(singing)
(laughter)
(bright music)
- Yeah, being British to me, you know
it's just embedded in me, from the way I talk
the way I carry myself, to me.
It just represents, you know, my identity, who I am.
I grew up in North London, just trying to be exact.
North is always, it's definitely somewhere that
I don't ever see myself, kinda, moving from.
(lo-fi hip hop plays)
It's just home I wouldn't change or update it for the world.
(lo-fi hiphop plays)
Um, St. Mary's is a Youth Center I used to go down to
when I was 9.
It's mad being in here.
This was the first place I started performing
and doing shows.
I've never done that before I started coming to St. Mary's
so it definitely helped build and grow my confidence.
Damn.
Johnston Room.
I spent a lot of my teenage years in this room.
Just to have somewhere like here so close to my house
I didn't take that for granted, I was here every day
summer holidays, here every day
from 9 in the morning till 6
or whatever the times were
I'd just always be here.
Like I used to do all my dance classes here.
And I remember setting up the station, right there
recording, like one of my first ever songs here.
This, essentially, is where, like, it all began.
This room in particular.
(lo-fi hip hop plays)
When I grew up to 14 was when I really believed
that I'm not one to do nothing, you know
(lo-fi hip hop plays)
I know I'm meant to be in the performing arts creative field
whatever that be.
You know, music or acting, this is just my place
and this is where I feel the most at home.
And this is what I love and what I enjoy.
- [Announcer] Make some noise for your very own Little Simz.
(music plays and crowd cheers)
- I definitely didn't think I would perform
somewhere that size at that age.
I remember being back there just like
'Ohh it's my go now, it's my go.'
And I remember my school friends being like here
gassing me up, getting me pumped.
I remember coming to the very edge
and I think I went too far and nearly took a little
took a little fall.
When I finished performing my song, they just went crazy
and I just remember looking up at my family and like
they were going crazy, so I just felt really good.
Yeah, and then I came back.
It was 2015, I think I was, like, 20, 21?
And I had my
had my own headline show here.
So it was like from being 9
and then being 15
and then 21, and then I sold it out.
Coming back
and performing my own show
and selling it out on that same stage
this had to have been written.
It's very easy to get lost in it all
but I think when you're surrounded by good people
and you have genuine people around you
that love and care for you
it's very hard for you to get steered wrong.
(lo-fi hip hop plays)
She's like my sister, even though she's my cousin
she's like my sister.
So basically, where we are now was like, in between
where I grew up and where Paij grew up.
Its pretty much just one straight road.
I lived to the left, she lives to the right
and this is the road, that like
there's that one bus that runs up and down this road
which is the 271.
- Bang bang.
(laughing)
- Definitely having people like her
and obviously my sisters, my brother, my mum
they definitely ground me.
I'm just super grateful to have people like that
in my life.
Around them I'm not Little Simz, I'm just Simbi.
- When me and my sister, woo!
If you see us at a show, you would know.
- Yeah.
- You would know.
- Always in the front, I would just see them there
and I would be like, I know I'm safe
like, I'm cool.
Then I'll come off stage and be like
'What'd you think?'
- Yeah, I'm just like 'are you all right right now?'
(laughing)
Sitting there like 'yes, yeah, it was brilliant
it was amazing, I cried.'
Like, um, but yeah that always amazes me.
(laughing)
Music has always been there, and important
and a source of joy
and focus
and just an outlet.
So, I've never thought Simbi would do anything else really.
Even like, everyone has, like, their insecurities and doubts
about things, but it's like as soon as Simbi's on
she's on.
(lo-fi hip hop plays)
- Growing up around where I grew up
it wasn't easy, but the one thing no one can take away
from me is my talent, right.
So, as long as I've got that and I continue to nurture that
I'm fine.
Whatever you dream of, and whatever ambitions you have
they're not too big, and they're not too far of a reach.
(lo-fi hip hop plays)