Celebrating British LGBTQ+ Musicians of Colour
In the lead-up to Birmingham Pride this weekend, we want to celebrate LGBTQ+ artists from UK - in particular highlighting the artists of colour who are making their mark on the music industry around the world.
From viral Hip-Hop sensation Dreya Mac to Birmingham’s very own Felix & James Indigo, we want to celebrate artists from across the UK that you should discover today.
DREYA MAC
Must listen: Own Brand (Baddie)
West London Native, Dreya Mac, has garnered support from tastemakers including Annie Mac, Toddla T, DJ Target, Sian Anderson and Rickie and Melvin and Charlie.
Dreya is an alumni of the world-famous Brit school where she studied musical theatre and dance from the age of 14. Since then her professional dancing background has taken her all over the world to countries as far reaching as the USA and China. She can be seen demonstrating her talents in videos and shows for prominent artists such as Stormzy, Dua Lipa and Rita Ora. She has also performed at the MTV EMAs and Brit Awards and featured in the Burberry 2020 Festive Campaign.
JAMES INDIGO
Must listen: Money (feat Black Peppa)
James Indigo is a UK artist, who uses his experiences of growing up as an LGBTQ+ person of colour, to create an esoteric sound that is very much true to himself. He mixes his Jamaican / British background with his queer perspective on pop culture, to create a fusion of sounds.
Musically, he melds rap lyrics, with icy electro and pounding trap beats, and dancehall inflections, along with his unique energy. James's discography thus far has had a phenomenal response. He has been featured in Billboard, HuffPost, PRS, Hunger Magazine, Pink News, Attitude, GayTimes, Them, Kaltbult Magazine, Bricks, Grindr, Snapchat, and The BBC.
RINA SAWAYAMA
Must listen: Holy (‘Til You Let Me Go)
Rina Sawayama gained critical acclaim following the release of her debut studio album Sawayama.
Rina was included in Vogue Japan's "Women of the Year 2019" winners and was awarded the Breakthrough Award by the Attitude Awards. In late July 2020, Sawayama expressed her discontent after being informed that she could not be eligible to be nominated for major British music awards, such as the Brit Awards and Mercury Prize, due to the fact that she does not hold British citizenship. Her movement gained major support from Elton John. The BPI later changed the rules to allow anyone who had remained in the UK, including her, to be eligible.
FELIX
Must listen: Dirty Habits
British Singer-songwriter Felix incorporates elements of contemporary RnB and trap production into alternative-minded pop songs.
His 2019 release, 'Gold' followed by 'Friends' gained the attention of BBC Introducing and various other lines of the press. With a new project in the works, Felix's energetic songs and grounded attitude will see him seduce a wider audience around the World.
BREE RUNWAY
Must listen: HOT HOT
Bree Runway has expressed her sound as "genre-bending" as well as "genre fluid" with her material experimenting with a multitude of genres including; pop, trap, dance, R&B, rock, hyperpop and country. Despite being signed to a major label, Runway revealed that she is entirely in charge of her creative process. Runway explains that she tries to study genres that she doesn't listen to on a daily basis quoting that there is "inspiration everywhere". When discussing Runway's sound, she emphasizes her disapproval with genre labelling.
She cites Lil' Kim, Britney Spears, Madonna, Missy Elliott, Pharrell, Kelis, Lady Gaga and The Neptunes as her biggest influences.
seeva
Must listen: young
Seeva is an Electro-Pop artist based in London. He began writing at the age of 13 and by the age of 15 he was playing live with continued support from established British producers behind the likes of Dua Lipa, Tom Walker and Mabel.
Having built foundations for a career as a writer and producer with credits including the Tate Modern and Footlocker, Seeva transitioned into an artist in his own right by releasing his debut single, Heartstop., in collaboration with Brighton songstress la lune followed by his widely acclaimed, self-produced debut album We Need To Talk’, released in September 2020. With tracks such as ‘Young’, ‘Princess’ and ‘Clouds, he has been showcased on the likes of Beats 1, BBC Radio 2 & 6 and Flex FM amongst others. With editorial playlist support from Spotify, Deezer and Amazon, he has only continued the undeniable hype surrounding his self-managed, self-produced 2020 debut project.
MNEK
Must listen: Honeymoon phaze
MNEK is a British-Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer who has worked with a wide spectrum of pop, dance, and R&B artists, in addition to achieving chart success on his own. First making a major impact on the British pop charts by co-writing early-2010s hits by the Saturdays and Duke Dumont, his strong, soulful vocals were featured on "Ready for Your Love," a 2014 Top Five single by London-based house duo Gorgon City.
He went on to work with Kylie Minogue, Beyoncé, and Madonna, and his 2015 collaboration with Zara Larsson, "Never Forget You," became a worldwide smash. His other longstanding collaborators have included Rudimental, Becky Hill, Shift K3Y, and Little Mix, among many others. MNEK was awarded an ASCAP Vanguard Award in 2016. He was featured on Stormzy's 2017 Top 10 hit "Blinded by Your Grace, Pt. 2," and his debut album, Language, was released in 2018.
TIA KOFI
Must listen: I WANT IT ALL
Tia is a talented singer and songwriter who found a new audience of adoring fans appearing on the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. One of the major breakout stars of the season, Tia was a firm fan favourite from the start. Tia has already released several acclaimed singles, four of which have hit Top 10 on the Official Commercial Pop Chart.
Her debut ‘Outside In’, written by Little Boots and Tom Aspaul, was premiered on Radio 2’s Zoe Ball breakfast show. Her debut EP ‘Part 1: The Damage’ hit No.1 on iTunes, whilst the second ‘Part 2: The Antidote’ features collabs with Little Boots, Mista Strange and MRSHLL. Tia hosts a weekly Friday evening radio show for Virgin Radio Pride and was again the presenter of digital content for the BBC’s Eurovision Song Contest this year. This Summer Tia will perform her music on the main stage of Mighty Hoopla, Pride In London, Brighton Pride, Manchester Pride and Birmingham Pride.