Specialising in profiles across music, arts and culture, told through the lens of identity, empathy and politics.
Formerly Music Editor-at-Large at Dazed and Asst Music Editor at gal-dem.
Bylines in Vogue, Dazed, i-D, The Guardian, The Face, Evening Standard, GQ, NME, TimeOut, Porter, WePresent, Complex, gal-dem, Crack, Huck, Wonderland, The Pop Mag, PORT, Red Bull and more.
Author of Live the Lizzo Way (Harper Collins)
& culture newsletter Room Temp°
Biography work for: Sampha, Tems, FLO, Leigh-Anne, Mabel, Amaarae, Mahalia, Amelia Dimoldenberg, KOKOROKO, Olivia Dean, Ayra Starr, Debbie, Sekou, JORDS, Cktrl, KAM-BU and more.
Pink Pantheress: on what makes a true original, maintaining privacy and being Bri-ish
Cover of Rolling Stone UK & feature in US print
Olivia Dean: on embracing the mess, cooking for herself and love as an endless source of inspiration
Cover of Pop Mag
Will Poulter: on confronting privilege, staying versatile and using social media for good
Cover of Port Magazine
Alicia Keys: on staying curious, protecting peace and fashion as form of armour
Cover of Pop Mag
Uncut Tems: entering the reign of Nigeria’s fastest rising star
“Though she’s yet to release her debut album, it’s clear from her passion that Tems is aware of her unique position to bridge the gap. Honouring the soft Lagosian expression in her wordplay, empowered and effortless in her sexuality and style, and with a sonic profile that looks back to her roots and into the future at once, she’s a uniquely modern symbol of African womanhood. The impact and newness of that kind of representation, on this kind of scale, is not lost on her.”
Cover of Dazed
Arlo Parks’ Soft Reset
“There’s a radical softness to the musical world of Arlo Parks – as if her sweet-toned, tender voice is telling you a secret. Blending airy instrumentals with a writing style that’s equal parts observational and diaristic, her distinct brand of storytelling sparked a multi-label bidding war after the release of her debut single “Cola” back in 2018. Still only 18, the West London–raised artist quickly became the name on the entire music industry’s lips.”
Cover of GQ Hype
Bree Runway: on her trademark style, international tour and the fandom of her dreams
Cover of Pop Magazine
Cat Burns: on gender-neutral songwriting, TikTok stardom and curing her emotional unavailability
Cover of Pop Mag
How Major League DJz are powering the global amapiano movement
Cover of MixMag
How PinkPantheress uses 2000s nostalgia to craft a sound both familiar and fresh
Cover of Alt Press
Lashana Lynch on breaking box office records, rising above the noise and doing Black women justice on screen.
Cover of Rolling Stone UK
Little Simz: on cinematic inspirations, carving her own independent path and breaking the chains of generational trauma
Cover of Port Magazine
Candice Carty-Williams: on South London, grime musical obsession and her journey into TV
Trench Mag
Tyla is bringing amapiano to the global pop scene
i-D Summer ‘23 Issue
Nubya Garcia on finding her jazz tribe, being inspired by her travels and the importance of access in music.
Cover of Huck Magazine
Griff on growing up in white suburbia, making her own clothes and subverting pop expectations
Cover of The Pop Mag
Music Week: The Black Music Coalition
The executive committee on how George Floyd & black squares led to an industry-wide reckoning re: anti-black racism & inequality, the last year’s progress and crucially, what comes next.
Cover of Music Week
Princess Nokia: “I have a very resourceful spirit – a survivor’s spirit”
‘“These opportunities continue to feed my inner child and fulfil my wildest dreams,” Frasqueri summarises. In the beginning, as a child raised in care and by the streets of The Bronx, this was a road she had to conquer alone; her reaching the brink of pop stardom feels about as close to a fairytale ending as it gets.
In reality, though, this is not the end so much as a new beginning. And after doing so much with so little to now having all possible avenues open, what does Princess Nokia want her legacy to be? “Oh my God – I just want to be a fucking shapeshifter diva! Rapper, actress, comedian, poet, songwriter, composer, healer, witch – you know what I mean!?”’
