London rapper Little Simz won big at last night’s Mercury Prize ceremony as she was awarded with both the Album of the Year and Best New Artist trophies.
In her acceptance speech for Album of the Year, she told the ceremony she was “very overwhelmed and grateful” to win the Mercury Prize.
The rapper was up against Yard Act, Wet Leg, Self Esteem, Sam Fender, Nova Twins, Kojey Radical, Joy Crookes, Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler, Harry Styles, Gwenno and Fergus McCreadie for the coveted award.
She was crowned winner at Hammersmith Apollo in London on Tuesday night (October 18), after the ceremony was delayed by a month following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September.
The judging panel said: “In a year that has, to put it mildly, presented rather a lot of challenges, British and Irish music has thrived more than ever.
“When it came down to it, the judges were so impressed by Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz that everyone could get behind it.”
But who is Little Simz and what did she do before she became a rapper? Here’s everything you need to know:
Who is Little Simz?
(Image: Brett D. Cove / SplashNews.com)
Little Simz, whose real name is Simbiatu “Simbi” Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, is an award-winning rapper from Islington in London.
She was raised on a council estate by her mother and father alongside her siblings .
Little Simz rose to fame with the independent release of her first three albums, A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons (2015), Stillness in Wonderland (2016) and Grey Area (2019).
When Grey Area was released, it was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and won the awards for Best Album at both the Ivor Novello Awards and the NME Awards.
Her fourth album and recent Mercury Prize winning record, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, also earned her the 2022 Brit Award for Best New Artist and the Libera Award for Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record.
What did Little Simz do before her music career?
(Image: Splash News)
Before Little Simz broke out into the grime music scene, she was an actress who first starred as Vicky in the BBC children’s series ‘Spirit Warriors’, originally broadcast in 2010.
She went on to appear as Meleka in the E4 show ‘Youngers’ from 2013 to 2014 before starring as Shelley in Netflix’s revival of Top Boy in 2019.
The star also made it onto the big screen when she starred as herself in Marvel film Venom – Let There Be Carnage, where she is seen singing her song Venom in a nightclub.
What is Little Simz’s net worth?
(Image: PA)
According to celebritynetworth.com, Little Simz is worth $2 million (£1.65 million).
Her net worth has shot up in recent years thanks to her award-winning albums and appearances in popular TV shows and movies.
Her album sales and streaming royalties account for the vast majority of her income but she also makes money from touring and festival appearances, including her set at this year’s Glastonbury festival.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
