Meltdown Festival returns for its milestone 30th year, with Little Simz curating what promises to be an inspiring line-up of artists who are set to take over London’s Southbank Centre this summer.
The Meltdown Festival is back for its 30th year and has finally announced the the first round of incredible artists who will be gracing its stages in London this summer. The unique festival, held annually at the South Bank Centre in central London, has invited British rapper Little Simz to direct the event this year and she has curated quite the line-up so far – naming some of the biggest stars in the industry right now as headliners.
As is the tradition, each year the festival invites an established music artist or act to direct the entire event, putting them in full creative control of who will perform. Mercury Prize and BRIT Award winning Little Simz, who is due to release her sixth studio album Lotus in May, has this year curated a diverse list of boundary-breaking performers who transcend genre and promise to put on an poignant and soulful show.
Taking place between the 12 and 22 June, the event will showcase some of the brightest stars from the UK and beyond, including newer and more established talent. This year, 2025 BRIT Award nominee and ‘Messy’ singer Lola Young will perform at the Royal Festival Hall on the 17 June. MOBO Award-winning London-born rapper Ghetts will take to the same stage on the 18 while multi-GRAMMY and Academy Award winner Jon Batiste will follow on the 21 June.
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Kicking off the week of musical excellence at the same venue will be The Streets, a project led by the legendary producer and sing-songwriter Mike Skinner who will perform on Thursday 12 June. In addition, the Queen Elizabeth Hall will host the British-Colombian singer-songwriter Sasha Keable with Flames Collective (14 June), as well as Swedish-born vocalist Yukimi, famous for co-founding the electronic music group Little Dragon (18 June).
Of course, Little Simz herself will end the festival with her own climatic performance in the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 22 June, performing alongside the Southbank Centre’s Resident Orchestra, the Chineke! Orchestra. Known for her distinctive live performances, Little Simz will play hits from her outstanding catalogue of experimental music, including songs from her latest studio album which will drop just a month before the festival.
Having credited her own childhood youth club, Mary’s Youth Club in North London, with the birth of her musical talent, the accomplished artist had made clear her mission to support young and up-and-coming artists. In this spirit, the Southbank Centre will create a one-off project due to run during the Meltdown festival that will see a selection of young producers from all areas of London come together to showcase a range of activities, events and performances across the site’s public spaces.
Over its three decades in action, Meltdown has brought in a range of incredibly talented musicians to host the event. Past directors have included the legendary David Bowie, trip hop collective Massive Attack, American musician and record producer Nile Rogers, Jamacian singer-songwriter and model Grace Jones, French singer Christine and the Queens and last year, Queen of Funk, Chaka Khan.
First held in 1993, Meltdown festival was originally started by composer George Benjamin and according the the Southbank Centre website, originally “followed a more contemporary classical path”. It was in 1995, when Elvis Costello directed the event, that it began its at first slow transformation into what it is today. Three years later, in 1998, the late John Peel moved the spotlight firmly onto a mix of contemporary and cult indie acts.
This year, Little Simz will no doubt to live up to all expectations set by her predecessors. It is one summer event you do not want to miss. Find out more about Little Simz’ Meltdown here.