FKA Twigs will headline and curate the 2027 Meltdown festival, set to take place from June 10 to June 20 at the Southbank Centre in London. The announcement makes her the 32nd curator of the annual event, which launched in 1993 and has previously been headlined by figures such as Harry Styles, Little Simz, Chaka Khan, Grace Jones, David Byrne, Yoko Ono, Nile Rodgers, M.I.A., David Bowie and Patti Smith.
Artist's Vision for the Festival
The Grammy-winning artist, whose real name is Tahliah Debrett Barnett, expressed her excitement about the role, saying: "I am honoured and excited to be curating Meltdown at the Southbank Centre." She highlighted London's cultural landscape as a personal influence, citing her journey from Croydon College to performing in underground cabaret clubs and dancing in warehouses on the docks, as well as singing her operatic songs in one of the largest arenas in London last year.
Twigs added: "The cultural and artistic clash in this city is like no other. Where cultures, sounds, stories and traditions from all over the world meet, collide and transform one another. I intend to bring you a slice of all that has raised me and continues to inspire me: celebrating the diversity, freedom and creative energy that I believe makes London one of the world's great capitals of music and the arts."
Festival Highlights and Season Lineup
The 2027 season at the Southbank Centre also includes Italian playwright Romeo Castellucci presenting his first London performance in 16 years with the play Bros, alongside a performance by Chinese pianist Lang Lang. Mark Ball, artistic director of the Southbank Centre, commented on the season's theme, saying: "We're living through a time where people are feeling increasingly isolated and divided, and I genuinely believe live, shared experiences are the most powerful remedy we have. That conviction sits right at the heart of our 2027 season."
Twigs' most recent albums, Eusexua and Eusexua Afterglow, were both released in 2025, preceding her Body High Tour, which ended in June. She won a Grammy in February for best dance/electronic album for Eusexua, beating fellow British artists PinkPantheress and Fred Again. In her acceptance speech, she said: "I didn't expect to come up here. I was just so happy to be nominated. Thank you so much – wow."
