Simi Crowns

Born in Lagos Nigeria, Simi Crowns moved to Dublin at the age of eleven. He began writing, rapping and producing as a teen - influenced by an eclectic range of artists like King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti, Nas, Common, Gorillaz, Marvin Gaye and Bjork. In 2012 he firmly established himself by earning the ‘Best Upcoming Artist’ award at the Irish African Music Awards (IAMA) for his debut 11-track mixtape, "Better Late Than Never" (under the moniker "ShoBiz") - accompanied by four captivating video clips that expanded his vision.

As his music became a feature for bloggers, music magazines, TV stations and radio (i.e. FM104, 2FM, etc.), Simi took some time out in 2013 to refocus on his education and, more importantly, his musical mission. Re-emerging at the beginning of 2014, he was featured in the Irish Times and picked up by State Magazine as one of their Faces of 2014 alongside the likes of Hozier, Overhead The Albatross, Maria Sommerville and others.

Assembling a live band alongside DJ D.O.G., Simi has become reputable for his energetic stage presence in well-known venues (i.e. Whelan’s, Twisted Pepper, The Button Factory supporting American rapper Pusha T, etc.). “It’s not often that you can say the local support act puts on a better show and is a better performer than the main attraction, but this is definitely the case tonight with Simi Crowns.” – What You Gonna See

Simi is preparing his debut single ‘Pressure’ for release this summer (complete with another memorable video from director Bob Gallagher) and a series of live dates across Ireland and Europe.

“I think it’s wrong when people are indifferent to what you do, for me, I will not be satisfied until the listeners love or hate what I do, there's no room for them to choose not to express some sort of emotion in regards to my music." Crowns says of his plan for his upcoming EP.