Lady Sovereign

Inspired by hearing Ms Dynamite on the radio, Louise Amanda Harman, better known as Lady Sovereign took a keen interest in rap. Having never heard of a female MC, Harman was drawn by the appeal of connecting with audiences through music discussing the realness of everyday experiences. At the age of 15 she started uploading music onto several music sites. The backlash of comments discrediting her work because she was white, British and female only made her more determined to disprove the negative stereotypes. Taking to the internet and posting freestyles such as “Tango” and “Cheeky” saw her increasingly gain in popularity. In 2005 Lady Sovereign went on to become the first non-American female artist to be signed to hip-hop’s finest, Jay Z’s record label Def Jam Recordings.
She may be small, but that doesn’t stop her from owning the stage. She certainly has the gift of the gab as she performs classics like “Love Me Or Hate Me” and “Hoodie” as she berates society for objectifying women and dictating lifestyle norms. “Who wants to get rowdy?” she calls and the crowd shout back “S-O-V!” over and over. Accompanied by a mixing desk and percussion, Sovereign emerges on stage, often wearing baggy street clothing with a backwards cap. With a minimal stage set up, she still manages to make it an explosive show as she banters with the audience while roaming around the stage. Known for her free-styling ability and tongue-in-cheek humour, expected the unexpected when Lady Sovereign is in the house.