Little Simz: Rapper, Storyteller, Self-Made

Few artists have turned independence into a signature as completely as Little Simz.

Born Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, the North London rapper, singer and actress first made her name by releasing her own work. Her first three albums, A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons (2015), Stillness in Wonderland (2016) and Grey Area (2019), all came out independently. The last of them was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. It also won Best Album at both the Ivor Novello Awards and the NME Awards.

What holds her catalogue together is a novelist's patience. Her verses move between confession and observation, and her beats draw on jazz, soul, funk and orchestral drama. "Woman" (2021) is a warm, rhythmic tribute to Black women. "Selfish", with Cleo Sol, sets a bruised, intimate mood. "Point and Kill", with Obongjayar, pulls towards Afrobeat.

On the station you'll also hear "Two Worlds Apart", plus "Only", "Lonely" and "Lion" from 2025. Together they show an artist still widening her range.