Grace Jones has been announced as the curator for the 2020 Meltdown Festival at the Southbank Centre.
Next year’s festival will run from June 12-21 and will see Jones join an illustrious list of names who have previously curated the festival including David Bowie, Yoko Ono, Patti Smith, Nick Cave, Lee Scratch Perry, M.I.A and Robert Smith. Jones will take over the curation from Nile Rogers, who created the event this summer.
Jones has appeared at the festival previously. In 2007, Jones she completed an all-star line-up of Nick Cave, Shane MacGowan, Pete Doherty and Jarvis Cocker to sing Disney songs under Cocker’s curation. Jones also returned the following year for her own two-hour Royal Festival Hall set when Massive Attack curated Meltdown.
Speaking about her role, Jones said: “I am honoured to be curating next year’s Meltdown festival. Year after year, the festival continues to spread its colourful wings, allowing its curators to bring together an array of diverse talent not seen anywhere else.
“It’s about time I was asked to curate Meltdown darling, don’t you think?!”
Bengi Ünsal, Head of Contemporary Music at Southbank Centre, added: “Meltdown offers an unparalleled window into the minds of the greatest musical influencers of our age. There’s no denying it: Grace Jones is unlike anybody else.
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“She was the first artist who made me feel that I could express myself, be whatever I wanted to be, and not be afraid of what the world might say. She is one of the few living artists who can truly be described as iconic, with a relentlessly individualistic vision. I am truly honoured that she will share it with us for Meltdown 2020.”
Speaking about his curation of the event earlier this year, Nile Rogers said: “In curating Meltdown I’m effectively creating my own live concert playlist of my favourite artists, new and old.
“I’m delighted to announce the addition of Jungle and my great friend Johnny Marr to the lineup as well as new artists like Kero Kero Bonito, anaïs and Nakhane. Alongside the incredible artists previously announced such as Eurythmics Songbook, Kokoroko, SOPHIE and CHIC every night is going to be special.”