Bailey333: youth education tour

Last term, we were visited at Forge by TikTok sensation and teenage rapper/singer-songwriter Bailey333 as part of his youth education, peer pressure and mental health awareness tour.

The 19-year-old rapper from Dublin, who has been wowing festival audiences this summer, performed to over 600 students in year 9 and year 10 and electrified then with his own songs, some of which have got 500 million views on TikTok. Students fell silent when Bailey333 spoke to them from the heart about his own personal experiences.

He said: “I started to make music in the spring of 2020. Lockdown was in full effect so it gave me a great opportunity to stay home and focus on developing my mic skills.

“I’ve had my own struggles with mental health and peer pressure growing up, so I feel I am in the perfect position to deliver positive messages to young people all over the UK. I’m only young myself so I can relate to what students go through. I’ve got stories that showcase how important it is to live a healthy lifestyle and make smart life choices.“

The tour has played to thousands of students in schools across the country where Bailey is accompanied by his DJ, Nileezra.

The head of year 9 at Forge, Anthony Hickinbottom, said: “Using music to deliver important messages has a huge impact on the students. It also gives them an experience of live music and an opportunity to see what can be achieved through hard work and dedication.“

Bailey333 can be followed on Instagram and TikTok by searching for #Bailey333.