There’s no doubt that British acts and musicians have had a large impact on music, culturally and globally. Thinking of British music has historically been defined by bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd, who have had an influential force on British culture. Even to this date, their artistry and legacies have had a lasting impact on how British music has been perceived.
However, artists from mass migrations are coming to the forefront of British music, and by transcending genres and refusing to be boxed in, the diaspora are proving to be some of the most experimental and impactful artists in the current UK music scene. The evolving cultural landscape of Britain is a blending and interweaving of various cultures from diverse migrant backgrounds, which can be seen evidently in today’s music.
From the indie scene to the underground dance scene, artists from the diaspora were often not a part of mainstream conversations around British music. However, these artists represent British culture, albeit a different one, with their own stories and nuanced influences. It is important to note that these are still ultimately British stories and art, and that they are currently leading cultural innovation. I’m here to take you through some artists that paved the way, and some that are currently at the cutting edge.
Bhangra, Daytimers and Boiler Rooms
In the 1970s, British South Asian youths created a form of expression in Bhangra music. Taking elements of Punjabi folk, classical music, black British as well as Western pop, Bhangra was a fusion of sound that has had a lasting impact on British music. Pioneered by Daytimers, a club movement dating back to Bhangra’s inception, Bhangra gained popularity in the 2000s.
Songs like ‘Lal Ghara’ by Sahara are deemed among the most influential songs of the genre, and are played at most functions. Panjabi MC is now a household name, sampling the Punjabi classics that his parents played and blending them with UK garage in his 2001 album, Dhol Jageero Da, which established him as an acclaimed Bhangra DJ.
Panjabi MC’s most famous release, ‘Mundian to Bach Ke’, featured Jay-Z on one remix, and is still considered a floor-filler in 2023. Even though Panjabi MC is considered a one-hit wonder in the charts, his releases led to a great shift in British Asian culture and the dance scene, which has been influential to many other South Asian musicians. With his mixes, he’s created a lasting legacy in British Asian culture and poses questions to the mainstream charts in their reflection of cultural impact.
From this we have the breakthrough, Yung Singh, a pioneer of British South Asian culture. After his defining London Boiler Room set, opening with ‘Kori’ by Panjabi MC, he has had a towering impact on the UK dance scene. Taking influence from his Punjabi-Sikh heritage and blending it with garage, grime, jungle, and DnB, Yung Singh doesn’t do limits with his craft. Naturally, it has led him to become one of the most acclaimed DJs in the UK right now.
Another defining and genre-bending Boiler Room set was Nooriyah’s ‘Middle of Nowhere’. Living between London, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, it’s evident that Nooriyah has posed her diasporic identity in her music. Her set mainly centres on the sounds of southwest Asia and North Africa, incorporating them with other sounds from a range of genres and regions seamlessly, leading to an effortless, unique, and joyous mix.
A highlight is also how the set begins with her father playing a traditional song with the oud, a Middle Eastern stringed instrument. Nooriyah presents her Middle Eastern roots at the forefront of her sets. Yet with the range of sounds she mixes with, from Brazilian funk to Arabic trap and Western hip-hop, there is also simultaneously no sense of place. At that moment, it simply makes sense for her set to be called ‘Middle of Nowhere’.
Pirate Radio and Grime
When looking at the Black British diaspora, the music is continuously evolving, and draws on a vast spectrum of genres; from Reggae to Afro-beats, Dancehall to Drill. It was only in 2021 that the BRITs acknowledged Grime and Rap as a category, despite Grime emerging in the 2000s and becoming mainstream in the 2010s.
Originally an underground sound derived from Garage MCs, Grime built its notoriety and fame across London’s pirate radio scene. These MCs, such as Wiley, performed on pirate radio and became underground sensations. Wiley’s ‘Eskimo’ is considered one of the first grime songs to be released in the 2000s and he has become a prolific artist since, proclaiming himself as the “Godfather of Grime“. After Wiley, and his contemporaries Kano, Skepta, and D Double E, came a second generation of grime artists, spearheaded by Stormzy, and later Dave and Novelist.
