Known for her eclectic and extraordinary style, Grace Jones, the international icon of music, fashion, art and film, didn’t disappoint when it was time to curate a stellar list of musicians and artistes to join her at this year’s Meltdown festival.
Image credit: Adrea Kalrin
Grace Jones is headlining this summer’s 2020 Meltdown festival, the longest running artist-curated festival in the world. The inimitable singer, songwriter and performer has hand-picked a spectacular line-up of artistes, from international legends to contemporary pioneers. Some of the boundary-breaking artists chosen by Grace Jones include Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter and visual artist Solange Knowles; Skunk Anansie, who are celebrating 25 years together and Meshell Ndegeocello whose three-decade career has been credited with sparking the neo-soul movement.
Image credit: Max Hirshberger
Other acts joining the festival across the nine days include Jimmy Cliff, The Love Unlimited Synth Orchestra, Oumou Sangaré, Baaba Maal, Lee Scratch Perry with Adrian Sherwood, Lee Fields and the Expressions, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and many more still to be announced.
“These wonderful artists I have chosen represent something unique to me personally and to my career.”
The festival will take over Southbank Centre’s 17-acre London site between 12-21 June 2020.
Grace Jones herself will bring the festival to a climax in the venue’s world-class Royal Festival Hall, no doubt treating fans to her unmistakable brand of flamboyant theatricality and flair for the unexpected.
Speaking about curating the line-up, Grace Jones, said: “As everyone knows, I’m a collector, and I collect people, amongst other things. This is what I have done for Meltdown. These wonderful artists I have chosen represent something unique to me personally and to my career. From Baaba Maal to Skunk Anansie to Solange. Each one of these artists has a little bit of me in them, and now I am proud to present them all to you. By the time I close the festival with my performance on the 21st of June, everyone who has attended any one of these shows will have had an incredible live concert experience, given to them with love from me, Grace Jones.”
Jones joins a roll-call of world-changing artists to head up the festival, taking the baton from her former collaborator Nile Rodgers, who delivered the most critically acclaimed Meltdown to date in 2019.
Tickets go on sale to Southbank Centre members at 10am on Wednesday 12 February and to the general public at 10am on Friday 14 February 2020.
Image credit: Max Mawston
For more information and the full festival line-up, visit: www.southbankcentre.co.uk/meltdown
