Newham young people composed and recorded original songs ahead of the borough's word festival coming up this month.

Thomas Drew and other young people aged 14 to 18 took part in Newham Council's Word Up! event before the festival, which is running from June 21 to July 4 with the theme "spreading the word".

It was a three-day programme on the theme of identity, in which the attendees joined discussions, sung and took part in workshops, writing exercises and a question and answer session with industry producer and founder of JOAT Music Group, Kevin Ababio.

The event was supported by Newham Music’s team of producers, rappers and songwriters.

Sixteen-year-old Thomas said his interest in songwriting began in Year 9.

“On the first day we dived straight into sessions on music production and lyric writing," he said.

"As the programme continued, the teachers stepped back giving us the space to explore and the freedom to create our music.”

There was a range of instruments and digital software available to the students for the event.

Thomas added: “The song I developed is called Girls Night Out and it began as a ‘word spill’ that inspired both the lyrics and the mood of the music.

"The coaches gave me some ‘jumping off points’ which really helped develop my thinking about my chosen subject.

"Once I had the idea, it stuck, and from there I developed the lyrics and then the music naturally took an upbeat shape in the genre of a pop song."

He said Girls Night Out was inspired by his newly-found free time since GCSE revision finished, the closeness of his female friends and a summer feeling.

It was a "snapshot of my identity in the moment – my social preference for my girlfriends company, and having a great night out with them,” he added.

Thomas is studying A Level music and expects to continue the subject at degree level, but is "not looking that far ahead right now“.

Each participant of the programme produced a full-length original song.

A behind-the-scenes short film was also created, which will be premiered with each participant’s songs on June 21 at Stratford Youth Zone.