Emma-Jean Thackray

Emma-Jean Thackray (vocals, guitar), Dougal Taylor (drums), Lyle Barton (keyboards), Matthew Gedrych (bass) infectious grooves Emma-Jean Thackray is a British artist, originally from Leeds, who has turned her musical practice into a vital and expressive exploration. A key figure on the contemporary scene, Thackray is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, singer, DJ and bandleader. She has created her work against the tide, breaking down barriers between genres, integrating jazz, funk, soul, pop, grunge, house and techno, with a musical language of her own that overflows with creativity. Born and raised in a working class family, she began her musical journey in her childhood, with a cornet that marked the beginning of a permanent relationship with instruments and sound. Her precocious virtuosity led her to become a principal trumpet player in various Yorkshire bands, before moving to London to continue her studies in Jazz at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and later at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. From her first steps with the EP Walrus (2016) to her enshrinement as one of the UK's most unique voices, Emma-Jean has built a career out of sonic curiosity and artistic integrity. Her debut album, Yellow (2021), released on her own label Movementt, put her in the spotlight of jazz and creative music, reaching number 1 in the UK jazz charts. Her second album, Weirdo (2025), is a bold extension of that artistic and personal universe. Written and recorded in his London flat, the project was born out of an intimate reflection on neurodivergence (autism and ADHD) and grief following the death of his partner in 2023. An album that is an authentic emotional and sonic chronicle combining humour, pain, fury, introspection, celebration and resilience. On Weirdo, Thackray handles every instrument, voice and texture with a depth that reveals not only his technique but his vital commitment to music. Collaborations with artists like Reggie Watts and Kassa Overall amplify that idea of expressive community, but the backbone remains his own voice: warm, intuitive, incisive. Thackray not only composes and plays, she also produces, arranges, mixes and leads each project with her own vision, which has allowed her to be described by The Guardian as a "musical scholar", capable of fusing traditions and sonic revolutions without artifice or prejudice. Her references are varied: George Clinton, Meshell Ndegeochello, Louis Cole, Prince, Kurt Cobain, Steely Dan, Robert Glasper, Kate Bush, Björk? The British artist also stands out for her presence as a DJ and communicator, participating in radio programmes and being a recurring figure on stations such as BBC 6Music and Worldwide FM, where her sensitivity for selecting music is complemented by her own artistic discourse. Thackray is a creative force, one of the most versatile and unique figures in British music, a performer with a stage force that exudes energy and connection with the audience. Her story is one of a creator who has transformed rejection, difference and loss into a profoundly human work; music that doesn't just sound, but connects, questions and celebrates the complexity of life itself.