Emma-Jean Thackray by. Lewis Vorn
What the press is saying about Emma-Jean Thackray:
“a fascinating blend of spiritual jazz and brass band that can sound full-on psychedelic while staying grounded in its clever arrangements.” – Pitchfork
“A crossover star” – The Guardian
“From the west of Yorkshire to one of the most significant names in UK music…” – Wonderland
Acclaimed producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray shares her latest single, “Maybe Nowhere” off her highly anticipated album Weirdo set for release on April 25th via Gilles Peterson’s label Brownswood Recordings in conjunction with Parlophone and East West Records. “Maybe Nowhere” is a heavy guitar and drum track that showcases Emma-Jean’s deep vocals and builds into a satisfying chorus refrain. The single comes alongside a video featuring highly saturated visuals of Emma-Jean playing the song alone in her bedroom.
Emma-Jean shares about the new single, “After losing my partner I didn’t want to be here anymore, but hiding these feelings and thinking you’re a burden is what makes them even more dangerous. You need a place to explore these feelings and for me that’s music – my safe space. This song is a diary of when those feelings for me were at their worst, and the cavernous ending is wondering what it sounds like to die. Making this song, this album, is why it’s a wondering and not a reality; it saved my life.”
Drawing on an eclectic mix of influences—grunge, pop, soul, p-funk, and jazz— the upcoming album Weirdo is a triumphant celebration of survival and individuality. Written, performed, recorded, mixed, produced and arranged entirely by Thackray in her South London flat, the album stands as a testament to her extraordinary musicianship and fearless self-expression.
Alongside the new single Emma-Jean is also announcing a run of European tour dates with Kamasi Washington beginning in the UK in early April with stops in Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin, Cologne and Amsterdam. Emma-Jean will also play a string of in-store performances in the UK and a range of festivals across the EU including End of the Road, MoMo Festival, World Wide Festival and We Out Here Fest.
Previous releases from the forthcoming album include “It’s Okay” and “Wanna Die,” the latter a striking blend of frenetic energy and emotional vulnerability. With its scattered, uptempo beat driving the track forward, “Wanna Die” juxtaposes its rhythmically playful foundation against poignant reflections on mortality and resilience. “Black Hole” featuring Reggie Watts introduced the new record late last year, a delectable slice of P-funk that channels everything from jazz, pop, and soul in signature Emma-Jean Thackray style.
Originally conceived as a meditation on neurodivergence and mental health, Weirdo evolved after the unexpected loss of her long-term partner from natural causes in January 2023, resulting in an album that feels deeply personal and universal. With intricate compositions, raw emotion, and an unflinching authenticity, Weirdo is more than an album; it’s a masterpiece of resilience, a celebration of individuality, and a bold leap forward for an artist at the forefront of British music. Blurring the lines between genre and emotion, Weirdo evokes comparisons to Meshell Ndegeocello, Kate Bush and Nirvana—on the dancefloor.
Emma-Jean’s journey to becoming one of the most talked-about figures in contemporary music has been anything but conventional. Born in West Yorkshire and classically trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Trinity Laban Conservatoire, she spent her early career defying musical boundaries with her genre-blending sound. Emma-Jean grew up in a low-income, working-class family. This alone makes her unusual, when over 92% of actors, musicians and writers grew up cushioned by medium or high-income backgrounds, according to the Office for National Statistics. Her rise to prominence included her self-released EP Walrus (2016) and the Jazz FM award-winning Yellow (2021), which solidified her position as one of the UK’s most innovative musicians and saw her performing at iconic venues and festivals, from the London Symphony Orchestra to numerous Glastonbury slots.
The new project heralds the start of a new musical chapter for Emma-Jean as part of the revered Brownswood Recordings (Yussef Dayes, KOKOROKO). An institution proudly rooted in London’s diverse music community, the label has become a hub for eclectic genre-defying music and feels like the perfect home for a boundary-blurring musical force such as Thackray.
Listen to “Maybe Nowhere” above and find full tour routing and album details below.
Upcoming Live Dates
* = Kamasi Washington
3/29 – London, END @ YES (DJ set), BBC Radio 6 Music Festival
4/3 – Cardiff, UK @ Great Hall*
4/4 – Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall*
4/5 – Gateshead, UK @ Glasshouse*
4/6 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowlands*
4/8 – Dublin, IE @ Olympia*
4/9 – Cork, IE @ Opera House*
4/11 – Leed, UK @ Project House*
4/13 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy*
4/14 – Brighton, UK @ Corn Exchange*
4/15 – Brussels, BE @ Bozar*
4/17 – Cologne, DE @ Carlswerk Victoria*
4/19 – Rotterdam, NL @ MoMo Festival
4/20 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso*
4/25 – London, UK @ Instore Stranger Than Paradise Records
4/26 – London, UK @ Instore Banquet Records
4/26 – Brighton, UK @ A L P H A B E T (DJ)
4/27 – Southampton, UK @ Instore Vinilo
4/29 – Nottingham, UK @ Instore Rough Trade
4/30 – Liverpool, UK @ Instore Jacaranda
5/9 – Manchester, UK @ YES
5/13 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade
5/14 – London, UK @ Hoxton Hall
6/7 – Antwerp, BE @ Jazz Middelheim
7/4 – Sete, FR @ World Wide Festival
8/17 – Dorset, UK @ We Out Here Festival
8/30 – Dorset, UK @ End of The Road Festival
11/20 – London, UK @ Koko
Emma-Jean Thackray
Weirdo
April 25, 2025
Brownswood Recordings/Parlophone
1. Something Wrong With Your Mind
2. Weirdo
3. Stay
4. Let Me Sleep
5. Please Leave Me Alone
6. Save Me
7. Maybe Nowhere
8. What Is The Point
9. Black Hole ft. Reggie Watts
10. In Your Mind
11. Tofu
12. Fried Rice
13. Where’d You Go
14. Wanna Die
15. Staring At The Wall
16. I Don’t Recognise My Hands
17. It’s Okay ft. Kassa Overall
18. Remedy
19. Thank You For The Day
About Brownswood Recordings
Brownswood Recordings is an independent record label founded by the DJ and Broadcaster Gilles Peterson in 2006. With a strong ear for the most singular artists, the label has built a platform that has acted as a springboard for many – as well as creating a space for more established artists to experiment and create something different. At almost 20 years old Brownswood stands proud as a pioneering record label driven by the idea that music can bring people together.
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