Latest news with #SometimesIMightBeIntrovert
Leader Live
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
‘It's been incredible': Little Simz ends Meltdown festival with orchestral show
The 31-year-old, whose real name is Simbiatu Ajikawo, brought out guests including rapper Wretch 32, Nigerian artist Obongjayar, and singer Miraa May, during a show which saw her backed by Europe's first majority black and ethnically diverse orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. After opening with Introvert from Mercury Prize-winning album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (2021), the London-born rapper told the crowd: 'Thank you guys so much for coming to see me this evening. A post shared by simz (@littlesimz) 'This is the last day of Meltdown festival, it's been incredible, please make some noise for the Chineke! Orchestra, please make some noise for my band on stage tonight, I want to have a good time with you guys, here we go.' She then kicked into Thief from latest album Lotus, which was released earlier this month. The artist said she was 'very excited' to be playing her new record live, but told the audience she was also going to 'take it back', before performing Two Worlds Apart. Before I Love You, I Hate You, Simz asked the crowd: 'Why you lot sitting down?' prompting them to spring into the air, dancing and singing along, where they remained for the rest of the concert. For Heart On Fire from No Thank You (2022) the rapper hopped off the stage and prowled into the crowd, waving to and holding hands with fans, while Venom, one of her best known tracks, saw Simz jump on to the conductor's podium to conduct the orchestra for the song's opening while rapping. Before Free, from her latest record, Simz told the audience: 'This next song, I wrote as a poem, and I'm so happy I made it into a song, because, it's even stuff I need to hear sometimes, you know? 'If you know it, if you like it, I would love if we can sing it together, I think it'll sound beautiful in here.' For Peace, the rapper brought out singer May, who she said she had known 'for a very long time, since we was like 14, 15', adding that they used to sit in a park in Shoreditch and write songs together, saying it was 'so special' to perform with her on the night. Obongjayar, who released his second album Paradise Now in May, brought upbeat party vibes for Lotus's Lion and Sometimes I Might Be Introvert's Point And Kill. London-born rapper Wretch 32 appeared on the balcony as Simz began the duet Blood from her latest album, making his way down to the stage, where they were joined by singer Cashh for the family argument-turned song. Before last two songs, Woman and Gorilla, she said: 'This has been so special, man, thank you guys for being here, thank you so much to Chineke! Orchestra, most importantly you guys, man, you guys, honestly. 'It's been so much fun, you've been dancing, you've been singing and really catching our vibe. 'I'm so very grateful.' This year's Meltdown, curated by Simz, has seen performances from the likes of Lola Young, The Streets and Ghetts since the 11-day festival began on June 12. Each year the event is curated by a different artist, with last year's event being planned by Chaka Khan, while other past curators include David Bowie, Grace Jones and Patti Smith. Meltdown has become known for unique performances, with The Smiths' lead singer Morrissey getting a reunited New York Dolls to perform at his 2004 event, Ray Davies restaging 1960s TV pop show Ready Steady Go! in 2011, and Jeff Buckley playing his final UK show at Elvis Costello's Meltdown in 1995.