The pirate radio era featured crews such as So Solid Crew (who had the first UK rap Number One), Pay As You Go, and Heartless. By incorporating bass-heavy and dubstep-inspired beats, as well as soundclash culture, which are lively music battles from Jamaica, Grime is evidently a fusion of many different genres and cultures from the African and Caribbean diaspora. Now, with many grime artists having a global influence and winning prestigious awards, grime has become unapologetically embedded in British culture.
Little Simz
British Black music has been undermined for a long time, but it’s now undeniably dominating British culture and music. Little Simz exemplifies this, with her timeless 2022 Mercury Prize-winning album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.
What makes Little Simz stand out is her effortlessly cool individuality, and her refusal to be confined by any musical limits. The album incorporates jazz, soul, afro-beats, and more with memorable and cutting lyricism. With themes ranging from growing up in a council estate, racial politics, and a love note to women of different ethnicities, the album captures the essence of a contemporary British experience and its evolving culture.
FKA Twigs
Singer and dancer FKA Twigs most recent genre-bending mixtape, Caprisongs, is another great example of a British diaspora project. Coming from Jamaican lineage, the Caribbean influence in ‘Papi Bones’ with Shygirl is clear. Drawing heavily from UK drill, rap and electronic music, as well as adding her own ‘Twigs’ flair with her avant-garde vocals, the mixtape is simply uncategorizable but also undeniably British.
Songs like ‘Honda’ featuring Pa Salieu and ‘Darjeeling’ with Jorja Smith & Unknown T are odes to South London. Caprisongs is an energetic sonic patchwork of different genres and influences from the British black diaspora, and by including many black artists in the project, Caprisongs is no doubt a stunning celebration of the culture that has emerged from it.
Rina Sawayama
There is also new pop girl Rina Sawayama, with her critically acclaimed debut album Sawayama, a hybrid of early 2000s pop and nu-metal. Being born in Japan, and then moving to London aged five with her mother, it’s evident the two cultures have influenced her sound and lyricism.
The nostalgic early 2000s pop sound ties in so tenderly with her fondness for Tokyo. The visceral and theatrical songs like ‘Dynasty’ and ‘STFU!’ explore the racial microaggressions she faced growing up as well as familial trauma and being the child of an immigrant. This, too, is a British story.
A particular highlight is also ‘Alaska Sad’, a moody track with an experimental trap beat with her singing in Japanese on the bridge. Taking inspiration from her favourite bands and creating authentic storytelling with her personal and nuanced experiences is what has led to Rina’s album becoming culturally distinct. Coming from a queer and Japanese British background highlights the fluidity of her artistry.
Bakar
Bakar has created his own distinct voice and sound, taking influence from rap, grime, and electronic music, as well as the funk of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the angular indie of Bloc Party. With the cultural melting pot of sounds that he was surrounded by, his music is limitless.
Bakar’s breakout singles signalled the versatility of his artistry, such as the Lily Allen-esque ‘Hell N Back’, the playful punk delivery on ‘Big Dreams’, and the hip-hop-inspired ‘Chill’. These songs propelled him into conversations, and he became known for his experimental indie style.
A particular highlight is also ‘The Mission’ from his acclaimed album Nobody’s Home. Bakar pays homage to his roots and Islamic faith, and strives for a successful future for his familial generations as he’s the child of immigrants. Being a first-generation Brit, the raw aspiration that Bakar has is one that many other members of immigrant communities share.
It is truly exciting to see how these genre-bending artists, as well as so many more from the diaspora, are contributing to music with their authentic sounds, lyricism, and experiences. British stories, artistry, and culture are continuing to evolve, building bridges between different genres and cultures. With these genres and stories getting more acknowledgement, it’s only paving the way for more talented artists to come, revealing a deeper, richer insight into British culture.
