With a goal of raising £5,000, the initiative seeks to provide critical aid to displaced people facing harsh conditions this winter.

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In an impassioned Instagram post, the singer described the current global climate as one of “mass confusion, perpetual division, and unprecedented conflicting information,” which can leave people feeling “hopeless, useless, and at worst apathetic.” She countered these feelings with a rallying cry for collective action: “Every thought, protest, prayer, debate and PENNY matters.”

Her chosen charity, Refugee Briyani and Bananas, focuses on direct, grassroots support for displaced individuals. Known for providing essential resources and fostering a sense of humanity in crisis situations, the organisation embodies the kind of on-the-ground work Greentea Peng (Born Aria Wells) champions. 

In recent years Greentea Peng has emerged as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary British music. Her sound is an intoxicating fusion of neo-soul, psychedelic R&B, and reggae, distinguished by a hallucinogenic quality that lures listeners into a dreamlike reverie. Her breakthrough came with the 2018 debut EP “Sensi,” followed by the 2019 single “Downers,” which garnered millions of views on COLORS and listens on Spotify. 

From providing food and hygiene items on Greece’s Chios Island to advocating for detainees through their Prison Run Project, the charity operates with precision and compassion. Peng’s pre-Christmas collaboration aims to raise £5,000 to support refugees during the winter months, a stark reminder of the urgent need for solidarity in the current political climate. In her statement on the fundraising page she notes: “B&B Is a charity I actually trust and can receive real time information and updates from and I plan to spend some time volunteering for them early next year.”  

“Times are hard, but even harder for some,” the artist reminded her audience, urging followers to contribute any amount they can. She emphasised the collective power of small actions, imagining the impact if every one of her followers donated just £1. “Let’s support sincere organisations doing sincere work for the collective!” she concluded, calling for unity and action.

With soulful melodies and introspective lyrics, she has become a beacon for audiences seeking a connection beyond the superficial. With her fearless artistry and genre-defying ethos, she continues to reshape the contours of modern music, offering a voice that is both singular and resonant.

This fundraiser highlights not only the immediate needs of displaced individuals but also the broader importance of grassroots initiatives in tackling global crises. With temperatures dropping and challenges mounting for refugee communities, Greentea Peng’s efforts underscore the urgency of coming together to make a difference.

For those who want to learn more or to help, donations can be made via the link in her Instagram bio. 

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The festival should see its usual array of storytelling, circus acts, actors and arts at this year’s festival with its incredible set design and production. Boomtown has won many awards including UK Festival Awards “Best Festival Production” in both 2022 and 2023, as well as “Transport Impact Innovators” in 2023. Boomtown was also picked as Major Events Summit’s “Best Non-Sporting Event” in 2023. It was also named by BBC Radio 1 as “Best Dance Festival UK & Europe” in 2023.

Boomtown is known for its quirky and extravagant production and stage design with there being eight distinct city districts with 12 main stages as well as over 50 hidden venues along with thousands of live performers and actors.

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Reggae royalty Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley is set to take the stage at Grand Central this year as well as 90s hip-hop legends The Pharcyde. 2023 Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective will also be bringing some jazz to this year’s edition of the festival. Swedish punk outfit Viagra boys are also playing Grand Central as well as internet sensation Marc Rebillet.

Kent duo Soft Play are set make an appearance on the Saturday (August 10) fresh of the back of the release of their newest album ‘Heavy Jelly’ which is their highest charting album yet reaching number 3 on the UK Album Charts. London based neo-soul singer Greentea peng is also going to play a set on Grand Central.

Punk-rap duo Bob Vylan are set to play as they are sure to bring the political themes to the festival as they partner up with Bristol producer Grove to perform on Grand Central. As well as this post-punk duo Sleaford Mods will be playing, showing the diversity of the festival and that it is not just all Drum and Bass.

