The Great Escape is pleased to announce UK rap sensation Unknown T is set to headline a Spotlight Show at the 2023 festival with support from South London rapper Ms Banks and Tanzanian songwriter and producer Tiggs Da Author. The Homerton born rapper, who has led the UK’s drill scene through his distinctive freestyle rap will perform on Friday 12th May 2023 at Concorde 2 in association with United Talent Agency. Access to the Spotlight Show will be via standalone tickets, available via Ticketmaster Request, a simple way to request tickets to popular shows, so you don’t have to compete in a first-come, first-served sale. Tickets for this show can be requested via Ticketmaster Request from 10am Monday 17th April from here. Tickets for The Great Escape festival are available now and are on sale here. The Great Escape has also announced Rolling Stone UK will host the previously announced Arlo ParksSpotlight Show, with support from Danish pop storyteller eee gee andthe uplifting South Africanquintet The Joy. This show is sold out; however weekend wristband holders can apply for free entry via the Spotlight Show ticket giveaway.
Friday 12th May will also see the BBC Asian Network host a stage for the first time ever at The Great Escape. They will present an array of R&B at the Paganini Ballroom (The Old Ship) headlined by the captivating Peckham-born British-Bengali artist Tara Lily, joined by the confessional Pritt who promises to deliver a performance of inspiring femininity, candid lyricist H33RA, and the silky contemporary vocals of Asha Gold.
In addition to the Spotlight Show announcements, an additional 65 artists have been added to the 2023 line-up. New additions to the lineup include special guest and ‘I Follow Rivers’ singer Marika Hackman, promising swathes of thoughtful indie folk, gilded by her delicate vocal delivery. Hyped Polish rapper POLAK GBP will perform for the first time in the UK,addressing socio-political issues through his animated rap that has seen him become the first Polish artist to ever enter the global Billboard charts. Also announced is synthy electro-pop singer Michael Aldag who has been racking up millions of likes on TikTok, joined by the angsty West London hardcore punk outfit Chubby and the Gang promising to bring their what-you-see-is-what-you-get attitude. Also joining them are the eclectic alt duo from Liverpool King Hannah delivering deep cutting lyricism and moody guitars, and Cody Frost, previous contestant on ‘The Voice’ promising experimental punk crossed with hyper-pop and nu-metal sensibilities. Breaking musical boundaries one song at a time is Master Peace merging rap and alt rock, the ferociously punk duo SNAYX and Christian Löffler with emotive techno driven by the simplicity of his production.
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ALT / INDIE
Congratulations | Drew Thomas | DULL | Ellevator | Fauna | Gemma Dunleavy | Helen Ganya | Hutch | JERUB | King Hannah | Larkins | Lewis Fitzgerald | Maeve | Marika Hackman | Michael Aldag | Plantoid | Rebecca Hurn | Rebecca Lappa | ROE | Ruti | Shaun Farrugia | The Rills
Flying the flag for indie and alternative sees an abundance of the brightest new talent. Joining the festival line-up are riff-driven Brighton four-piece Congratulations, anthemic singer-songwriter Drew Thomas, Swedish guitar heavy alt-rock band DULL, Canadian lucid indie outfit ELLEVATOR, summery indie-rock group Fauna, experimental songwriter and producer Gemma Dunleavy and haunting Scottish-Thai musician Helen Ganya. Also joining the formidable lineup is the psychedelic band with a country twang Hutch, Nottingham based singer-songwriter JERUB, eclectic alt duo King Hannah, Glossop noisemakers Larkins, singer-songwriter Lewis Fitzgerald, otherworldy Caymanian singer Maeve, synthy electro-pop TikTok star Michael Aldag, jazz and psychedelic groove are fused with Plantoid, Welsh singer songwriter Rebecca Hurn. Additionally, the indie-pop singer ROE (winner of ‘The Voice’ 2018), singer songwriter Ruti, Maltese heartfelt songwriter Shaun Farrugia and the Sheffield indie band The Rills.
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POP / DANCE
Blusher | Christian Löffler | Frank Hopkins | Mandy, Indiana | Niknak | Quasi Qui
With no shortage of acts to see, the lineup promises further op and dance icons. Dreamy pop meets alluring dance beats with Blusher and emotive techno driven by the simplicity of Christian Löffler‘s production. Further added are melodic dance artist Frank Hopkins, experimental trio Mandy, Indiana immersive Leeds DJ Niknak and alt-pop duo Quasi Qui.
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FOLK / AMERICANA / COUNTRY
Avice Caro | Marika Hackman | Rebecca Lappa
Country and folk have long seen mainstream success, but these next bunch of artists are here to innovate and excite. Joining the line-up are Fairytale-folk singer songwriter Avice Caro, thoughtful indie-folk artist Marika Hackman and Canadian folk-pop singer Rebecca Lappa.
