Little Simz Announced as Curator for London’s Meltdown Festival 2025
Little Simz has been named the curator for the prestigious Meltdown Festival 2025, which will take place at London’s Southbank Centre. This year marks the 30th edition of the event, and the talented rapper is set to shape an eclectic lineup of music, art, and workshops over eleven nights, from June 12 to June 22. The full lineup will be revealed in the spring.
Simz joins a stellar list of past curators, including icons like Robert Smith of The Cure, David Byrne, Grace Jones, Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, and, most recently, Chaka Khan.
“I’m super excited to be the 2025 Meltdown festival curator! My team and I are preparing 10 days of art, music, workshops and more,” Simz shared in a statement. “So many incredible artists have curated this festival, so it’s a true honor 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.”
Jane Beese, the Head of Contemporary Music at the Southbank Centre, expressed enthusiasm about Simz’s selection: “Little Simz’s 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 program and vision stand 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 for our 30th year.”
Meltdown Festival is known for its one-of-a-kind performances. Past curators have staged memorable events such as Patti Smith performing her album Horses in full in 2005 and Rahim Redcar (formerly known as Christine and the Queens) delivering a two-hour rock-opera show in 2023.
Simz’s appointment as curator follows a remarkable few years in her career. Last summer, the 30-year-old rapper performed on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage to critical acclaim and won the 2021 Mercury Prize for her album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. Beyond her music career, Simz has also starred in the hit Netflix series Top Boy.
Her most recent album, No Thank You (2022), was accompanied by a short film directed by Gabriel Moses, the designer of the 2025 BRIT Awards trophy.
