Zach Top, Keith Urban and Brooks & Dunn have been announced as the three headliners for the 2026 edition of C2C: Country to Country. The festival runs March 13 to 15 across London’s The O2, Glasgow’s OVO Hydro and Belfast’s SSE Arena, bringing some of the biggest names in country back to UK and Irish audiences.

For Zach Top, these shows will mark his UK debut. The Academy of Country Music’s reigning New Male Artist of the Year headlines The O2 on March 13, joined by Scotty McCreery, Waylon Wyatt and Noeline Hofmann. Top has been steadily gaining momentum in Nashville with a 1990s inspired, neo-traditional sound that sets him apart from the mainstream pop country trend. The track ‘I Never Lie’ first gained traction on TikTok, giving Top wider recognition and highlighting how digital platforms now circulate more traditional leaning country sounds.

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Keith Urban returns to C2C for the first time in seven years, beginning his run in Glasgow. Urban will be joined by Russell Dickerson, Tyler Braden, Alana Springsteen and Bayker Blankenship. Grammy award winning Urban has carved out a strong following in Europe with arena ready shows that mix country with crossover pop rock.

Brooks & Dunn will headline C2C for the first time, opening in Belfast before continuing to Glasgow and London. It will be their first UK appearance since 2010. The duo will be joined by Drake Milligan, Kameron Marlowe, Ashley Cooke and MacKenzie Carpenter.

Since its debut in 2013 with Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood at The O2, C2C has grown into the largest country festival outside North America, drawing tens of thousands each year. Alongside its marquee names, the festival has consistently provided a platform for emerging acts from Nashville, the UK and Europe. BBC Radio 2 returns as broadcast partner, while the Country Music Association continues to back the Spotlight Stage and songwriter showcases. Sarah Trahern, chief executive officer of the Country Music Association, said: “Helping rising country artists take their music to international audiences and working alongside the industry that champions them worldwide remains central to our mission.”

C2C 2026 also arrives as the festival expands across Europe, with new editions in Rotterdam and Berlin earlier in March featuring Jordan Davis, Jackson Dean and other rising American artists. Tickets for the UK shows go on sale Friday September 26 at 10am local time. The thirteenth edition of C2C once again balances established stars with fresh voices, underlining its role as the key gateway for country music outside the United States.

East London-born rapper and poet Kojey Radical, whose real name is Kwadwo Adu Genfi Amponsah, has released his sophomore album ‘Don’t Look Down’. The Independent describe it as an “all-encompassing creative approach makes for one outstanding album”.

The release comes three years after his critically acclaimed debut ‘Reason to Smile’, which earned him a Mercury Prize nomination. That record blended funk and soul while exploring themes of Blackness, women, sex, fatherhood, family and faith. The project established him as one of the UK’s most inventive voices, praised for bringing a painterly sense of detail to rap while keeping his roots in spoken word and performance art.

The 32 year-old artist has become known for mixing a wide range of genres into something uniquely his own. ‘Don’t Look Down’ continues in this style, weaving R&B, funk, soul, and even unexpected flourishes such as a mariachi-inspired trumpet section. Originally intended to be called ‘Life of the Party’, the new record reflects on the highs of success, the pressure of fame, the search for meaning and connection and what it means to stay true to yourself.

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The album opens with a spoken word introduction in which Radical reflects: “You’re supposed to be the life of the party. How many homies didn’t make it? How many times did I count the empty seats, instead of the ones that showed their faces?” This vulnerability sets the tone for the rest of the project, which circles themes of loneliness and the struggle to remain grounded while in the spotlight.

Born in Hoxton to Ghanaian parents, Radical first trained as a visual artist. He studied Fashion Illustration at the London College of Fashion, graduating with First Class Honours. His early music was directly inspired by his coursework illustrations, which explored faith, love and social media.

Leading into the album, Kojey Radical linked with Montreal trio Planet Giza (Tony Stone, Rami B and DoomX) on the sleek single ‘Expensive’. Produced by Swindle, the track leans on warm keys and a floor-ready pulse, with Tony Stone’s falsetto lifting the hook before Radical tightens the focus on verse two. The single appears on ‘Don’t Look Down’ and arrived with an official visualiser, underscoring the record’s cross-Atlantic blend of hip-hop, soul and club textures.

