Little Simz announces new album Lotus and UK arena dates

Little Simz has announced her biggest UK headline shows to date, with arena dates confirmed for Manchester’s Co-Op Live on 16th October and The O2 in London on 17th October. The news arrives alongside details of her sixth album Lotus, now set for release on 6th June via AWAL Recordings.

The new record will include the recently released singles ‘Free’ and ‘Flood’. Written first as a poem, ‘Free’ explores vulnerability and perseverance over a lush arrangement produced by Miles Clinton James. Simz raps, “Love will never judge you because of your pain,” delivering the line with trademark clarity.

Earlier single ‘Flood’ saw Simz collaborate with Obongjayar and Moonchild Sanelly, accompanied by a visually striking video directed by Salomon Ligthelm. Together, the two tracks begin to sketch the sonic and emotional breadth of Lotus, which Simz has described as a record about growth and renewal.

Pre-sale access for the arena shows opens on 9th April at 10am for fans who pre-order the album. General sale follows on 11th April.

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Lotus will be Simz’s first full-length since 2022’s NO THANK YOU, and arrives after a landmark few years that have seen her win the Mercury Prize, headline Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, and appear in the final series of Top Boy.

She is also curating this year’s Meltdown Festival at the Southbank Centre, with a lineup featuring The Streets, Ghetts, Sasha Keable, Jon Batiste, and more. Simz will close the festival with a sold-out performance alongside Chineke! Orchestra.

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