Soul Mama team launches £1m crowdfunding campaign to open two new venues

The team behind live music and dining venue Soul Mama have launched a £1m crowdfunding campaign to launch two new sites in London.

Musician YolanDa Brown and entrepreneur Adetokunbo ‘T’ Oyelola opened the first Soul Mama within the Gantry hotel in London’s Stratford in September 2024 following a Kickstarter campaign that raised more than £248,000.

While the Gantry site will close as a result of changes to the hotel’s ownership structure, the duo has plans to launch two more sites in the capital, firstly in Angel Central in May, followed by a second in Westfield Stratford City in August.

The £1m crowdfund is expected to last 60 days and will enable Soul Mama to deliver performances by both established and emerging artists, as well as serving up a diverse range of Caribbean cuisine.

At the time of writing, the campaign had already raised in excess of £23,000 from more than 20 backers, who are contributing funds towards everything from staging to kitchen installation.

Dishes at Soul Mama Islington are expected to include Soul Arepas, jerk wings pit and slow-cooked Caribbean curries.

Previous acts have included Mica Paris, Katherine Jenkins, Omar, Rebecca Ferguson, the Syd Lawrence Orchestra and Yellowjackets.

YolanDa Brown said: “With Soul Mama, we are on a mission to spread love one venue at a time, and we see Angel Central as the perfect home for our next chapter. Our very first Soul Mama location was originally meant to be in Islington, so in many ways this feels like a homecoming. Having received so much love for Soul Mama in Stratford, we cannot wait to bring that same energy to the heart of north London and continue growing our community. It will be a real joy to bring more music, culture and connection to such a vibrant and spirited destination. Islington is about to get even more soul.”

Simon Prince, asset manager at CBRE Investment Management, added: “Soul Mama will be a key addition to Angel Central, diversifying an already vibrant line-up of retail and F&B brands. This unique concept provides an amazing audience experience, reflected by its popularity and expansion. It will be a musical hub on the first floor, driving footfall, encouraging all-day visitation and bringing new visitors to the centre.”

More details on the crowdfund can be found here.