Cover of NME
Introducing Bree Runway: the voice of the DIY generation
Rap, soul, punk and pop — this effortless musical mash-up is Bree Runway’s secret weapon. Natty Kasambala meets the boundary-pushing Hackney singer who’s not afraid to use her platform to shine the spotlight on talented darker-skinned Black women
Cover of ES Mag
Enny on celebrating Blackness, bluetooth freestyles and the Peng Black Girl manifesto
“Born and raised in south east London, of Nigerian heritage, Enny is something of a music purist. Meshing textured, nostalgic instrumentals with a complex, hyperactive cadence and grounded, empathetic messages, she’s a welcome addition to the vibrant London music scene. And showcased in her appearances on live platform COLORS and Later… with Jools Holland, with a Jorja Smith remix of her most-renowned single, her ambitions are, rightfully, global.”
Cover of The Pop Mag
Ashley Walters: on Peckham, ‘Top Boy’ and Black British representation
“It’s a cartoonishly dull day in London. Heavy raindrops spatter windows, buses splash unsuspecting pedestrians, Uber prices surge astronomically as trails of red lights stand still in traffic. Ashley Walters, on the other hand, has just cruised into the Time Out office on a robot.”
Cover of Time Out London
The Big Read with Megan thee Stallion
“Her modern-day mantras are recited globally, out loud at her shows, online and in headphones. In the three years she’s been releasing music, Megan Thee Stallion has already been able to instil her – mostly black, femme-identifying and young – fanbase with a vitality often more readily associated with her more veteran counterparts. And she’s done it through genuine visibility and representation. “I try to put confidence in my fans when I’m rapping, because when you repeat after me, you need to really believe in what you’re saying!” she says.”
Cover of NME
Dazed: Thuso Mbedo: on the true meaning of freedom, apartheid South Africa and holding on to hope
In conversation with Thuso Mbedo, the breathtaking star of Barry Jenkins-directed limited series The Underground Railroad, an adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winning novel of the same name.
Spring/Summer 2021 print issue
Vogue: 9 Emerging Black Music Talents You Must Know For 2021
From Drake-approved Mustafa to the distinctive sounds of Lous and the Yakuza, Vogue handpicks nine talented Black musicians to add to your playlist, stat.
British Vogue, Vogue Japan, Vogue China
Koffee on lockdown, legacy and reconnecting with home
“In November of 2018, a track arrived out of left field that shook the international musical landscape loose of all inhibitions. As young star-in-the-making Koffee declared boldly ‘Cyan bawl inna life man’ over the signature stripped-back guitar riff, she casually set the tone for an infectiously carefree, joyous sentiment that would not only go on to move the hearts of all who heard it, but also become the blueprint for her trademark sound.
From that moment until now, the line ‘gratitude is a must’ taken from the chorus of her incendiary debut single Toast, has become a mantra that graces the Instagram captions of thousands and encapsulates the benevolent heart of the artist and subsequent movement that is Mikayla ‘Koffee’ Simpson.”
Cover of The Pop Mag
Lous and the Yakuza: “There’s this big contrast between what I had to be and who I really was”
“Within a record-breaking one minute of pleasantries, Lous and I are already talking about the injustices of colonialism. “Since when do people ever talk about Africa?” she asks sarcastically. We jumped from polite small talk about the ‘new normal’ of our post-Covid world into the depths of Western disregard for the continent in 60 seconds flat and it’s a promising first sign.”
Cover of i-D Up & Rising zine
Unknown T wants to be seen.
“Unknown T is having a hell of a week.
It’s early August and the east London drill artist is in the thick of the promotional phase of his debut mixtape Rise Above Hate. Whether it’s starring in comedy sketches with fitness beast Armz Korleone or hosting listening parties on No Signal Radio, not to mention his long-overdue link up with internet persona Unknown P, he’s impossible to miss across social media. On the day of the interview, he’s busy filming YouTube reaction videos but breaks from the session to jump on Zoom. I mention that it’s clear he’s having a lot of fun with his return back to music over the last few months. He beams and coyly asks in his bassy, rumbling voice: “Have you noticed?””
Cover of Crack Magazine
The Face: Beabadoobee: the bubble grunge internet sensation
A 20-year-old star of the social media age, Beabadoobee is part of the first generation to have near-instant access to endless socio-cultural archives, using them to create a look that is as much Smashing Pumpkins as it is Lizzie McGuire. She is yesterday, today and, probably, tomorrow.
