'It's going to be epic': Little Simz to curate London's Meltdown Festival 2025

London-born rapper Little Simz has been announced as this year's curator for Meltdown Festival's 30th anniversary edition at the Southbank Centre.

One of the longest-running and most highly-anticipated artist-curated music festivals in the world, Meltdown Festival has become a treasured event in the British capital's cultural calendar.

Each year, the festival invites a famous musician to handpick its lineup through a selection of established and emerging talents that reflect their own unique artistic vision. Previous stars that have taken up the mantle include David Byrne, Yoko Ono, Patti Smith, Grace Jones, Jarvis Cocker, Nile Rodgers, Robert Smith and David Bowie.

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This year, the Mercury Prize-winning artist Simbiatu Ajikawo, known by her stage name Little Simz, has been elected to join the list of illustrious predecessors, leading what is set to be a boundary-breaking line-up for the eleven day festival.

“I'm super excited to be the 2025 Meltdown festival curator! My team and I are preparing eleven days of art, music, workshops and more," the 30-year-old artist said. "So many incredible artists have curated this festival so it's a true honour to be a part of it. Thank you to the Southbank Centre for having me. Meltdown 2025 the Simz way is going to be epic. I'll see you there.”

Ever since her 2019 breakthrough album 'Grey Area', Little Simz has become one of the UK's most influential and visionary artists. In 2022, she won best new artist at the Brit Awards, along with the coveted Mercury Award for her fourth album 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert'. She has also starred in in Netflix’s critically acclaimed London-set series 'Top Boy' and is nominated for best hip hop/rap/grime act at