Collaboration has always been central to his work. ‘Don’t Look Down’ features contributions from Ghetts, Bawo, MNEK, Dende, James Vickery, Benjamin A.D, Col3trane, SOLOMON and Victor Ray. He is also joined by Moses Boyd and Femi Koleoso of Ezra Collective, whose frenetic jazz-driven energy gives life to several tracks.

Alongside the album, Radical has created a short film that ties together several songs and videos. Building on his Mercury Prize recognition and FIFA soundtrack success, the East London artist will bring ‘Don’t Look Down’ to life on stage next year, with his UK tour finishing at the Royal Albert Hall in May 2026.

Image: Netflix Tudum / X (Twitter)

For the second time in history, after a 13-year gap following PSY’s viral success with ‘Gangnam Style’, a K-pop single has climbed to the Number 1 spot on the UK charts. The difference this time, however, is that the group behind the chart-topping track does not exist.

Huntr/x, the animated girl group at the heart of Netflix’s original film KPop Demon Hunters, have taken the UK by storm. Their breakout single ‘Golden’ has now spent five consecutive weeks at Number 1, marking a historic achievement not only for K-pop but also for fictional, animated acts in the music industry.

Huntr/x’s chart run comes at a time when K-pop has been steadily rising in global influence over the past decade. Groups like BTS, BLACKPINK, and Twice have headlined stadium tours, topped Billboard charts, and brought the genre firmly into the Western mainstream. Acts such as Stray Kids and NewJeans are also helping expand K-pop’s reach, drawing in new audiences with each release.

Released in June, KPop Demon Hunters quickly became Netflix’s most-watched animated film of all time, ranking as the platform’s fourth most-streamed film across all genres. The movie follows Rumi, played by Arden Cho of Teen Wolf, Mira (Kim Hong), and Zoey (Yoo Ji-yeon) as they balance life as international pop stars with a secret identity as demon hunters battling supernatural forces. Within the narrative, Huntr/x share the stage with their fictional rivals, boy band Saja Boys, whose track ‘Your Idol’ currently sits at Number 3 in the UK charts.

Much of this success reflects the changing landscape of music consumption. Where chart dominance once relied heavily on radio play, today’s trends are shaped by streaming platforms and the viral momentum of TikTok. ‘Golden’ currently boasts over 575m streams, and a remix by David Guetta has added further fuel to its global reach.

Behind the fictional facade of Huntr/x are some of the biggest real-world names in pop production. Teddy Park of THEBLACKLABEL — known for his work with BLACKPINK — and Grammy Award-winning producer Lindgren, who has collaborated with John Legend, Dua Lipa and BTS, crafted the tracks. Vocals are provided by Korean singer-songwriter Ejae, whose credits include Red Velvet and EXO, alongside American-Korean artists Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, both known for genre-bending projects and collaborations with the likes of Jack Harlow and Aminé.

This is not the first time a virtual band has made waves in the charts. Gorillaz pioneered the concept of a fictional band with real-world impact in the early 2000s, while the novelty hit ‘Axel F’ by Crazy Frog reached Number 1 in the UK in 2005. Yet Huntr/x’s success feels distinct, arriving at a moment when digital culture, streaming platforms and global fandoms are more powerful than ever.

K-pop has always emphasised carefully crafted idols, and Huntr/x take that idea a step further. As animated characters, they cannot age or stray from the image fans expect, which only adds to their appeal. In today’s streaming-driven music world, where digital culture and fandom shape the charts, their success shows how fictional acts can now compete with — and even surpass — real artists.

KPop Demon Hunters is more than a film soundtrack. It represents a full-fledged transmedia phenomenon, blurring the line between reality and fiction while reshaping the possibilities of what it means to be a global pop act.

