Rapper and Dancing on Ice star Lady Leshurr says Wales leading the way on black history education

Rapper Lady Leshurr has said Wales is setting the trend by prioritising black history within children’s education, during an exclusive interview with ITV Wales’ arts programme Backstage.

She said, “I think Wales is probably the only place that I know that sets the trends for certain things. I'm not going to go too deep, but as far as teaching kids black history, I'm sure they're the first that they're starting to do that. 

“And I know that after they do that, a lot of everyone else in the UK will follow through.”

Before her performance at the ‘Reggae and Riddim Festival’ in Newport, the musician spoke fondly of performing for Welsh crowds and said she was happy to be back in the country. 

She said: “You can’t get people like Welsh people, you know, the energy is different here.”

Reflecting on performing at Newport’s Reggae and Riddim festival, she said the event is “needed very much” for Wales and the UK.

The Reggae and Riddim festival aims to connect communities in Jamaica and Newport through reggae music and celebrating diversity. 

She added: “I don't think there's anything like this, the closest we've got is Boomtown Festival, but this is more special because it's more intimate.” 

The MOBO award winner says listening to reggae music like Sister Nancy is what inspired her to get into music and when she was 12 years old, Eminem inspired her to become a rapper.

Lady Leshurr gained widespread recognition for her clever wordplay and quick delivery, becoming a viral sensation with her ‘Queen's Speech’ series in 2015.

In addition to being a songwriter, rapper and singer, she has showcased her versatility beyond music. She took on a new challenge in 2021 by joining ITV’s show Dancing on Ice. 

Despite a deep fear of ice skating due to a previous accident, she faced her fears and advanced to the semi-finals of the competition. 

“I was petrified of ice skating. The last time I went on the ice was when I was 18 and I fell. I saw that the skate went literally by my fingers, and I never went back. 

“They invited me on. I thought, you know what, I'm going to get over my fear. That's what I'm coming on here for. And I did. 

“I think that has got to be one of the best TV shows I've ever been on… It was just exhilarating to be on the ice rink and feel like you're flying. So I would recommend anyone to try it.” 

After performing for nearly 10 years, Lady Leshurr said it can be difficult for women to get their foot in the door within such a competitive industry. 

She said, “I'm a black female from Birmingham, I just knocked down and defeated all the odds. That's with an accent.”

Back in 2014, the musician harnessed social media to release her music and connect with fans through YouTube and Snapchat. 

With TikTok being used by creatives to catapult themselves to stardom, Lady Leshurr said the platform can help anyone become an overnight success. 

“It’s got so much viral ability, it can be very overwhelming,” she told Backstage. 

The rapper advised being “prepared for it [social media fame] because someone with zero followers, composes something, then wakes up tomorrow and [they could] have 20 million views”. 

During her set at the Reggae and Riddim festival, she announced she is planning to release new music soon.

• Watch Backstage on ITV Cymru Wales, Fridays at 7pm and online.