Moving onto the Origin stage we are going to see Flava D, D&B trio Kings of The Rollers with Inja and P Money play the legendary stage on the Friday. 4AM Kru are sure to bring the energy on Saturday along with Simula and Sota expected to play some memorable Drum and Bass sets. On The last day we will see the icons that are Jungle Cakes take the stage with Ed Solo, Deekline, Benny Page, and Serial Killaz performing a back-to-back. Bou and Pendulum are also billed to perform on Origin.

Among the 100s of other performances across the various stages we will also see the likes of Hak Baker, grime legend D Double E, and Ross From Friends under the moniker Bubble Love. The Wrong Side of The Tracks stage will have Sully, Neff-T, Oppidan, Silva Bumpa, Aries and many more. TikTok sensation Fish56Octogan is also expected to make an appearance at Boomtown at Spectrum 360 as well as Samurai Breaks and Bish.

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The South London artist’s delicate fusion between dub and soul creates the hypnotic combination of various musical genres – from blues and jazz to the electronic tone of dub. It’s no wonder that Greentea Peng claimed in a manifesto attached to her album that ‘MAN MADE‘ is completely genreless.

The Manifesto for ‘MAN MADE‘ from Greentea Peng herself states that:

“MAN MADE- an exploration of self and sound. A product of shifting paradigms both inner and outer.

An ULTRA SONIC TRIP. This album is an offering of healing, a provocation of Hu Man spirit soul.

Out of tune with the industry and in tune with the universe, this is a 432hrz production.

Deliberately detuned out of any Babylon standard! It is to be felt…like a buzzing bee, in one’s chest. A VIBRATION. A jambalaya of expression, this project fits no genre, not to be digested easily by everyone.

However for those occupying the same space right now, upholding the frequency at such a transformative and challenging moment in time…I trust THIS SOUND will find you.

Dedicated and inspired by the late Jimtastic, join me and my boys as we travel the Sonicsphere on the way back to centre, through the depths of apathy and the heights of interconnection through surrender…

I offer you MAN MADE.”

‘MAN MADE‘ is clearly a reminder of why music is good for the mind, body and soul. Greentea peng advocates for love alongside distinct bassline and deep melody. By being “a 432hrz production” the artist rebels against the music industries standard of 440hrz, inciting the psychedelic album with a smoothness as well as passion for avoiding the constraints imposed by society. The empowering album was written and recorded alongside Greentea Peng’s live band The Seng Seng Family and executive-produced by Earbuds.

You can listen to the album here.

The festival is to be held in Northampton, the hometown of Slowthai, at the County Cricket Club. The personal feel of the festival on Slowthai’s behalf, has caused it to receive hopeful reception. Festival goers can expect the same energy at the festival as that which Slowthai delivers in his music and performances.

The line-up includes names such as Greentea Peng, beabadoobee, Easy Life and Shygirl – a list hand-selected by Slowthai himself. The line-up shows the diverse talent that the next generation of UK music has to offer. It has been stated that each act represents “a different facet of the UK music scene in 2021”. So, it is no surprise that all of the artists chosen have  risen in popularity throughout the last year or so, with the production of unique and modern music.

Of course, amongst those set to play at Happyland is Slowthai himself. After the success of his second album, ‘TYRON’ earlier this year, fans eagerly anticipate the festival – for with it brings the first live performance of the album. The rapper’s gritty, punk energy and politically charged lyrics add a uniqueness to his music and makes him extremely distinctive as an artist. This year has been a turning point for the British rapper and his career. We can be confident that Happyland is another reason to confirm Slowthai’s importance on the music scene.

Discussing the festival, Slowthai said: “Happyland with happy folk. The place where we can laugh and joke. The place you can be yourself without judgment, expectations and impressions of someone else. The space from the shackles of the everyday. The mountain where we climb to run away”.

starting my own festival in my hometown!!! NN to the world… this has been a dream of mine forever. i’ll see you at the happyland

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/slowthai-introduces-his-one-day-festival-happyland/feed/ 0 https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/greentea-peng-announces-2022-uk-tour/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/greentea-peng-announces-2022-uk-tour/#comments Wed, 26 May 2021 21:14:20 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=35753 Greentea Peng has just announced dates for her UK tour in spring of 2022. The singer made the announcement on Instagram, and she will make stops in cities like Birmingham, London, and more. The South East Londoner will also have her band, the Seng Seng Family, accompany her.

