Stormzys

Stormzy’s #Merky Books is to publish Olympian Caster Semenya’s memoir this year.South African athlete Semenya, whose book is titled The Race to Be Myself, was just 18 when she won the 800m at the Berlin World Championships in 2009, but her win was quickly overshadowed by questions raised about her sex.The double Olympic champion, who has also been world champion three times, has a condition known as hyperandrogenism, which means she has higher than usual levels of testosterone, increasing her muscle mass, strength and…

The #Merky Books Literature festival, set up by the publishing imprint founded by musician Stormzy, will “hopefully be the spark that lights the imagination, the curiosity and the aspirations” of those who might not previously have considered a career in the creative arts, says author Malorie Blackman.The two-day event, held on 22 and 23 April at the Roundhouse in London, aims to demystify the creative industries and will involve new voices as well as established names such as Blackman, who closes the festival with an…

A free festival from Stormzy’s #Merky Books imprint, headlined by musician Wretch 32, poet John Agard and former children’s laureate Malorie Blackman, will aim to demystify publishing for aspiring storytellers across all media.The event, consisting of two days of workshops and masterclasses at the Roundhouse in London, expands on a pop-up held by #Merky Books in 2019.Stormzy said he was proud to be able to offer the event, taking place on 22 and 23 April, to “inspire young creatives”.The festival, sponsored by Netflix,…

The UK albums chart has been dominated by American behemoths over the past few weeks, with Taylor Swift and Drake dropping blockbuster albums. That could all change when one of Britain’s most successful grime stars ever comes home to roost. Next Friday, Stormzy will release This Is What I Mean, his first album in three years. First teased during a live show earlier in the year and finally announced this week, it is expected to be one of the most commercially successful releases of the year.This Is What I Mean will be…

First publishing, then education – now football.Not content with launching his own books imprint and sponsoring a new generation of Cambridge graduates, Stormzy has turned his attention to Britain’s biggest sport, in an attempt to make football as diverse behind the scenes as it is on the pitch.In partnership with Adidas and 10 other major brands including Manchester United, Fulham FC and Sky Sports, the musician has launched a scheme to help young black people secure jobs and leadership roles at all levels of the…