Little Simz’s Meltdown festival has expanded its already heavyweight lineup, with the Southbank Centre announcing a new wave of artists for the 2025 edition. Running from 12th to 22nd June, this year’s festival is curated by Little Simz herself and promises a rich, genre-spanning programme centred around fearless artistry.
Among the new additions is Mahalia, who will perform at the Royal Festival Hall on Friday 13th June. Her latest material signals a confident evolution, as she continues to explore her signature “luvergirl” aesthetic. She’ll be followed on the 14th by Nigerian superstar Tiwa Savage, one of the leading lights of Afrobeats, whose headline set will underline her position as one of Africa’s most influential cultural exports.
Canadian instrumentalists BADBADNOTGOOD join the bill on 16th June, bringing their jazz-rooted but hip-hop-inflected live show to the Royal Festival Hall. Long associated with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator and Daniel Caesar, they remain one of the most respected live bands operating in the crossover space.
James Blake is also confirmed for a solo piano performance on Friday 20th June. Fresh from the release of his CMYK 002 – Let Her Know EP, Blake continues to operate as both a solo artist and a key collaborator behind landmark records from artists including Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, Rosalía and Dave.
Elsewhere, the Queen Elizabeth Hall will host a number of standout shows including saxophonist Nubya Garcia (19th June), rising powerhouse MEGA and viral newcomer Jon Poppii (20th June). Kara Jackson, whose poetic blend of folk and alt-country has earned her cult acclaim, will perform at the Purcell Room on 17th June.
These names join an already stacked programme, with earlier announcements including The Streets, Jon Batiste, Ghetts, Lola Young, Sasha Keable, Yukimi and BINA., as well as Little Simz’s own special collaboration with the Chineke! Orchestra to close the festival on 22nd June.
“My team and I have prepared eleven days of art, music, workshops and more,” said Simz. “Meltdown 2025 the Simz way is going to be epic. I’ll see you there.”
Tickets for the newly announced shows go on sale to Southbank Centre members on Wednesday 9th April at 10am and to the general public on Friday 11th April via southbankcentre.co.uk.
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- BADBADNOTGOOD
- James Blake
- Little Simz
- London Live Music
- Mahalia
- Meltdown Festival
- Southbank Centre
- Summer Festivals 2025
- Tiwa Savage
