Simz: I’ll stay grounded and help the young
LITTLE Simz says she wants to stay down to Earth despite her fame and show young people that their dreams are within reach.
The rapper and singer will play the Glastonbury Festival’s Pyramid stage next month.
It will cap a remarkable 18 months since she won the Mercury Music Prize in October 2022, as well as winning multiple BRIT Awards when her fourth album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert became a hit.
She said: “I’m working out how I can be more present – going into schools and youth centres.
“I hope an experience like that might stay with a young person.
“I’m there, with them in this youth club, and tomorrow I might be walking the catwalk.
“I want people to see me and say, ‘Yeah, I could be doing that’”.
She also told Elle magazine: “One thing I’ve always been scared of is not having my feet on the ground. I don’t want to embarrass myself; I want to stay grounded.
“I’ll do what I can to help. My money would go towards mindfulness and teaching kids how to understand their bodies, their feelings… emotional intelligence.”
She said young people were very anxious these days and that social media was partly to blame.
The Londoner, 30, real name Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, added: “I would start with the mental wellbeing of young people.
“I would love to see that being taught in schools.
“Journaling. Meditation. Small practices like that go a long way.”
She said her own family’s support had helped her quest for fame, giving her the confidence to feel like Jay-Z or Missy Elliott.
■ The June edition of Elle UK is on sale from May 9.