MIA's Meltdown Festival, Southbank Centre
Young Fathers, Crystal Castles and a whole lot of dancehall on the Southbank: MIA’s Meltdown Festival line-up promises to live up to the usual high standards
M.I.A. Meltdown: Photo: Screengrab of video via Youtube.
Every summer, the Southbank Centre invites a music legend to take over programming for its Meltdown Festival. With previous curators including Jarvis Cocker, Elvis Costello, David Bowie, Patti Smith, Morrissey and John Peel, the festival offers a glimpse into the musical lives of its director, whilst bringing a wondrously eclectic selection of live music to the stage.
This year, it’s the turn of M.I.A., outspoken activist, collaboration queen and only the fourth woman to curate the festival in its 24 year history.
The line-up is a thrilling reflection of MIA's own eclectic influences, global perspective and political ferocity. Mercury-winning hip hop artists Young Fathers, widely hailed as the new face of socially-conscious British hip hop, will be there, in a one-off performance complete with a choir. Mykki Blanco, LGBT rapper summa cum laude, will take to the stage. Dexta Daps brings his pottymouthed Jamaican dancehall to Meltdown. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
M.I.A has said that she wanted to bring together music's best forward thinkers. '[I want to] redefine the concept of a melting pot,' she adds, taking the concept of a Meltdown and turning it into a celebration of diversity, during these charged times. 'It will be about putting on a musical week that shows different types of music which have inspired each other to exist. When music acts as inspiration, it's boundary-less.'
Amen to that.
This year, it’s the turn of M.I.A., outspoken activist, collaboration queen and only the fourth woman to curate the festival in its 24 year history.
The line-up is a thrilling reflection of MIA's own eclectic influences, global perspective and political ferocity. Mercury-winning hip hop artists Young Fathers, widely hailed as the new face of socially-conscious British hip hop, will be there, in a one-off performance complete with a choir. Mykki Blanco, LGBT rapper summa cum laude, will take to the stage. Dexta Daps brings his pottymouthed Jamaican dancehall to Meltdown. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
M.I.A has said that she wanted to bring together music's best forward thinkers. '[I want to] redefine the concept of a melting pot,' she adds, taking the concept of a Meltdown and turning it into a celebration of diversity, during these charged times. 'It will be about putting on a musical week that shows different types of music which have inspired each other to exist. When music acts as inspiration, it's boundary-less.'
Amen to that.
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| What | MIA's Meltdown Festival, Southbank Centre |
| Where | Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Waterloo (underground) |
| When |
09 Jun 17 – 18 Jun 17, Times vary between events |
| Price | £varies |
| Website | Click here for more information |