Zaph takes the stage at Birmingham’s oldest recording studio

Birmingham-based vocalist Joseph Megai, popularly known by his stage name Zaph, performed at Grosvenor Road Studios this week as part of GRS Live, a free, live-streamed studio recording held in recognition of Men’s Mental Health Month.

The venue, formerly the legendary Hollick & Taylor Studios, is widely regarded as Birmingham’s oldest working recording studio, with its Handsworth building dating back to 1872.

Backed by a full live band and performing before an in-person audience for a broadcast across social media platforms, Zaph brought his signature Afro-contemporary fusion sound to a venue that has been part of Birmingham’s musical history for more than seven decades.

He shared the stage with fellow performers Abel Miller, CJ Webley, DHYL, Shakes and Doc Dome.

The venue itself carries a rich musical legacy.

The studio where Zaph performed is part of the same complex where the original sound effects for Thunderbirds Are Go were recorded, where Jasper Carrott recorded Funky Moped, and where Birmingham’s iconic Brum Beat sound was first committed to tape.

Acquired by Black Voices in 2001 with support from Arts Council England, the studio now operates as a not-for-profit organisation, reinvesting its income into training, community programmes and CREATE, an initiative designed to develop home-grown Black creative talent into regional, national and international success stories.

That mission shaped the evening.

Rather than serving as a conventional showcase, GRS Live was designed as an intimate studio session with a live audience, creating a space where conversations about men’s mental health could take place naturally.

Between performances, artists were encouraged to speak as openly as they sang, using music as a bridge to discussions that are often difficult to have.

For Zaph, performing at Grosvenor Road Studios placed his Nigerian-rooted, UK-developed sound within a venue that has documented more than 70 years of Birmingham’s musical heritage.

The significance extended beyond a single performance, reflecting the studio’s enduring role as a community-led creative space that continues to nurture talent while using live music to spark meaningful conversations about men’s mental health.

GRS Live was hosted by Grosvenor Road Studios in partnership with Zion Recording Studio and Healing Arts Birmingham.