If there are upsides to being part of a despised minority group, one of them has to be the ability to meet talented young people who would be far beyond your social circle, were they not also part of your group. CN Lester is an amazingly brilliant musician. If they were not trans, I suspect they’d be doing world tours with some opera company or another. CN would be friends with the Great & Good, as the British upper classes like to style themselves, and never see the likes of me. Instead, I not only get to chat to CN occasionally at trans events, I get to have them on my radio show next month. How cool is that?

Anyway, CN’s album, Ashes, is a regular fixture on my playlist when I’m working, and I’m delighted to see that there will be a follow-up. CN is currently seeking funding for it via IndieGoGo. There are only a couple of weeks left, and it is only half way to target. In a blog post today CN talks about some of the obstacles that being trans (or indeed a member of any minority group) puts in the way of a career in music (or indeed any other art). Sometimes crowdfunding is the only option. I hope that some of you will take this opportunity to help some really fabulous music to get made.

Oh, and the radio show: February 19th. Look out for it.