A young Oldham musician, who performed at Glastonbury festival in June, has collaborated with residents of the borough for a song which addresses hate crime.

Seb Lowe, from Delph, has released a song in support of efforts in the borough to raise awareness of hate crime and the impact it can have, during a national week of action.

The song, titled 'Change the Pattern', was inspired after the 19-year-old took part in a creative writing workshop with a group of 20 students from Oldham Theatre Workshop (OTW) and members of Oldham’s Youth Council. 

Seb, who attended OTW, collaborated with children aged 13 to 16, discussing hate crime and their own personal experiences of suffering hate, which inspired the lyrics.

Talking about the new song, Seb said: "We all know the world can be a cruel place, but it is through our actions as individuals, that we can make it a better place.  

"In the song, I talk about the thoughts and opinions that are passed down to us through generations, thoughts that in some cases, can be quite hateful."

Seb wanted to unpick the thoughts and opinions of younger people as part of his new song, saying "some of the best thoughts come from those who don’t think it is their place to have an opinion".  

He added: "The young people I spoke with gave such a strong insight into the world they currently see, and the impact hate has on society.

"When they first started the workshop, they all came in thinking ‘Oh what will I say’ but once we go into some activities and teased out their thoughts, it was astonishing how much they had to say."

'Change the Pattern' was released on Wednesday on Seb’s social media channels and he will be taking his new material on stage at his upcoming headline performances across Yorkshire later this month.

The song can be heard on Seb’s Tik Tok channel @Seb.lowe.music and will also be featured in OTW’s 'You Stand Accused' immersive theatre experience, which continues to educate secondary school children across the borough on the severity of hate crime. 

Anyone who has suffered a hate crime or knows someone who has can call 999 in an emergency, call 101 in a non-emergency or go to the nearest police station.

For further support, call the Stop Hate Helpline on 0800 138 1625 or visit one of Oldham’s third-party reporting centres which are detailed on the council's website.