Rhyl Journal
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
‘It's been incredible': Little Simz ends Meltdown festival with orchestral show
The 31-year-old, whose real name is Simbiatu Ajikawo, brought out guests including rapper Wretch 32, Nigerian artist Obongjayar, and singer Miraa May, during a show which saw her backed by Europe's first majority black and ethnically diverse orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. After opening with Introvert from Mercury Prize-winning album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (2021), the London-born rapper told the crowd: 'Thank you guys so much for coming to see me this evening. A post shared by simz (@littlesimz) 'This is the last day of Meltdown festival, it's been incredible, please make some noise for the Chineke! Orchestra, please make some noise for my band on stage tonight, I want to have a good time with you guys, here we go.' She then kicked into Thief from latest album Lotus, which was released earlier this month. The artist said she was 'very excited' to be playing her new record live, but told the audience she was also going to 'take it back', before performing Two Worlds Apart. Before I Love You, I Hate You, Simz asked the crowd: 'Why you lot sitting down?' prompting them to spring into the air, dancing and singing along, where they remained for the rest of the concert. For Heart On Fire from No Thank You (2022) the rapper hopped off the stage and prowled into the crowd, waving to and holding hands with fans, while Venom, one of her best known tracks, saw Simz jump on to the conductor's podium to conduct the orchestra for the song's opening while rapping. Before Free, from her latest record, Simz told the audience: 'This next song, I wrote as a poem, and I'm so happy I made it into a song, because, it's even stuff I need to hear sometimes, you know? 'If you know it, if you like it, I would love if we can sing it together, I think it'll sound beautiful in here.' For Peace, the rapper brought out singer May, who she said she had known 'for a very long time, since we was like 14, 15', adding that they used to sit in a park in Shoreditch and write songs together, saying it was 'so special' to perform with her on the night. Obongjayar, who released his second album Paradise Now in May, brought upbeat party vibes for Lotus's Lion and Sometimes I Might Be Introvert's Point And Kill. London-born rapper Wretch 32 appeared on the balcony as Simz began the duet Blood from her latest album, making his way down to the stage, where they were joined by singer Cashh for the family argument-turned song. Before last two songs, Woman and Gorilla, she said: 'This has been so special, man, thank you guys for being here, thank you so much to Chineke! Orchestra, most importantly you guys, man, you guys, honestly. 'It's been so much fun, you've been dancing, you've been singing and really catching our vibe. 'I'm so very grateful.' This year's Meltdown, curated by Simz, has seen performances from the likes of Lola Young, The Streets and Ghetts since the 11-day festival began on June 12. Each year the event is curated by a different artist, with last year's event being planned by Chaka Khan, while other past curators include David Bowie, Grace Jones and Patti Smith. Meltdown has become known for unique performances, with The Smiths' lead singer Morrissey getting a reunited New York Dolls to perform at his 2004 event, Ray Davies restaging 1960s TV pop show Ready Steady Go! in 2011, and Jeff Buckley playing his final UK show at Elvis Costello's Meltdown in 1995.
South Wales Guardian
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
‘It's been incredible': Little Simz ends Meltdown festival with orchestral show
The 31-year-old, whose real name is Simbiatu Ajikawo, brought out guests including rapper Wretch 32, Nigerian artist Obongjayar, and singer Miraa May, during a show which saw her backed by Europe's first majority black and ethnically diverse orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. After opening with Introvert from Mercury Prize-winning album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (2021), the London-born rapper told the crowd: 'Thank you guys so much for coming to see me this evening. A post shared by simz (@littlesimz) 'This is the last day of Meltdown festival, it's been incredible, please make some noise for the Chineke! Orchestra, please make some noise for my band on stage tonight, I want to have a good time with you guys, here we go.' She then kicked into Thief from latest album Lotus, which was released earlier this month. The artist said she was 'very excited' to be playing her new record live, but told the audience she was also going to 'take it back', before performing Two Worlds Apart. Before I Love You, I Hate You, Simz asked the crowd: 'Why you lot sitting down?' prompting them to spring into the air, dancing and singing along, where they remained for the rest of the concert. For Heart On Fire from No Thank You (2022) the rapper hopped off the stage and prowled into the crowd, waving to and holding hands with fans, while Venom, one of her best known tracks, saw Simz jump on to the conductor's podium to conduct the orchestra for the song's opening while rapping. Before Free, from her latest record, Simz told the audience: 'This next song, I wrote as a poem, and I'm so happy I made it into a song, because, it's even stuff I need to hear sometimes, you know? 'If you know it, if you like it, I would love if we can sing it together, I think it'll sound beautiful in here.' For Peace, the rapper brought out singer May, who she said she had known 'for a very long time, since we was like 14, 15', adding that they used to sit in a park in Shoreditch and write songs together, saying it was 'so special' to perform with her on the night. Obongjayar, who released his second album Paradise Now in May, brought upbeat party vibes for Lotus's Lion and Sometimes I Might Be Introvert's Point And Kill. London-born rapper Wretch 32 appeared on the balcony as Simz began the duet Blood from her latest album, making his way down to the stage, where they were joined by singer Cashh for the family argument-turned song. Before last two songs, Woman and Gorilla, she said: 'This has been so special, man, thank you guys for being here, thank you so much to Chineke! Orchestra, most importantly you guys, man, you guys, honestly. 'It's been so much fun, you've been dancing, you've been singing and really catching our vibe. 'I'm so very grateful.' This year's Meltdown, curated by Simz, has seen performances from the likes of Lola Young, The Streets and Ghetts since the 11-day festival began on June 12. Each year the event is curated by a different artist, with last year's event being planned by Chaka Khan, while other past curators include David Bowie, Grace Jones and Patti Smith. Meltdown has become known for unique performances, with The Smiths' lead singer Morrissey getting a reunited New York Dolls to perform at his 2004 event, Ray Davies restaging 1960s TV pop show Ready Steady Go! in 2011, and Jeff Buckley playing his final UK show at Elvis Costello's Meltdown in 1995.
