The British hip hop and spoken word artist Kae Esther Calvert, better known as Kae Tempest, is embarking on a European tour that will bring them to Madrid’s La Riviera concert hall on 19 October 2025. Tempest will be performing tracks from their new album Self Titled, which includes the singles Statue In The Square and Know Yourself, both marked by Tempest’s contemporary poetic style.
Born in Brockley (UK) in 1985, Tempest began their professional career at the age of 16, performing at an open mic night organised by a record shop. They went on to form the group Sound of Rum, and in 2011 released their debut album Balance. This was followed in 2014 by their first solo record, Everybody Down, which was both a critical and commercial success and shortlisted for the Mercury Prize for Best Album. In 2016 they released their second LP, Let Them Eat Chaos.
That same year Tempest also published the novel The Bricks that Built the Houses. They had already written several poetry collections, including Everything Speaks in its Own Way (2012), Brand New Ancients (2013)–which made them the youngest ever winner of the Ted Hughes Award for Innovation in Poetry–and Hold Your Own (2014). They have also worked extensively as a playwright, creating works such as Wasted, GlassHouse and Hopelessly Devoted. In 2020 they released their third album, The Book of Traps and Lessons, followed shortly afterwards by the single Unholy Elixir.
Known for tracks such as Europe Is Lost, People’s Faces, The Beigeness, Our Town, Bad Place for a Good Time and Guts, Tempest now returns to Madrid to showcase their new album Self Titled, which was released in July 2025. The record features twelve tracks produced by Grammy winner Fraser T. Smith (renowned for his work on Adele’s 21), with collaborations from artists including Neil Tennant, Young Fathers, Connie Constance and Tawiah.
