Little Simz on the importance of “pushing the boundaries” in art

Little Simz spoke out about the importance of “pushing the boundaries” in art and where she finds power in music at a public event in London.

The Mercury Prize-winning rapper took part in an exclusive Q&A panel in Central London last night (December 7) to unveil her collaboration with Bose alongside musician Kelvin Krash and director Dexter Navy.

The motto of the global campaign is “Sound is Power”, which has a clear meaning for Little Simz.

“I’ve always described sound as intention,” she said. “People think they’re hearing sounds, but what they’re really hearing is intention,” she said. “Collectively, what we put in the project is what you’re hearing.”

The artist added: “Music is so powerful, that’s why when someone plays a chord it can move you to tears or when someone sings it can give you goosebumps, it’s the intention behind it.”

The advert represents the power of the Bose headphones through the visual of sound, conveyed through explosions and pyrotechnics. Simz explained how the most important attribute of any collaboration is trust, which is especially important when there are potentially dangerous explosions taking place around her.

“You have to have a level of trust and understand that I know he [Dexter] isn’t going to put me in any situation that is too crazy,” she said. But for the sake of art, it’s important to push the boundaries and not be afraid.”

The British rapper has a wealth of experience in front of the camera beyond music videos, including her starring role as Shelley in Netflix’s Top Boy. Simz said that she believes that being on camera is a “vulnerable space” and the right environment needs to be fostered to maximise results.

“When you have a crew that is so accommodating and invested in the care of the work environment it helps elevate your performance,” said Simz. “Those things are so important as an artist in front of the camera and it really shows in the visuals that I’m really comfortable.”

Little Simz added that another formula for success in a collaborative project is to remove ego from the equation.

“There was no ego. Dexter would send me something and [I wasn’t sure], but his ego wasn’t bruised by that. It’s not about him, it’s not about me, it’s the project,” She said. “All three of us had an understanding from the jump that we wanted to serve the project and serve the art. When you work with people that have the same way of thinking then you get great results.”

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones aim to bring listeners closer to the music through its immersive sound. As an artist, Simz said she believes this is important in creating a deeper connection with her audience.

“The scene where I put the headphones on and close my eyes feels like a real letting go moment,” said Simz. “As someone that does music, I want people to have that feeling of ‘It’s just me and you.’”

Simz recently completed a sold-out UK tour – including a five star reviewed night at London’s Alexandra Palace – wrapping up her campaign for surprise fifth studio album ‘NO THANK YOU’ from 2022.