Grace Jones has unveiled a series of new acts for this year’s Meltdown festival.
Newly confirmed acts for this year’s festival, which Jones is curating, include Angelique Kidjo, John Grant, Sky Ferreira, Hot Chip and the Kasai Allstars, Desire Marea and Honey Dijon.
They will join the existing, previously announced line-up of Peaches, Skunk Anansie, Meshell Ndegeocello, Oumou Sangaré, The Love Unlimited Synth Orchestra, Lee Fields, Baaba Maal and a special tribute to Lee ‘Scratch Perry’ by Adrian Sherwood.
Jones will now also open and close the festival, which takes place between June 10-19. She was initially due to curate the show back in 2020 but that and last year’s event were both cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
In her new opening performance, Jones will be backed by an orchestra. ‘Grace Jones: Up Close & Orchestral’ will feature “grand re-imaginings of her hit classics such as ‘Slave To The Rhythm’ and ‘Pull Up To The Bumper’ with a backing orchestra,” according to a press statement.
Speaking about the new wave of acts announced for her curation of Meltdown, Jones said: “In the face of adversity, there is no pandemic in the world that will stop me from curating the Meltdown festival.
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“It is my mission to present to you many exciting and gifted artists from various sectors of the music world. Come, see and listen; experience this dazzling plethora of talent at the Southbank Centre.”
Mark Ball, Southbank Centre’s Artistic Director, added: “The truly global and diverse line-up that Grace has curated is testament to her unparalleled international influence and her iconic status as one of culture’s most daring provocateurs.
“Following two long years of uncertainty the wait is nearly over and we are excited to welcome everyone to experience Grace’s selection of some of the world’s greatest performers and to celebrate the anticipated return of Meltdown in style.”
While the majority of the acts Jones first announced are still set to perform, Solange will no longer appear, citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has made it increasingly difficult for artists to travel from the USA.
All ticket holders for her concert on Friday 10 June will be contacted in order to arrange refunds.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Jimmy Cliff will also no longer be appearing at the 2022 edition of the festival. Ladysmith Black Mambazo will now perform at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on October 15, 2022.