The first acts of Little Simz’s curated Meltdown 2025 festival have been announced as The Streets, Lola Young and Ghetts.
Jon Batiste, Sasha Keable and Yukimi from Little Dragon will also perform at the festival, which organisers announced last month would be headlined by London rapper Simz.
All performances will be between June 12 and 22 at the Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall, with Meltdown based at the Southbank Centre.
Little Simz will perform her headline set in the Royal Festival Hall on the final day, Sunday, June 22, and will be joined on stage by Southbank Centre’s resident Chineke! Orchestra.
Little Simz is a British rapper, singer, and actress known for her introspective lyrics and critically acclaimed albums, including Sometimes I Might Be Introvert and NO THANK YOU.
Following an acclaimed performance at Glastonbury, the 31-year-old released her new single Flood last month. This was the first offering of her upcoming album Lotus, slated for a May 9 release.
As the curator for the 30th Meltdown, she has chosen the other acts and themes of the show. In previous years, acclaimed musicians such as Christine and the Queens, MIA, David Bowie, Nile Rodgers and Grace Jones have been at the helm.
Islington-born Simz said: “My team and I are preparing 11 days of art, music, workshops and more.
“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.”
Simz recently became embroiled in a dispute with her former producer and SAULT collaborator, Inflo, taking him to court over unpaid debts.
Tickets will go on sale to Southbank Centre members on the official website from 10am on Wednesday and to the general public from 10am on Friday.
Here is the full lineup:
List of artists performing at Little Simz’s Meltdown 2025
Royal Festival Hall
The Streets - Thursday, June 12
Lola Young - Monday, June 17
Ghetts - Tuesday, June 18
Jon Batiste - Saturday, June 21
Little Simz - Sunday, June 22
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Sasha Keable with Flames Collective - Friday, June 14
Yukimi - Tuesday, June 18