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]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/animated-k-pop-group-huntrx-tops-uk-chart-for-fifth-week/feed/ 0 https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/loyle-carner-announces-navy-blue-and-rejjie-snow-as-support-acts-on-upcoming-hopefully-tour/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/loyle-carner-announces-navy-blue-and-rejjie-snow-as-support-acts-on-upcoming-hopefully-tour/#comments Fri, 12 Sep 2025 09:55:17 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=113062  

Loyle Carner, whose stage name is a spoonerism of his given name Benjamin Coyle-Larner, continues to establish himself as one of the most distinctive voices in British hip hop. The 30-year-old rapper from Croydon is building momentum following the release of his fourth studio album ‘hopefully!’, a project that has already been met with critical acclaim and is set to anchor a worldwide tour later this year.

Carner’s reputation has long been tied to his willingness to combine vulnerable lyricism with immersive production. On ‘hopefully!’, the instrumentation is shaped by airy percussion loops, soft layers of synth ambience and lightly strummed guitar lines.

The track ‘home!’ exemplifies his approach, incorporating natural percussion textures alongside the chatter of young children to create a sonic world centered on themes of family and fatherhood. Having become a father of two in recent years, Carner reflected on the process in an interview with Junkee, stating: “I still want to celebrate my family because that’s one of the most important things in my life. It’s trying to find a way of maintaining a mystery or an abstraction as to who they are but still being able to celebrate them in a way that’s meaningful to them when they grow up and listen to it. It’s a really hard thing to navigate. I’m learning, I guess, bit by bit.”

The album’s artwork, featuring Carner’s face marked with felt-tip pen scribbles, reinforces its thematic focus on parenthood and childhood perspective. ‘hopefully!’ follows ‘hugo’ (2022), an album that drew inspiration from Carner’s complex relationship with his father and that propelled him to wider international recognition.

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Carner introduced the new material on a major stage earlier this summer, premiering ‘hopefully!’ at Glastonbury alongside artists including Jorja Smith, Sampha and Ezra Collective. The performance was met with strong reception, and the album went on to reach No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart. Later in the season, he stepped in for Michael Kiwanuka at We Out Here Festival, headlining the slot to a sold-out crowd.

As his forthcoming tour approaches, Carner has confirmed a lineup of support acts reflecting his collaborative ethos. Dublin rapper Rejjie Snow will join the bill, bringing his genre-blurring style and smooth delivery. Also appearing is Brooklyn rapper and skateboarder Navy Blue, recognized for his introspective verses and textured production. French singer Léa Sen, who previously collaborated with Carner on hugo, contributes her distinctive, soulful presence, while London’s Brian Nasty offers a multi-disciplinary approach that captures the city’s restless creative energy.

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Carner’s four-night residency at London’s O2 Academy Brixton this November sold out immediately, underscoring the continued growth of his audience. Following the UK performances, he will bring hopefully! to stages across North America and Australia. In keeping with the family themes that underpin the album, Carner has expressed a desire to have his children join him on portions of the tour, a gesture that reflects the personal experiences at the core of his latest work.

The Tottenham-born rapper Wretch 32, real name Germaine Scott, has long been a pioneer of the evolving UK hip-hop scene. Beginning his career in grime before developing multi-genre fusions, his music has consistently balanced soulful storytelling with sharp social commentary.

His latest album HOME?, released in May 2025, is one of his most ambitious projects to date. Blending grime, afrobeat, reggae, garage, R&B, and spoken word, the record explores the question of what “home” means for a Black British artist raised in Tottenham. Critics praised it as a daring work of social documentation. Rolling Stone UK called it “a piece of social documentation that stretches back generations,” while Hive Magazine described it as “raw, unfiltered and unapologetic artistry.”

Wretch 32 grew up on the Tiverton Estate, situated next to the Broadwater Farm, notorious for the riots of the 1980s. He is the third generation of his family to be raised there, his great-grandparents having emigrated from Jamaica. His upbringing exposed him early to the realities of racial injustice in the UK. His father was active in community activism and frequently appeared on television campaigning for equality. Wretch himself was featured as a baby in the 1988 documentary Scenes from the Farm, filmed in the aftermath of the riots and capturing the lived realities of 1980s Black Britain.

