The curator of 2025 Meltdown, the Southbank Centre’s annual music festival will be the rapper and Top Boy star Little Simz, it has been announced today. The London-based musician joins an illustrious list of former curators that includes David Bowie, Grace Jones, Nick Cave, Patt Smith, Nile Rogers, and John Peel. “So many incredible artists have curated this festival so it's a true honour to be a part of it,” said Little Simz. “Meltdown 2025 the Simz way is going to be epic. I'll see you there.”.
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Alongside performing herself at the eleven-day festival, Little Simz is putting together the line-up of artists, music and workshops for its 30th edition. The first round of her hand-picked performers will be announced in the spring. It’s set to be another cultural moment for the Mercury Prize-winning rapper that wowed the crowd at Glastonbury last year, where she played the Pyramid Stage before headliners Coldplay, and modelled for Miu Miu at Paris Fashion Week.
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Performing under the stage name Little Simz, Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo was born in Islington. She’s released four acclaimed studio albums, including Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, which won the 2022 Mercury Prize and was nominated for a Brit Award. Little Simz also played the character of Shelley on Top Boy, the revival of the beloved show that aired on Netflix in 2019. “Little Simz is becoming such a powerful influence in London and beyond,” said the Southbank Centre’s artistic director Mark Ball, adding that the venue will “become her cultural playground where she can fully explore her musicianship, her icons and her cultural passions”.
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The 2024 edition of Meltdown was curated by Chaka Khan, who invited American Youtube star Todrick Hall and spoken word artist Kae Tempest to perform. Grace Jones was the 2020 curator, although her line-up – which included Solange and ladysmith Black Mazimbo – was pushed to 2021 after the pandemic outbreak. Little Simz’ Meltdown, will run from Thursday 12 June until Sunday 22 June 2025, with both ticketed concerts and free cultural programming for Londoners to attend.
