Entertainment

‘You are witnessing greatness’ – Little Simz wows Glastonbury with fluid rhymes

The 30-year-old British rapper rhymed effortlessly while performing tracks from her Mercury Prize-winning album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.

Little Simz told the crowd she was having ‘so much fun’
Little Simz told the crowd she was having ‘so much fun’ (Yui Mok/PA)
By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter

Little Simz has wowed Glastonbury without a band or backing singers for several songs and just the aid of a DJ for much of her set.

The 30-year-old British rapper rhymed effortlessly while performing tracks from her Mercury Prize-winning album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert and her latest studio record No Thank You, at the Pyramid Stage on Saturday.

Dressed in a leather jacket emblazoned with “Little Simz” and a long skirt, she began by performing her song Silhouette from the record No Thank You while strutting around the stage alone.

Little Simz performed without a band or backing singers for much of her set
Little Simz performed without a band or backing singers for much of her set (Yui Mok/PA)

She also performed renditions of No Merci and I Love You, I Hate You solo before telling the crowd that they “should understand that you are witnessing greatness”.

Little Simz added: “I don’t say that with arrogance, I say that with confidence, confidence in my self-worth and my self-value, you know.

“It took me a while to get to the Pyramid (stage), but finally I’m here, and if I’m great that means you’re great.

“Because we all want people, one source, experiencing something so magical this evening, it’s such an honour to have you here.

“And all I have on my agenda is my heart’s on fire.”

Little Simz told the crowd they were ‘witnessing greatness’
Little Simz told the crowd they were ‘witnessing greatness’ (Yui Mok/PA)

She then fluidly rapped her track Heart On Fire, and told the crowds that she was “having too much fun up here” before bringing a “little treat” in the form of new music.

While performing her upcoming release The Code, a dancer dressed in red made shapes behind Little Simz as she rhymed the “ghetto” with the shoes “stilettos”, and also spoke about how “how you can move the goalposts and I’ll still keep scoring”.

Later, Little Simz was also joined by dancers wearing helmets, and Nigerian musical artist Obongjayar for the song Point And Kill.

She was then backed by a band for Selfish, where she had the crowd clapping and singing along to the track.

Little Simz also told the festival that she was “doing one more”, the track Gorilla.

She also told the audience: “Thank you for making this honestly one of the highlights of my career, my life.”

Congratulating her, fellow rapper Wretch 32 wrote on X: “My talented friend Little Simz you are world class.”

The rapper, real name Simbiatu Ajikawo, won the Mercury Prize in 2022 and was named Best New Artist at the Brit Awards that same year.