Ms Banks on glowing up, sex-positivity and the spirit of South London
“Standing tall at around six feet barefoot, (“I was 5 ‘8 when I was 12”), there’s an inherent prowess to the wordsmith that makes it hard to imagine she ever had doubts. When asked how much of her energy as an artist she attributes to growing up south of the river, the answer is short and sweet: “All of it.” She repeats the three words twice more before unpacking.
“The street-wise, the hustle, my taste in food, in men, all of that,” she lists. “The swag, the way we talk, that’s all south London. I feel like there’s a little side of me that’s really soft and calm and nice, and that’s something I’ve naturally had in me since I was a child but everything else? Everything else is south.””
Cover of The Forty-Five
Vogue: 9 Ideal Films To Save Your Lockdown Valentine’s Day
From classic romcoms to arthouse favourites and a spate of exciting new releases, here’s what to watch when 14 February arrives.
British Vogue, Vogue Italia, Vogue India, Vogue Taiwan
Huck: Calling Aminé: ‘I’ve never been to therapy - but music helps’
“Portland artist, née Adam Aminé Daniel, first catapulted into the public consciousness in 2016 when his viral banger ‘Caroline’ captured hearts globally. In the endearing homemade video – directed by Daniel himself – we watch as he rides around his hometown with a squad of friends, hanging out of a moving car, rapping about the mystery titular woman.Fast-forward four years, the dreads are longer, the cars are faster and the video budgets have grown ostensibly (see here: the accompanying visuals for recent single ‘Riri’). But the heart of what makes Aminé so idiosyncratic remains intact: his charisma and wit; his ability to take a decent hook, an infectious beat and pair them with a wildly distinctive approach to rap visuals that takes heed from the golden era of MTV.”
Metro: Megan Thee Stallion had to publicly break down in tears for the world to take her pain seriously
“Black women are constantly forced to present themselves as strong, because it’s a way to cope with a world that pushes us to our limits. Only in retrospect, when the myth of the Unbreakable Black Woman is proven false – when we snap or shatter or are taken in the night – do we have the world’s attention.
It’s reminiscent of the way we demand ‘justice’ for murdered activist Toyin Salau, or railway worker Belly Mujinga, or victims of police brutality like Breonna Taylor and Sandra Bland after they are already gone. Too often, society only stands up to protect Black women once it’s already too late. We need to ask ourselves why we think that’s enough.”
Dazed: Meet Omah Lay, Nigeria’s rapid rising star and afro-fusion artiste
The 23-year-old artist is exploding afrobeats as we know it – after a meteoric 2020, he talks future ambitions, the joys of the Nigerian music scene, and the traumatic event of last year he’s channeling into a forthcoming album
Features:
Wonderland: Kojey Radical is bringing a new sound to the rap game
gal-dem: Coming to America and Modern Maasai: unpacking the hidden references of Beyoncé’s Black is King
VICE: How To Fix Racism in the Music Industry, By People in the Music Industry
gal-dem: The women of No Signal say their piece
Complex: Roses Gabor Is Striving To Be Water, Not The Wave
Dazed: Rhea Dillon elevates queer black British lives in her liberating new film
“Straight out of the gate, we are thrown into the action in The Name I Call Myself. A child’s running feet pound the pavement in slow motion for a few brief seconds before transporting us to a breathtaking funeral scene. The cameras move slowly with intent as they track two figures contorting and arranging their bodies fluidly in front a still mourning crowd and a mound of dirt, all while the string-filled soundscape swells and intensifies.”
i-D: Meet the future faces of literature
“Meet six female writers making the world of literature a more diverse, exciting and revolutionary place in 2019 – from cultural historian Emma Dabiri to publishing maverick Candice Carty-Williams, gal-dem editor-in-chief Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff to power duo Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uziebinené.”
gal-dem: How an adventure into Solange’s Houston confirmed her genius
“The first thing to surprise me about Texas, however, is the diversity of its residents. From billboard ads littered along the roads advertising black dentists, doctors and injury lawyers, to vibrant Mexican establishments, diversity breathes life into the otherwise-muted browns and greys of the uncharacteristically foggy city. On reflection, this is the very reason for my trip to Texas: to explore and dismantle my preconceptions and immerse myself in Solange’s hometown.”
Dazed: Unpacking the references in Childish Gambino’s This Is America
“Throughout the video, Childish Gambino and his youthful entourage use dance as a distraction from the brutality unfolding around them.
This can be seen as a reflection of how we live and function in online spaces in 2018. The forums we use allow two opposing forces – of joy and horror – to coexist, as spectacles of black death and viral memes fill our feeds interchangeably.”
