Young Audio

In 2015, the inaugural Buddy Holly Educational Foundation Songwriting Scholarship was awarded to Zuberi Mackson, aka Young @ud!o, a gifted, emerging songwriting talent from New Jersey.

Young @ud!o’s bespoke programme of activity began with flying to London where he met and spent time with experienced hit maker Shelly Poole, before going to Pennard House to meet the other participants in the retreat. At the end of each day the songwriters gathered and performed for the assembled group a song written that day.

After spending the week with this group of experienced writers and improving his craft, @ud!o went on to Black Lodge to record before being flown back to New York.

Young @udio is a native of Lakewood, New Jersey. At age 8 he joined the local drill team, playing on the drum line.

He joined his High School Marching Band and Orchestra playing quads, snare, bass and other percussion. In 2007 Young @ud!o was accepted at the prestigious Five Towns College, Dix Hills where he studied Audio Recording and Music Business.

To pursue his dream of becoming a professional songwriter and producer, he turned his bedroom closet into a vocal booth and invested in a $50 microphone and $200 interface. By a stroke of good fortune, he was introduced to veteran English music executive, Brad Misell, who, having left the industry, was so enthused by Zuberi’s songs, he offered to manage him, ultimately bringing this talented writer to the attention of the Foundation.