Today thousands of music lovers are flocking to the beach as The Great Escape returns for 2022, kicking off the festival season. This year TGE is hosting its biggest ever line-up with more than 500 up and coming artists, alongside the music-led conference, across 35+ walkable venues from 11-14 May 2022 in Brighton, England.
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It is announced today that even more incredible new music is being added to TGE 2022’s colossal line-up with the addition of the BBC 1Xtra’s stage. Some of the most exciting new hip-hop and R&B artists will be taking to the stage on Saturday 14 May, including multi-talented rapper Asher D, East-London songwriter Amaria BB, R&B rising star Debbie and buzzy genre-blender Queen Millz.
Together the BBC and The Great Escape are committed to champion new artists, building on the broadcaster’s unique relationship with the festival, particularly through BBC Introducing and the platform’s support for new music.
BBC 1XTRA - ASHER D
Asher D is a multi-talented rapper, songwriter and actor who rose to fame in the early 2000s as part of the legendary garage and hip-hop collective So Solid Crew. In his solo career, he has released three albums to great acclaim, recently returning to the music scene with his first release after a three-year hiatus. He has also enjoyed success as an actor, winning a British Independent Film Award for his role in Bullet Boy and plaudits for his performance as Dushane in the hit series Top Boy.
BBC 1XTRA - AMARIA BB
Rising East-London singer Amaria BB has been making waves in the UK R&B scene and shows no signs of slowing down. Having moved to the UK from Jamaica at a young age, her sound is a product of the influences she grew up with, with elements of Reggae, R&B and Jazz all feeding into her smooth vocals.
BBC 1XTRA - DEBBIE
Recently signed to 0207 Def Jam, Debbie’s undeniable talent is setting her on a path to great things. Her stunning voice comes to the fore on debut single ‘Is This Real Love’, where it’s coupled with her potent lyrics and storytelling. Undeniably one to watch for the future.
BBC 1XTRA - QUEEN MILLZ
Queen Millz is a buzzy hip-hop songwriter fusing the sounds of Grime and R&B to electrifying effect. Born in Leicestershire with Jamaican heritage, she has found popularity on TikTok, where her freestyling has earned her a loyal following.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS AND UNMISSABLE MOMENTS
Wondering how to make the most of a line-up featuring more than 500 artists? Here are some of the must-see performances and panels from this year’s event.
Local lad and cheeky chappy Arrdee is one of the most exciting artists in the UK’s hip-hop scene at the moment. He headlines TikTok’s Spotlight show of viral sensations on Saturday 14 May alongside Dréya Mac, Piri & Tommy and Cassyette. The Face’s Spotlight show features some very exciting new talent, including experimental Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems, South London lyricist ENNY and LA trio Gabriels, while Girls I Rate will be celebrating the most exciting new women in music with sets from Kay Young, SHA'SIMONE, Amaria BB, NQOBILÉ and N’isha.
Other highlights include indie-pop darling Alfie Templeman, London-based singer-songwriter Baby Queen, Leeds quartet English Teacher, synth-pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma, uncompromising vocalist and producer Grove, euphoric queer bangers from Lynks, viral sensation NOAHFINNCE, breakthrough artist Phoebe Green, breezy indie pop from Prima Queen, genre-blurring pop-provocateur Willow Kayne, and one of the biggest breakthroughs of the year, Yard Act.
Three full-day themed strands running through the conference will put the spotlight on MUSIC + EDUCATION, MUSIC + DATA, and MUSIC + VIDEO, featuring a selection of keynotes and panel debates presented by TGE's industry partners, and the TGE Elevate programme for early career talent, which helps aspiring music professionals develop their careers both on and off stage.
Some of the biggest names in the music business will be in conversation for the keynote sessions including legendary music publicist Barbara Charone, the legal team that advised Ed Sheeran in the recent, headline-grabbing court battle over his hit ‘Shape of You’, plus the founder of the recent #BrokenRecord campaign Tom Gray and one of its leading proponents, Welsh MP Kevin Brennan.
Asher D, the headliner of BBC 1Xtra’s stage, will also host an ‘In Conversation With’ legendary hip-hop broadcaster, DJ Target as part of the Elevate sessions at Jury’s Inn on Saturday 14 May. ‘Navigating the Music-Maker Community’ will look at the music-maker community and how the industry can support it as part of the Music + Education strand, while the Music + Data strand will feature a deep dive into the hot topics of NFTs, Blockchain, the Metaverse and Web 3, and the TikTok team will present case studies of artists who’ve leveraged the platform to great success in Music + Video.
The full schedule is available on The Great Escape website: https://greatescapefestival.com/ and The Great Escape app.
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