Credit: getty
Music
Rapper, actor, artist and 2022 Mercury Prize winner: an ode to the sheer brilliance of Little Simz
3 years ago
2 min read
Little Simz is a standout UK rapper that seems to only now be getting her dues. But after winning both the best new artist trophy at the Brit Awards and the prestigious Mercury Prize this year, her profile is finally getting the boost it deserves.
We called it: 2022 is Little Simz’s year. After scooping the best new artist trophy at the 2022 Brit Awards earlier in the year, the rapper has now won the prestigious Mercury Prize with her fourth album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.
Beating off stiff competition from the likes of Kojey Radical, Joy Crookes and Jessie Buckley, Little Simz was crowned winner at London’s famous Hammersmith Apollo on Tuesday 18 October.
Taking the stage to accept her prize, the 28-year-old said she was “very overwhelmed and grateful” to win the award.
“To my family over here, my loved ones right here. I want to say a huge thank you to the Mercury for this incredible prize,” she said.
“I want to say thank you to my brother and close collaborator Inflo… he’s known me since I was so young, he’s stuck by me, we created this album together.
“There were times in the studio when I didn’t know if I was going to finish this record, I was feeling all the emotions and really going through it. He stuck by me and pushed me to deliver this album for you guys.”
The win caps off a stellar year for the rapper, who was widely considered the standout artist of the 2022 Brit Awards ceremony earlier in February.
Performing at London’s O2 arena, she captivated viewers with a stunning medley of Introvert and Woman – two exceptional hits from her 2021 album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.
The two songs melted into each other, mirroring Simz’ seamless transitions between beats and narratives on the album. And these outstanding hits are just a brief insight into the breadth of Simz’ talent. Other viewers watching the Brits seemed to agree.
Off the back of the medley performance, there was a huge 812% spike for streams of Introvert and a 594% spike for Woman on Spotify. Overall, Simz saw a 365% spike in streams for her music just last night, which only goes to show that far too many people have been sleeping on one of the UK’s most talented artists for far too long.
As she picked up her first ever Brit Award for Best New Artist, fellow Brit winners Dave and Adele were quick to shoutout Simz in their own acceptance speeches – a warming testament to the impact she has had on many different artists across different genres. In a red carpet interview with Clara Amfo, Simz reminded viewers that when she last came to the Brit Awards, she was there to support iconic band Gorillaz in 2018.
Picking up the award, though, was one of the heartwarming moments of the night for both loyal fans and those only recently introduced to Simz’ music. Simz immediately gave her Best New Artist award to her mother and helped her up on the stage to accept the accolade. Clearly struggling for words on stage, Simz thanked everyone, turned to her Mum and simply said: “Look at what you done, Mum.”
“My name is Simbiatu Ajikawo, I’m from north London – Islington. I grew up on a council estate, I’m an independent artist and to be here tonight, receiving this award, is such a blessing. I’m so grateful.”
She went on to add: “I want to say that anyone that is watching this at home, I am living proof that if you work hard at something – no matter where you come from, no matter your background, no matter your race – you can do something extraordinary.
“So this is for all the kids dreaming, keep dreaming, keep pushing. I am you, you are me.”
Credit: Getty
Simz released her first mixtape Stratosphere in 2010 and then went on to release her first EP E.D.G.E. in 2014 but it seems as though the independent artist has just recently come to the forefront of the UK music scene with her latest album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.
Credit: Netflix
The recent mainstream praise is beyond well deserved, though. And though each individual song on that album deserves deep analysis and celebration, that’s an experience we’d encourage you to enjoy for the first time yourself if you haven’t already experienced the hour-long record of genre-bending artistry.
Is 2022 the year of Little Simz? Well, longtime fans will agree that any time that Simz releases music is a time worth revelling in, but the facts don’t lie.
After 14 MOBO nominations, Simz’ perseverance in the music awards area proved worthwhile when she took home the award for Best Female Act in December 2021.
Simz features in Marvel’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage sequel as herself, performing a remix of her hit song Venom in the film. Her UK tour naturally sold out long before she hit the road at the end of 2021, and she made a star appearance as Shelley in season four of Netflix’s Top Boy earlier this year.
As for the rest of 2o22, the sky really is the limit for Little Simz. We’re just excited that more people are coming along for the ride.
Image: Getty
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