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This background informs much of ‘HOME?’. In “Black and British,” his collaboration with Little Simz and Benjamin AD, he recalls being abused on Black Boy Lane: “On Black Boy Lane I was caught on my own / He told me to go back to my country / I thought I was home.” That kind of raw commentary runs throughout the record, where personal experience intersects with broader cultural questions of belonging and displacement. Speaking to The Guardian earlier this year, he admitted his sense of home remains unsettled: “I feel like it always moves. I feel like it always changes. I’m still trying to put an exact location on it but as it stands it’s more who I’m with. I feel like I could make a home in any house.”

Now, following the release of the album, Wretch 32 will make his National Theatre debut with a dramatized adaptation of ‘HOME?’. Directed by Clint Dyer, the performance will combine music, spoken word, dance, and theatrical staging. Special guests will join him as he explores themes of Black British identity, belonging, and legacy in a production that blurs the line between theatre and live music.

The event is scheduled for one night only, on Thursday, 23 October at 9:00 p.m. at the Olivier Theatre.
It is part of the National Theatre’s autumn season, the first under new creative director Indhu Rubasingham, which signals a fresh and inclusive programming approach that welcomes artists from beyond traditional theatre circles.

Honorary doctorates are regularly awarded to major figures in culture. Stars such as Usher, Stormzy and Lulu have all been recognised in recent years, placing Cave among a diverse list of musicians and artists acknowledged for their influence and body of work.

This will not be 67 year old singer’s first award for artistic service. In July 2025 Cave was honoured in Arles, France, where he was invested as a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and received the City of Arles Medal. The awards recognised his decades of artistic work and his lasting influence across music, literature and film. Cave has often spoken of the inspiration he has drawn from French poets such as Charles Baudelaire and Arthur Rimbaud, making the recognition a fitting tribute to his creative relationship with French culture.

The upcoming British doctorate will be presented by RCA Chancellor Sir Jony Ive. The college describes the degree as the highest recognition it can bestow, celebrating exceptional accomplishments. Cave will be honoured alongside graduating students in a ceremony at Royal Festival Hall in London.

It has been a busy couple of years for Cave. The singer’s 18th studio album with The Bad Seeds, ‘Wild God’, was preceded by singles including:  ‘Wild God’, ‘Frogs’, and ‘Long Dark Night’. Around the same time, Cave also teased a large-scale hometown performance in Brighton for 2026, while a newly released video for the classic track ‘Tupelo’—directed by Andrew Dominik and featuring an AI-generated Elvis Presley which sparked debate over the role of generative technology in music. Cave himself condemned the use of artificial intelligence in songwriting in an interview, calling it “unbelievably disturbing” and warning of its “humiliating effect” on human creativity.

Looking ahead, Cave has announced a solo tour across his homeland of Australia in 2026. In addition, an eight-part television series based on his novel The Death of Bunny Munro is in development, starring Matt Smith in the lead role with Cave and Warren Ellis scoring the project.  A preview screening and discussion will take place later this year at the London Literature Festival.

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Between French honours, a new album, a major doctorate and upcoming projects for screen and stage, the singer’s recognition from the Royal College of Art reinforces his standing as one of the most significant cultural figures of his generation. His influence extending far beyond his music, inspiring generations of artists, writers and filmmakers who cite his lyrical intensity and dark romanticism as key influences. His ongoing collaborations and cultural presence continue to cement his status as one of contemporary music’s most enduring figures.

“He’s doing this to show the sheer power of him as an artist, but it’s also an incredible statement of Indian culture in the west,” South Asian BBC presenter Nihal Arthanayake said.

Though not a household name in the west, Singh is one of the most listened-to artists on Spotify, boasting nearly 50m monthly streams. His relative anonymity outside of South Asia is often attributed to his lyrics being performed in Hindi and Bengali, as well as his reserved personality that keeps him away from the media spotlight.