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GRIME / RAP / HIP-HOP
Behind The Mask | Cero Ismael | Chiedu Oraka | Cristale | Denzel Himself | Frozemode | Master Peace | Ms Banks | Polak GBP | Roze | Sam Austins | SHAKARR | SVINT PHILIP | Tiggs Da Author | THEREZ | Unknown T
Bringing the beats to The Great Escape are a slew of brazen and genre-pushing new artists that promise electric sets. Added to the lineup are Behind The Mask the solo project of MC Solomon, Birmingham based spoken word and electro-punkers BIG SPECIAL, transcendent and dreamy R&B meets hip-hop artist Cero Ismael, joined byNorthern grime artist Chiedu Oraka, synesthesia influenced gothic rapper Denzel Himself and versatile alt-rap group Frozemode. Master Peace will offer unconventional rap meets alt rock, whilstNigerian-British rapper Ms Banks will bring up the energy levels across the seaside city. Polish rapper Polak GBP makes his UK debut. They are also joined by breakout UK hip-hop star Shank1e, Pretty Boy Worldwide label affiliates Roze, SHAKARR, SVINT PHILIP and THEREZ, outspoken R&B storyteller Sam Austins, Afrobeat and neo-soul channeling songwriter Tiggs Da Author and the Homerton born artist leading the UK’s drill scene: Unknown T.
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JAZZ / R&B / SOUL
Amrit Kaur | Asha Gold | Baque Luar | Bea Anderson | Chrissi | DWN | Gyakie | H33RA | Kadeem Tyrell | NAVY | Pritt | Saint Joshua | SummeRR | Tara Lily
Delivering silky beats and smooth vocals are the following line-up additions. Just announced are transcendent soul songwriter Amrit Kaur, the silky vocals of Asha Gold, female/non-binary vocal and percussion collective Baque Luar, intimate and soulful R&B singer Bea Anderson, dreamy pop and R&B fuser Chrissi, smooth R&B artist DWN, Ghanaian R&B and afro-fusion singer Gyakie, candid R&B singer H33RA and soul vocalist Kadeem Tyrell.Also joining the lineup is Dominican soul singer-songwriter NAVY, relatable lyricist Pritt, ethereal and intimate R&B star Saint Joshua, reggae-meets-soul artist SummeRR and globally inspired Tara Lily.
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PUNK / ROCK / METAL
Annie Taylor | Chubby and the Gang | Cody Frost | Cowboyy | Egyptian Blue | Human Interest | Knife Bride | Los Dedos | SNAYX | The Oozes | University | YABBA
Head bangers can revel in the offering of punk, heavy metal and rock adjacent acts at the festival this year. Swiss psychedelic grunge band Annie Taylor will play, joined byangsty hardcore punk outfit Chubby and the Gang, experimental punk innovator Cody Frost, head-turning punk rockers Cowboyy, Brighton’s bristly rock outfit Egyptian Blue and the charming underground garage-rock duo Human Interest. They are joined byBrighton nativemetal head-turners Knife Bride, the Bristol band bringing surfy beats and Latin guitars Los Dedos, ferocious punk duo SNAYX, clowningDIY punks The Oozes, existential pop punk band University and the danceable Scottish new-wave punk band YABBA.
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UTA Showcase Presents
Unknown T
Ms Banks
Tiggs Da Author
Gyakie
Cristale
@ Concorde2
Friday 12th May 2023
£20 adv via Ticketmaster Request.
Weekend wristbands can apply for free entry via the Spotlight Show giveaway. Subject to availability
BBC Asian Network Presents
Tara Lily
Pritt
H33RA
Asha Gold
@ Paganini Ballroom (The Old Ship)
Friday 12th May 2023
Rolling Stone Presents
Arlo Parks
eee gee
The Joy
@ Brighton Dome Concert Hall
Saturday 13th May 2023
(Sold out but weekend wristbands can apply for free entry via the Spotlight Show giveaway. Subject to availability.)
Weekend from £105
Thurs – £40
Fri – £45
Sat – £55
Fri/Sat – £80
@greatescapefest
@thegreatescape
#TGE23
THE GREAT ESCAPE 2023 LINE UP NEW ADDITIONS (A-Z)
AMRIT KAUR | FAUNA | PLANTOID |
ANNIE TAYLOR | FRANK HOPKINS | POLAK GBP |
ASHA GOLD | FROZEMODE | PRITT |
AVICE CARO | GEMMA DUNLEAVY | QUASI QUI |
BAQUE LUAR | GYAKIE | REBECCA HURN |
BEA ANDERSON | H33RA | REBECCA LAPPA |
BEHIND THE MASK | HELEN GANYA | ROE |
BIG SPECIAL | HUMAN INTEREST | ROZE |
BLUSHER | HUTCH | RUTI |
CERO ISMAEL | JERUB | SAINT JOSHUA |
CHIEDU ORAKA | KADEEM TYRELL | SAM AUSTINS |
CHRISSI | KING HANNAH | SHAKARA |
CHRISTIAN LÖFFLER | KNIFE BRIDE | SHANK1E |
CHUBBY AND THE GANG | LARKINS | SHAUN FARRUGIA |
CODY FROST | LEWIS FITZGERALD | SNAYX |
CONGRATULATIONS | LOS DEDOS | SUMMERR |
COWBOYY | MAEVE | SVINT PHILIP |
CRISTALE | MANDY, INDIANA | TARA LILY |
DENZEL HIMSELF | MARIKA HACKMAN | THE OOZES |
DREW THOMAS | MASTER PEACE | THE RILLS |
DULL | MICHAEL ALDAG | THEREZ |
DWN | MS BANKS | TIGGS DA AUTHOR |
EGYPTIAN BLUE | NAVY | UNIVERSITY |
ELLEVATOR | NIKNAK | UNKNOWN T |
YABBA |