Southbank Centre Will Relaunch Free Gig Series: futuretense

The Southbank Centre has announced the return of its free gig series futuretense, featuring performances from some of London's most exciting underground and emerging artists, as well as those from further afield. The re-launch of futuretense is part of the Southbank Centre's ongoing commitment to support and nurture new talent working in contemporary music whilst providing a space for music lovers to come together and celebrate creativity at zero cost.

Launching on Thursday 13 April, futuretense takes place fortnightly on Thursdays from 6:00pm, for free, in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer, with two artists playing each night. The series opens the doors of the Southbank Centre to everyone, allowing the public to drop in and experience live music with no booking required. Founded in 2019, futuretense has showcased major International Artists in the early stages of their career including Erika De Casier, Wu-Lu, Ego Ella-May, Kai Whiston, Sinaed O'Brien, Lex Amor and Afronaught Zu. The initiative is a catalyst for further visibility; giving creatives the opportunity to reach new audiences as well as build industry connections.

This year's line-up opens with musician Tay Jordan on Thursday 13 April who is taking the UK rap scene by storm with his refreshing mellow grime genre that mixes chilled hip-hop beats with nostalgic West Coast rap. His recent freestyle instrumental gig 'Pain is the Essence' trended on Tiktok with 37,000 views. The South East London rapper and producer Monét follows, blending psychedelic electronics with hypnotic vocals. Monét's music explores feminine empowerment, tumultuous love and the unpredictability of life. After growing up with synesthesia and developing a passion for writing poetry at a young age, she has used her relationship with colour to inspire her creative process and to conjure up feelings and emotions in her lyrics.

Rising star SHEIVA brings their genre-bending beats to the Southbank Centre on Thursday 4 May. The Iranian queer artist has taken the London underground scene by storm with their alternative pop that blends chilled electronics with traditional Iranian sounds. Their eclectic lyrics challenge the status quo and explore the beauty in non-conformist ideas. Meanwhile, North London's Natty Wylah has established his own musical identity with his distinct lyrical abilities that explore socio-political issues, often drawing on his interest in surrealism and memory as inspiration. Natty's versatile rapping style places him at the forefront of the genre with his extraordinary ability to fluctuate from hypnotic, dreamlike whispers to impassioned, stark beats.

Producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist t l k shares her rich choral sonics on Thursday 25 May. TLK has cemented herself as a leading artist in the Bristol underground music scene after reaching critical acclaim for her debut EP Strength In Tenderness in 2022. Taking her creativity to new heights, TKL is pushing the boundaries with her ongoing commitment to explore experimental soundscapes and electronic loops.

Multi-disciplinary artist And Is Phi ends the show, diving into her soulful compositions that explore spirituality and prayer. A master in storytelling, And Is Phi has collaborated with the likes of Hector Plimmer, Footshooter, Scrimshire and Emma-Jean Thackray. She is the co-founder of electronic R&B project Sawa Mang and is a member of the award-winning music community Steam Down.

Commenting on the return of futuretense, Head of Contemporary Music at Southbank Centre, Adem Holness, said: "Supporting artists at every stage of their career, particularly those in their early days, is essential for a healthy, diverse music ecosystem and we are incredibly excited for the return of futuretense and its role in that. Bringing together artists who are pushing creative boundaries and eager audiences looking for the next new sound, futuretense will be home to some amazing future stars."