into her creations. Her work aims to motivate people to take that leap of faith because you never know where it can take you. Through her poetry, music, and charitable causes, Rayritess is ready to make an impact and show the world why she believes she is great. If nobody is going to give me my flowers then I’ll give them to myself. Written by: Tannika Taylor @tannikataylor Photography: Tannika Taylor @tannikataylor Editor: Shariar Graphic Design: Torrin Westerman @torrinwesterman
The Butterfly Effect With Blessing Adetunji
We are proud to introduce the brilliant Blessing Adetunji to the Wordplay & Flow family after scooping our Best Spoken Word Performance award last October at the Wordplay Awards. The poetry power house graced the stage with her winning piece ‘Outstretched’. From writing songs as a teen to working with organisations such as Hackney Empire, Blessing has made her mark with so much more to come. Where did the journey start for you? Around the age of 14, Blessing began to feel disconnected whilst singing at church. She wanted to think about what worship meant to her and decided to start writing her own songs. They were so long and didn’t mirror what I saw in school to be poetry but they were poems. Not long after finding her own way of expression Blessing went down a rabbit hole of American spoken word and battle rap that led her to discover artists like Jackie Hill Perry; one of her biggest inspirations today. What are some of your memorable moments? Blessing has had the opportunity to work with both Hackney Empire and the Royal Court Theatre. Her experience working with these organisations helped shape the performer we see today and highlights how crucial initiatives like these can benefit creatives in different ways. Hackney Empire helped me grow as a performer and writer. Joining the Royal Court Young Writers group gave me the chance to write and shoot my first screenplay. Winning our Best Spoken Word Performance award was another significant milestone for Blessing. Not because she had just achieved something amazing as a spoken word artist, but because her winning poem touched upon her family dynamics; a topic she was always taught not to share publicly. Her poem showcased what breaking barriers looked like and it was wonderful for our audience to witness. I hadn’t performed from memory in a long time and was filled with fear and self-consciousness, but I did it anyway. That piece ended up resonating with so many people and it opened the door to where I am now. What can we look forward to in 2026? 2026 will see Blessing writing more across different areas. The poet and musician is working on both a poetry album and a musical EP which she is really excited about. In addition, Blessing recently launched her hosting platform called Blessing Occasions for events that need that added special touch. I’ve been rocking the mic in more ways than one. I’m getting more involved in MC’ing and hosting. It doesn’t stop there. We can expect a full length one woman show and more as she explores her love for theatre and film. If you haven’t already, you should check out her latest single ‘Wanted’ out now across all streaming platforms. It’s safe to say that Blessing is one to watch this year and we look forward to seeing what’s next on her journey to greatness. Writer: Tannika Taylor Photographer: Tannika Taylor Editor: Shariar Graphic Designer: Torrin Westerman