Little Simz Unveils First Acts for Meltdown Festival at London’s Southbank Centre
Every year, Meltdown selects a distinct musical group to helm the festival’s lineup. In February The Mercury Prize-winning artist has been announced as the curator for the 30th edition at London’s Southbank Centre.
Little Simz' Meltdown will be held at the riverside venue near the Thames from June 12-22. Prior to the festival, she has revealed an array of performers spanning various genres.
Attracting top billing for the festival, Simz is set to play at the Royal Festival Hall on the closing day along with Chineke! Orchestra, which ranks among the six orchestras serving as residents at the Southbank Centre.
Simz will commemorate the recent release of her sixth studio album 'Lotus,' dropping on May 9th. This marks her return with a complete LP following the exceptional 'No Thank You' from 2022. Mercury Prize-winning 2021 album Occasionally, I Could Be an Introvert.
Prior to Simz’s grand finale performance, the schedule for the events at the Southbank Centre has also been announced. Leading the festivities will be The Streets, with their impact on the UK’s grime music landscape having been significant ever since Mike Skinner fronted the project with his critically acclaimed debut album 'Original Pirate Material', which earned a nomination for the Mercury Prize back in 2002.
Ghetts, the London-born rapper who has won a MOBO Award, receives increased exposure through his performance.
While it isn’t exclusively UK hip-hop, Simz has arranged for a performance by the multi-award-winning jazz pianist Jon Batiste. Additionally, she includes appearances from Sasha Keable, who collaborates with Flames Collective, along with Yukimi, the lead vocalist and co-founder of the Swedish band Little Dragon.
"My team and I are getting ready for an 11-day event featuring art, music, workshops, and much more. It’s truly an honor to be part of such a remarkable gathering organized by numerous amazing artists. A big thank you goes out to the Southbank Centre for inviting us. The 'Simz Way' at Meltdown 2025 is sure to be spectacular. See you there," stated Simz.
Simz plans to acknowledge the youth clubs that provided her initial break in the music industry. Over the three months leading up to Meltdown, a young producers initiative will feature a group of motivated young talents from various parts of London who will "revamp the venue’s public areas into a hub of organized activities, events, and performances."
"It's incredibly thrilling to witness a lineup that spans from our origin point in London, featuring numerous local talents from all over the city, to including prominent international figures who will grace the stages at the Southbank Centre as one of the standout events of our summer season," remarked Mark Ball, the Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre.
Jane Beese, who leads contemporary music programming at the venue, commented: "Little Simz offers a preview of her Meltdown performance that truly captures the breadth of influences present throughout her body of work. Spanning genres like jazz, hip-hop, R&B, electronica, and soul, the event will feature both established icons and emerging talents. This marks just the beginning of what promises to become London’s premier summer festival."
The Southbank Centre has organized Meltdown since 1993. Throughout its 29 prior iterations, this event has featured an impressive array of prominent artists as curators, starting with classical composer George Benjamin for the inaugural edition all the way through David Bowie, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Yoko Ono, and Grace Jones.
The previous year’s iteration of Meltdown was organized by renowned American vocalist Chaka Khan, highlighting appearances by Emeli Sandé, Lady Blackbird, Bruce Hornsby, Incognito, and others.