The tour will be called the MAN MADE tour, hot on the heels of her debut album of the same name that will be released on 4 June of this year. The 26-year-old shared that those who pre-saved the upcoming album before 4pm BST today (26 May) will have access to presale tickets for the tour that will go on sale 9am tomorrow (27 May). She has been building up continuous momentum for the anticipated album, as she has now released three singles from the album. She previously released singles ‘Nah It Ain’t the Same’ in February, ‘Kali V2′ in April, and most recently ‘Dangling’ this month. The psychedelic R&B artist takes the time to plan each lyric and each song. She has clearly chosen the tour and singles with intent, as she shares in an interview with Paste magazine, “If I thought of making an album, I’m thinking about The Fugees’ The Score or The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. I never wanted to put out half-hearted projects with an accumulation of random songs.”

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Greentea Peng, known as Aria Wells when not performing, became more well-known after appearing on a COLORS show back in 2019. A quick turnaround, she had only decided to fully pursue music in 2018, saying, “For a few years, I was very insular. Singing was not a part of the identity I had created for myself. I fell out of love with singing. But I fell back into music while living on the beach in Mexico and I was mad, because why did I stop doing this? It’s the only thing I enjoy properly.”

As you wait to listen to the result of her enjoyment in the album, you can still purchase tickets for the tour. The MAN MADE tour will begin at Concorde 2 in Brighton on 17 March, and conclude at the Marble Factory in Bristol on 2 April. Tickets, merchandise, and more information can be found on Greentea Peng’s website here, and the tour dates are listed below.

MAN MADE Tour Dates
17/03/2022 – Concorde 2 – Brighton
18/03 – St Mary in the Castle – Hastings
20/03 – Academy 2 – Oxford
21/03 – Junction – Cambridge
23/03 – The Caves – Edinburgh
24/03 – Academy 2 – Manchester
26/03 – The Mill – Birmingham
27/03 – Norwich Arts Centre – Norwich
28/03 – The Leadmill – Sheffield
31/03 – Alexandra Palace Theatre – London
02/04 – Marble Factory – Bristol

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/greentea-peng-announces-2022-uk-tour/feed/ 0 https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/bbc-music-unveil-sound-of-2021-longlist/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/bbc-music-unveil-sound-of-2021-longlist/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2020 17:55:17 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=27887 BBC Music have unveiled the longlist for the coveted mantle of Sound of 2021; the latest edition of the corporation’s annual poll of industry insiders designed to to find the most promising new music talent for the year to come. All but one of the acts on the longlist this year – Norway’s Girl In Red – hail from the UK.

The BBC #SoundOf2021 longlist is here!

Get to know the artists tipped for big things next year ⬇️@alfietempleman@berwynberwyn_@breerunway@dutchavelli1@_girlinred_@greentea_peng@wiffygriffy@HolHumberstone@TheLathums@KING_SALIEU

Find out more: https://t.co/9xxxAGfdJV pic.twitter.com/WhDS6BDpaz

— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) December 7, 2020

Since the inception of the ‘Sound of…’ prize back in 2003, the BBC’s adjudicating panellists have honed a soothsaying knack for uncovering future stars. Previous winners of the award include 50 Cent (2003); Keane (2004); Adele (2008); Jessie J (2011); and Haim (2013). All is not lost for the long-listed artists who fail to scoop the top prize though: previous ‘unsuccessful’ nominated acts include Dizzee Rascal (2003); Scissor Sisters (2004); Lady Gaga (2009); Marina and the Diamonds (2010); Azealia Banks (2012); Chvrches (2013); George Ezra (2014); Stormzy (2015); Dua Lipa (2016); and Billie Eilish (2018).

The Sound of 2020 award winner was Celeste, who has gone on to secure further gongs this year at the Brits, BET and NME awards. The Saltdean-raised vocalist saw off stiff competition from the likes of Yungblud and Arlo Parks to claim the prize last year; telling BBC News she was “thrilled and so excited” with the win.