Singh was born in Jiaganj, West Bengal, into a family of musicians and began playing music at the age of three. His breakthrough came in 2013 with ‘Tum Hi Ho’, the lead track for the Bollywood romance Aashiqui 2. The ballad dominated charts across India, cementing Singh’s status as one of the country’s most important voices.

As a playback singer, Singh belongs to a central tradition in Bollywood, lending his voice to songs that actors later perform on screen. This unique role has given him an unmatched reach, with his voice tied to many of India’s most memorable films of the past decade.

During the performance, Singh included ‘Sapphire’, a multilingual track co-written with Ed Sheeran. Though Sheeran was not present at the concert, the song marked a notable moment in Singh’s set, highlighting his expanding global reach and cross-cultural collaborations.

Their partnership has drawn international attention, with Sheeran previously sharing that he was first captivated by Singh’s voice after hearing his 2013 hit ‘Tum Hi Ho.’ He later described Singh as “one of the most soulful artists I’ve ever heard.”

The concert lasted more than three hours, with Singh moving fluidly between styles and instruments. He performed a retro rendition of ‘Saariyya’ that caught long-time fans off guard, alongside modern, myth-driven pieces that highlighted his experimental side. His setlist balanced Indian classical instrumentation with contemporary arrangements, showcasing his versatility as both a vocalist and a musician.

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The stadium was nearly at full capacity, with the majority of the audience made up of fans from London’s South Asian community. For many, the night was not only a concert but also a rare moment of cultural representation on one of the UK’s largest stages

With his Tottenham show, Singh proved that his artistry transcends language and geography. As Arthanayake put it, the night was as much a celebration of Indian culture in the west as it was a triumph for Singh himself—a once-in-a-generation voice finally recognised on the scale it deserves.

 

History was made last night when Bengali singer Arijit Singh performed before more than 40,000 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The venue, which has hosted global stars such as Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar and Imagine Dragons, became the stage for Singh’s landmark appearance as the first South Asian artist to headline a major UK stadium.

“He’s doing this to show the sheer power of him as an artist, but it’s also an incredible statement of Indian culture in the west,” South Asian BBC presenter Nihal Arthanayake said.

Though not a household name in the west, Singh is one of the most listened-to artists on Spotify, boasting nearly 50m monthly streams. His relative anonymity outside of South Asia is often attributed to his lyrics being performed in Hindi and Bengali, as well as his reserved personality that keeps him away from the media spotlight.

Singh was born in Jiaganj, West Bengal, into a family of musicians and began playing music at the age of three. His breakthrough came in 2013 with “Tum Hi Ho,” the lead track for the Bollywood romance Aashiqui 2. The ballad dominated charts across India, cementing Singh’s status as one of the country’s most important voices.

As a playback singer, Singh belongs to a central tradition in Bollywood, lending his voice to songs that actors later perform on screen. This unique role has given him an unmatched reach, with his voice tied to many of India’s most memorable films of the past decade.

During the performance, Singh included “Sapphire”, a multilingual track co-written with Ed Sheeran. Though Sheeran was not present at the concert, the song marked a notable moment in Singh’s set, highlighting his expanding global reach and cross-cultural collaborations.

Their partnership has drawn international attention, with Sheeran previously sharing that he was first captivated by Singh’s voice after hearing his 2013 hit “Tum Hi Ho.” He later described Singh as “one of the most soulful artists I’ve ever heard.”

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The concert lasted more than three hours, with Singh moving fluidly between styles and instruments. He performed a retro rendition of “Saariyya” that caught long-time fans off guard, alongside modern, myth-driven pieces that highlighted his experimental side. His setlist balanced Indian classical instrumentation with contemporary arrangements, showcasing his versatility as both a vocalist and a musician.

The stadium was nearly at full capacity, with the majority of the audience made up of fans from London’s South Asian community. For many, the night was not only a concert but also a rare moment of cultural representation on one of the UK’s largest stages

With his Tottenham show, Singh proved that his artistry transcends language and geography. As Arthanayake put it, the night was as much a celebration of Indian culture in the west as it was a triumph for Singh himself—a once-in-a-generation voice finally recognised on the scale it deserves.