Festival Preview: Naked City

There’s something a little different coming to south London this summer. And no, it’s not that weird Friends reunion (did you see Gunther?).

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Beckenham Place Park in the London Borough of Lewisham, Naked City is a relatively young festival that has big plans for itself. The organisers are describing it as a one-day festival “with a backyard feel and a bracing line-up”. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like exactly how I feel.

With a homegrown, organic feel, Naked City will be stripping London down to its most essential aspects and showcasing all that this wonderful city has to offer beyond the big names and label-centric mainstream circuits. They’ll be a wide range of genres exhibited here; a smooth blend of  jazz, house, afro, dub and jungle, all with the express aim of making your summer end on a high.

Naked City boasts four separate stages: the Main Stage, Somethin’ Else, the Bunker, and the Living Forest. We’re particularly interested in the Living Forest – chilling out to some soft beats surrounded by nature is totally up our street. The line-up is made up of a delicate ecosystem of artists, all based in and influenced by London; Aqwea, Baby T, Mungo’s Hifi, Zilo, Badsista, Calibre, Dengue, Ego Ella May, Errol, Hunee, Kode9, KOKOKO!, Joe Armon Jones, and Krankbrother, are just some of the incredible artists that will be taking to the stage.

(Credit: @nakedcity)

Ego Ella May is a British songwriter and singer from south London. She has an all-embracing love of music, which she channels into her own neo-soul and contemporary jazz sound. Tipped by Soul legend Omar as one to watch, May boasts a rich, mature sound. Her debut album, So Far, was released in 2019, and we really want to see her blow up.

Zilo is a twenty-four-year-old RnB singer from London whose love of painting, poetry, and writing has evolved into music. People have been sleeping on them for a while, but recently they’ve been blowing up on their socials and releasing banger after banger.

Aqwea is an up-and-coming south London based DJ and producer who has been making a name for herself on the circuits for a few years now. They have been taking over the NTS airwaves lately and have been featured in The Lab LDN too!

Beckenham Place Park is super easy to get to – Ravensbourne station is to the south-east, Beckenham Junction is to the south-west, and Beckenham Hill is to the north. You can find out more about the full-line up, accessibility, and FAQs on their website. Simply click here.

Words by Rebecca Clayton