Spectator
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Compelling: Little Simz's Lotus reviewed
It is not uncommon for (predominantly male) music critics to invert the 'great man/great woman' dictum in order to suggest that behind the success of every powerful female artist there simply must be a moustache-twirling Svengali pulling the strings. It's less common for the artist themselves to pose the question. On 'Lonely', the penultimate track on her compelling sixth album, London rapper and actor Simbiatu Ajikawo, who performs as Little Simz, interrogates the doubts and insecurities she felt while writing and recording this record. In doing so, she asks: 'I'm used to making it with [redacted]/ Can I do it without?' The bleeped-out name is likely that of Dean Cover, aka Inflo, the influential writer, producer and multi instrumentalist whose contribution to Ajikawo's three previous albums, including the standout Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, winner of the 2022 Mercury Music Prize, is hard to overstate. It was recently revealed, however, that she is suing her former friend and collaborator over an alleged debt stretching into seven figures. Which explains why Inflo is AWOL on Lotus. Instead, Ajikawo paired up with a new (male) cowriter, musical partner and producer, Miles Clinton James. To which one might reasonably conclude that she has answered her own question: 'Can I do it without?' Apparently not. But this would be to misunderstand not only the essentially collaborative nature of the modern pop game, which is nowadays a tech-savvy team sport, closer to Formula 1 than showbiz, but also the fact that the backroom boys of the current era aren't puppeteers; rather, they serve at the behest of the headline artist. Lorde, Taylor Swift, Charli XCX et al.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mercury Prize winner Little Simz sues longtime producer Inflo over unpaid debts
London-born rapper Little Simz, the recipient of the 2022 Mercury Prize as well as star of hit Netflix show Top Boy, is taking legal action against her former producer Inflo, AKA Dean Cover. She alleges that Inflo has failed to repay a £1.7m (approx. €2m) loan from 2023, including £1m used to fund the first and only live performance by Sault - the enigmatic UK musical collective he founded. The ambitious and highly elaborate show, was held at London's Drumsheds in December 2023, and was met with initial backlash for its expensive tickets prices, which started at £99 (€117). As a result of the unreturned loan, Simz claims she was left unable to fully cover her tax liability in January 2024, racking up interest and charges. Inflo has been a hugely important collaborator with Simz, born Simbiatu Ajikawo, since her third album, 2019's 'Grey Area', followed by 2021's highly-acclaimed 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert' and 2022's 'NO THANK YOU'. The 36-year-old producer has also worked with the likes of Adele, Michael Kiwanuka, his wife, Cleo Sol and Tyler, the Creator. According to Law360, the rapper filed her claim in January, accusing Inflo of retaining loans for over a year and alleging that his company mishandled accounting for funds provided by Sony to cover recording costs. In November 2022, Simz signed a three-album deal with the independent label Artists Without A Label (AWAL) - a move Inflo himself encouraged so she could self-produce her music. The deal came with a £2m advance and £625,000 earmarked for recording her third album. Before receiving the official recording funds, Simz personally loaned Inflo £350,000 and £275,000 for the album's production under AWAL. In October 2024, Inflo's solicitors stated the total costs were only £524,436. Simz claims she expected any leftover funds to be returned upon the album's completion, but Inflo allegedly never returned the money. She is also suing him for a £1 million loan she sent on 1 December 2023 to finance Sault's Drumsheds show. She specified that the loan should be repaid within three days, but Inflo allegedly failed to do so, responding that he was 'still getting [his] deal over the line' and would 'send [the money] back as soon as it lands.' In that same month, Simz sent him two more loans totalling £700,000. In October 2024, Inflo's lawyers acknowledged the debt but attributed it to his label, Forever Living Originals, rather than him personally. The news comes as Simz has begun teasing her upcoming album 'Lotus', which will be produced by Miles Clinton James, known for his previous work with London jazz group Kokoroko. The album, which will be her 6th full length project, is set for a release on 9 May.
