Little Simz to curate Southbank Centre's 30th Meltdown festival in 2025

Little Simz has been announced as the curator of Southbank Centre's Meltdown festival for 2025, marking the event's 30th edition.

The eleven-day festival will run from 12th June until 22nd June 2025, featuring a programme of music and arts events curated by the Mercury Prize-winning artist. The festival will include two weekends of free participatory programming alongside performances from various artists.

"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. 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 says.

Jane Beese, Head of Contemporary Music at Southbank Centre, says: "Little Simz' ability to forge new genre-defying ideas and her ambition to inspire the next generation of creators aligns with what the Southbank Centre's artistic programme and vision stands for. We're incredibly excited to witness the lineup she'll curate and for the power of her great art, leadership and culture to bring people together on-site for our 30th year."

Mark Ball, Artistic Director at Southbank Centre, adds: "Meltdown has become one of the most enduring and anticipated highlights of the annual music calendar, shaped each year by the spirit, imagination and artistry of its curator. Little Simz is becoming such a powerful influence in London and beyond and we're delighted that for eleven days in June the Southbank Centre will become her cultural playground where she can fully explore her musicianship, her icons and her cultural passions."

The first artists for Little Simz' Meltdown will be announced in Spring 2025. The festival follows Chaka Khan's 2024 edition, which featured performances from Emeli Sandé, Lady Blackbird, Bruce Hornsby and Incognito.