Harry Styles announces jazz, pop, indie and electronic artists for his Meltdown festival
London festival will feature an intimate Styles performance as well as appearances from Warpaint, Kamasi Washington, Devonté Hynes and more
Harry Styles has announced the lineup of artists he has curated for this year’s Meltdown festival, held at London’s Southbank Centre.
As well as performing a solo concert on 16 June at Royal Festival Hall, sandwiched amid his run of 12 dates at the considerably larger Wembley Stadium, Styles has brought together a diverse range of artists spanning jazz, pop, indie rock and electronic music.
On the jazz front, there are two performances by cosmic US saxophonist Kamasi Washington, one focused on his album Fearless Movement, and another entitled Jazz Legends Reimagined, where Washington will reinterpret works from across the jazz canon.
Ethio-jazz legend Mulatu Astatke appeared at the Southbank Centre as part of a farewell tour last year, but is back at the venue for this year’s Meltdown. The UK scene is represented by drummer Yussef Dayes, and reeds/woodwind star Shabaka who will appear alongside “friends” for a collaborative performance.
LA rockers Warpaint – playing their only gig of the year – and British singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya are the most blue-chip indie names, with Styles also selecting arty slackers Bar Italia, veteran songwriter Stephen Fretwell and wacky up-and-comers Getdown Services. Orlando Weeks, lead singer of the Maccabees, will perform a hybrid set of music and storytelling, and Devonté Hynes – best known as Blood Orange – will perform his classical music in an ensemble with Adam Tendler, Cæcilie Trier and Tariq Al-Sabir.
There are two artists making some of the most spry and forward-thinking pop of the moment – Erika de Casier and Fousheé – and a broad range of electronic music, including pellucid ambient songcraft from Beverly Glenn-Copeland: improvised works by Jon Hopkins, Maddie Ashman and Leo Abrahams performing together; and high-tempo EDM and trance by Australia’s Ninajirachi, plus a DJ set from LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy.
A separate programme of free and family-friendly events will feature “a mix of appearances from Styles’ favourite artists beyond music” according to the Southbank Centre.
Styles said: “Music is my life; every artist involved in this year’s Meltdown festival means so much to me, both as a fan, and a musician. It’s a true honour to host legends who have paved the way for the generations that follow them, as well as new acts that have inspired me to push my creative boundaries.”
Meltdown, curated each year by a star musician, runs 11-21 June, with tickets on sale from 9 April for Southbank members, and 10 April for the general public.