Dazed: Gordon Parks’ art is all over Kendrick Lamar’s ELEMENT. visual
“Nestled in with original imagery of their own, Lindstroem and Lamar pay homage to the work of the self-taught photographer who devoted his lens to highlighting both society’s diversity and its divisions. The artistic link makes perfect sense, since Lamar’s own music examines a similar agenda: in his unapologetically black sound, his political subject matter, and his purposeful visuals, from the LA-inspired project with Kahlil Joseph to his performance at the 2016 VMA’s commenting on mass incarceration.”
Dazed: How Jay-Z’s video for The Story of O.J subverts racist caricatures
“The animated clip for ‘The Story of OJ’ employs a range of racially-charged caricatures and references to blackface from vintage cartoons.”
Huck: How the barbershop became a bastion for the Black British community
“The cultural weight of his shop alone in people’s lives is clear when he recounts colourful tales of how – on several occasions, while in the middle of domestics – clients’ girlfriends have resorted to staking out his shop waiting on their boyfriends’ inevitable return for a trim at some point. It’s a simple yet comic depiction of how these black British barbershops act as sanctuaries for black men, to laugh and argue and connect with each other beyond the gaze of others.”
Huck: The photographer who shot Britain’s Black Panthers
“To celebrate his first solo show in a decade, we sat down with Neil Kenlock – seminal British storyteller and official photographer of the British Black Panthers movement – to discuss legacy and looking forward.”
Dazed: Important lessons Keith Haring taught us about life and art
“Even if you don’t know his name, you know Keith Haring’s art.
Born in 1958 in Pennsylvania to a stay-at-home mother and an engineer-by-day-cartoonist-by-night father, Haring honed a natural talent for drawing during his childhood that he would take with him, aged 20, to New York. It was here that he began to carve out a career as one of the most important artists and social activists of his time.”
Dazed: A Future World: Jayda G interviews legendary climate activist Severn Cullis-Suzuki
“Canadian DJ and environmental toxicologist Jayda G speaks to the woman who led the original teenage movement for climate action back in 1992”
The Line of Best Fit: Mahalia - One to Watch 2019
“Sat down and nesting on the comfy corner sofa in the dining area of her new but cosy apartment, Mahalia offers to fetch me a glass of water, while cracking jokes about how her address is hard to find even for Uber drivers.
It’s a noble effort to put me at ease after spending the last thirty minutes walking up and down her street attempting to find the right apartment building, which she does naturally while sniffing a packet of cheese in her fridge, before making a face and binning it then rejoining me on the couch.”
Dazed: Beautiful images of what being Black, British & Muslim means to Ejatu Shaw
“Photographer Ejatu Shaw uses her photo series to reckon with battling sides of her identity and the consequences of rejecting religion”
The Line of Best Fit: How SZA’s Drew Barrymore told the truth and changed the game
“SZA set a new standard for honesty and heroism in songwriting this year, with a song that embraced the imperfect and endlessly complex”
Dazed: 5 years after Channel Orange, no one sounds like Frank Ocean
“Unpacking why the idiosyncratic singer-songwriter’s debut studio album is still a symbol of innovation and individuality”
gal-dem: There’s so much wrong with that Liam Neeson interview—we’ve only just scratched the surface
“The conversation that followed has found a strange and close focus on whether Neeson should be praised for his honesty or damned for his behaviour in the first place. But this story, and the things that are wrong with it, needs some unpacking beyond the headline quote. We decided to do just that.”
Reviews:
The Guardian: Nao - Cosmopolitan R&B auteur evades the mainstream
“The question regarding Nao’s second album is whether she makes a push for the chart success that is surely within reach, or digs deeper into her auteurish groove. And on Saturn, although her sugary vocals have remained intact, her artistic and personal growth is evident.”
NME: Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
“She’s the exciting poster child for a more empowering, inclusive and diverse pop landscape. On her self-love anthem-packed third album, Lizzo proves she’s the electric, complex pop star that the world needs.”
Complex: Dave’s ‘Psychodrama’ is a brutally impressive examination of society
“The ‘best’ art (if such a thing exists) holds a mirror up to society, allows you to look into it and then questions whether you’re happy with the reflection that you’re presented with. Dave‘s debut album, Psychodrama, does all that and more: it asks the all-important question before proceeding to answer it in immaculately complex and empathetic detail.”