Jorja Smith
It-girl popstars come and go, but judging by the calibre of her fanbase, it looks as though Walsall’s Jorja Smith is here to stay. Not only did her R&B and soul-rooted style recently feature on Drake’s new compilation More Life, but it also made an appearance on the Solange-curated soundtrack to Issa Rae’s hot new comedy Insecure.
Bugzy Malone
Mancunian MC Bugzy Malone has already fulfilled his promise to put “Manny on the map” grime-wise, thanks to his pair of Top 10 EPs and a slew of energetic gigs. His upcoming live dates should only cement his position as regional rap’s poster boy.
ABC
Martin Fry may have ditched the gold lamé suit but his band of new wave heroes are still going strong. At this Royal Albert Hall show, they will relive their 1982 opus Lexicon of Love in its entirety with backup from the Southbank Sinfonia. The band will also be dipping into the record’s extremely belated sequel, 2016’s Lexicon of Love II.
Royal Albert Hall, SW7, 6 April
Dave
This 18-year-old rapper is still riding a wave of hype from a surprise cover of his laidback track Wanna Know by Drake – proving, once again, how influential the US rapper is when it comes to promoting young British artists. Dave’s north London show is a long way from his home turf of Streatham, but he’s likely to receive a rapturous reception regardless.
O2 Academy Islington, N1, 3 April
Pet Shop Boys
Since the demise of the Smiths, Johnny Marr has lent his talents to an untoward number of outfits – over the years he’s been a member of Modest Mouse, the Cribs, the Pretenders and 90s supergroup Electronic. Now Marr adds yet another collaboration to his collection by joining the Pet Shop Boys for this Teenage Cancer Trust gig.