The full list of acts long-listed for the Sound of 2021, which will be awarded in a ceremony on January 7th, is as follows:

Alfie Templeman. Multi-instrumentalist Alfie Templeman’s fourth EP, Happiness In Liquid Form, reached number 22 in the UK Indie charts earlier this year. The Bedfordshire product, who only turns 18 in January, has been praised by DIY for his “boundless enthusiasm” which “bursts out in indie songs equally informed by R&B and bedroom pop.”

Berwyn. Trinidad-born, Romford-raised singer and rapper Berwyn Du Bois also features on Amazon Music’s One To Watch list for 2021. His debut mixtape Demotape/Vega was hailed by Pilerats as a “potent, defining record” and “a message on how even the ones with the world pitted against them can succeed.”

Bree Runway. Hackney’s Bree Runway has been described by NME as “a versatile pop star-in-waiting“, with her November mixtape 2000and4Eva acclaimed by Clash as “a bold, dynamic and cohesive body of work“. The genre-bending artist, who has also been nominated for the Video of The Year award at this week’s MOBOs for her track Apeshit, has also spoken out powerfully on the issue of colourism.

Dutchavelli. Dutchavelli’s debut mixtape Dutch from the 5th stormed to number 8 in the UK Albums chart last month. The Birmingham-born rapper also scored two top 40 singles as a lead artist (Bando Diaries and Cool With Me, featuring fellow West Midlander M1llionz); while he and Stormzy also popped up on Tion Wayne’s top ten hit I Dunno in May.

Girl In Red. Norwegian indie pop merchant Girl In Red – also known as Marie Ulven – has been described by the New York Times as “one of the most astute and exciting singer-songwriters working in the world of guitar music, with a laser like melodic instinct that verges on the primal and lyrics that capture the sweat of real life.” The Scandinavian songstress recently scored a hit in the UK indie charts with her single Two Queens in a King Sized Bed.

Greentea Peng. South Londoner Greentea Peng – who featured on The Streets’ summer single I Wish You Loved You As Much As You Love Him – was celebrated in Wonderland magazine earlier this year for “preaching honesty, self-confidence, and hope in the future.” The singer – real name Aria Wells – recently announced a European tour which kicks off in Berlin next April.

Griff. Hertfordshire artist Sarah Griffiths (Griff) was nominated for an Ivor Novello Rising Star Award in July. The vocalist, whose 2019 debut single Mirror Talk was described by Vice as “vulnerable, emotional, sincere and empowering“, is set to gain a new audience with her single Love Is A Compass, which is used on Disney’s 2020 Christmas advert.

Holly Humberstone. Lincolnshire singer Holly Humberstone’s quietly intense, otherworldly vocals evoke the stylings of Lorde, Phoebe Brid and Lana Del Rey. Her 2020 debut EP Falling Asleep At The Wheel was praised by NME for its “staggering emotional clarity and gut-wrenching tales of pain and catharsis.”

Pa Salieu. Gambian-British rapper Pa Salieu’s debut mixtape Send Them to Coventry was described by Pitchfork as an “extraordinarily assured first offering from a young artist capable of surprising at every turn“, and an “invitation to a place and people unduly ignored.” Salieu’s unique fusion of West Midlands grime and African influences have seen him labelled a “compelling new voice” on the British music scene.

The Lathums. Wiganers The Lathums cite the rock and pop of the 50s and 60s as key musical influences, and fiercely resist being pigeon-holed as an indie band. In an interview with Far Out in October, frontman Alex Moore said “I just feel like we’re so different to everybody and we’re not like anybody else…We are a band and a guitar band but I don’t think there’s been anything like us.” Their EP compilation Memories We Make reached the top 20 in the UK Albums Chart this year, and the Lancashire outfit’s livestreamed gig at Blackpool Tower Circus this year saw them become the first act to play at the iconic venue since Madness in the 1990s.

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