Manchester pop princess Lucy Deakin dropped her first single of 2021 today – and it has an important message.
The new track, titled “acting like you’re famous”, draws attention to the negative effects of social media, living a false online life and how people are so easily fixated on the number of followers and likes. Things were all probably too guilty of falling into the trap of.
On the release, Lucy said: “We wrote this track back in January and we had so much fun writing this song, it just had to be my first single back. I tried to not take myself too seriously, injecting a bit of personality into the track. It calls out people with a big ego and makes light of reality show culture, like who do you think you are?”
Lucy Deakin
Lucy and her producer, Karl Ziegler, are currently on a mission to create waves in the pop scene. And with their bedroom production studio set up, they’ve caught the attention of industry top dogs.
Releasing on the Manchester indie label Scruff of the Neck, Lucy had an incredible 2020. And that was before she was tipped in the NME 100 back in January.
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With more than 10,000 monthly listeners on Spotify – and close to one million total streams – she’s on her way to becoming the UK’s next big thing in pop music.
Her bold and unapologetic 90s aesthetic has amassed a cool 8K following on Instagram and she’s caught the attention of her idol and ultimate pop princess Miley Cyrus before now.
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Earlier this month, the singer also announced a six-track EP“in your head, i’m probably crying” which is due for release on 17 September. But fresh off the back of her last EP “i got bored” last year, Lucy has gone for a bit more of an indie edge in this one.
Now with Lucy on board too, Scruff of the Neck has gone from strength to strength in recent years, winning awards like Best Small Label at the Independent Music Awards in 2019, as well as signing countless deals with new bands and artists.
It’s an exciting time for the label and this track has shown their adaptability and versatility across genres. This is just taster of what’s to come from the SOTN team this year.
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The single is out today – listen on our new Manchester music releases Spotify playlist here.
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Music
Little Simz announces biggest-ever Manchester gig ahead of new album
Danny Jones
The queen of British rap, the one and only Little Simz, is coming back to Manchester for what will be her biggest headline show in this city to date.
A whole three years on from her last album No Thank You, the rapper from Islington is heading back out on the road after wrapping up the recording of her sixth studio LP, Lotus.
The first single ‘FREE’ has already dropped, and despite the release date itself being pushed back, news of a new Little Simz tour later this year more than makes up for it, if you ask us.
Little Simz already has two NME Awards to her name for Best British Solo Act and Best British Album, not to mention a BRIT itself for Best New Artist in 2022; oh yeah, and she won the Mercury Prize as well as a BET Hip Hop Award over in the States for ‘Best International Flow’ – all before she turned 30.
With that in mind, you can understand why so many are frothing at the mouth to hear her new record when it does finally drop.
There doesn’t appear to be any problems with the album itself: Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, to use her full name, is simply busier than ever and has just booked a role in a film because, yes, she acts too.
Lotus will now drop on Friday, 6 June, just in time for fans to get learning the lyrics ahead of festival season, which we have no doubt she’ll play a big part in.
You can hear the first taste of the next chapter down below:
Little Simz returns to Manchester for a Co-op Live debut on 16 October with tour supports still yet to be announced.
Pre-sale goes live on Wednesday, 9 April from 10am for official Co-op members and general admission will be available from the same time on the following Friday (11 April).
AJ Tracey is playing a VERY intimate gig in Manchester next month
Thomas Melia
London rapper and respected grime artist AJ Tracey is ‘live and direct’ once again, announcing a whole host of UK dates, one of which is a rather intimate gig right here in Manchester.
It’s official: one of UK rap’s leading gents is getting back on the road and he’s showing a ‘Little More Love’ to lots of cities, including Manchester.
In a post on the UK star’s socials, AJ Tracey trades his music persona for that of a sports pundit as he announces the dates for his upcoming tour while impersonating an F1 commentator.
Anyone looking to attend Tracey’s ‘Not Even A Tour’ can catch the star up and down the country on his over 20-date tour with a stop in Manchester as soon as this month.
The rapper has reached phenomenal heights since dropping the unforgettable ‘Ladbroke Grove’ in 2019 and is heading out across the nation to make sure everyone knows about it.
Get ready to spit bars left and right as this rapper’s discography is stacked with serious tunes like ‘Dinner Guest’, ‘West Ten’, ‘Thiago Silva’ and more.
More recently, he collaborated with Walsall’s finest Jorja Smith for a flirty garage beat also known as ‘Crush’ with the video being the two artists talking it out in a good old fashioned caff.
The latest collaboration with Smith marks the start of a new era for Mr. Live and direct as it fell in line with the announcement of his third studio album.
Titled Don’t Die Before You’re Dead, we’re sure he’ll be “building a vibe” wherever he goes and probably previewing a few exclusive tracks from his upcoming project too.
This gig may come as quite a surprise for any hardcore fans of the ‘Ladbroke Grove’ star as the venue in which he’s performing is definitely intimate only, holding just over 250 guests.
This rap giant is bringing his unbelievable beats to none other than the legendary small-cap city centre live music venue, The Deaf Institute, at the end of this month.
It’s safe to say you won’t get many more chances, if any, to see him in such a tight-knit space again.
AJ Tracey is bringing ‘Not Even A Tour’ to Deaf Institute in Manchester on 30 April, with tickets on sale Friday 4 April from 12 noon.
Hannah Starkie -
14th May 2021 
