Acclaimed rapper and musician Little Simz has revealed the first wave of artists for this summer's Meltdown festival at the Southbank Centre. Running from 12 to 22 June, the line-up features boundary-pushing artists who echo Simz's bold and eclectic musical style.
Little Simz, the youngest Meltdown curator ever, will headline with a one-off performance on 22 June at the Royal Festival Hall, joined by Chineke! Orchestra, performing tracks from her celebrated catalogue and her upcoming album “Lotus”. The festival opens with The Streets on 12 June, and other standout acts include Lola Young, Ghetts, and Jon Batiste. The festival will also feature performances from Sasha Keable with Flames Collective, and Yukimi from Little Dragon.
In the spirit of celebrating new talent, this year's Meltdown will also launch a young producers project, involving creatives from across London. These producers will help shape site-wide events and activations, reinforcing Simz's commitment to uplifting the next generation.
Meltdown festival is the longest-running artist-curated music festival in the UK, with a different curator selected by the Southbank Centre for each edition. Past curators have included icons such as David Bowie, Grace Jones, and Robert Smith. You can find out more about the festival and book tickets for the shows (on sale from 28 March) here.