Skye Newman gets 'goosebumps' over record-breaking Brixton Academy run

Fast rising pop star Skye Newman began her November five-gig run at Brixton Academy on Thursday - a record for a British female solo artist

The BBC Sound of 2026 winner is set to overtake rapper Little Simz, who headlined three nights at the legendary south London venue in 2021.

It will cap an incredible few years for Brit Award nominee Newman, 23, who performed at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Sunderland, external last month.

Speaking to BBC News's Mark Savage ahead of her record-breaking run, Newman said it had given her "goosebumps and chills". She added: "It's crazy. My jaw drops all the time. I feel honoured to be the first woman, and I don't take it lightly."

Born in south-east London, the "loud, raw and strikingly honest" Newman - according to our music correspondent - exploded onto the scene last year when her debut single, Hairdresser, went straight into the top 20.

The follow-up, Family Matters, reached number five in June. It was the first time a female artist had made the top 20 with their first two singles since Ella Henderson in 2014.

The husky-voiced soul and R&B singer has previously supported Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi on tour, and been called "incredibly talented" and "something else" by Sir Elton John.

Now she stands on the shoulders of pop giants.

Historically, US pop-punk icon Debby Harry and Romy Croft, frontwoman of the band The XX have also enjoyed big Brixton residencies, as well as Phoebe Bridgers, Chappell Roan and Tash Sultana.

But after three more gigs this weekend and one added one next, Newman will newly lead the way for UK female solo stars at one of the country's most prestigious venues.

She also insists on having an all-female band on stage with her.

"Women are the centre of my world," she said. "They're the people that built me. They allowed me space to grow and find myself. So, I definitely had to take that out on stage with me.

"I had to stand by what I stand by. It's quite scary at the minute how much social media is [affecting how women are being treated] so I'm just really big on trying to keep women everywhere."

She continued: "If I can have a woman in place, I will. I'll give a job out. I'll give my helping hand always."

'Big shoes to fill'

Newman recently paid tribute to another soulful London singer to have graced the same space back in 2007, the late Amy Winehouse, with a rendition of her song Addicted during a special Back to Black anniversary gig for the BBC.

"The thing with Amy's music is it's so incredible that you don't want to touch it," she admitted.

"No-one would ever do it like Amy, and I think it was definitely scary for all of us... that feeling of, you've got to live up to that expectation. You've got to fill her shoes, and they're big shoes to fill.

"But I think we all smashed it, and I think it was honestly the most beautiful, inspirational day I've had in a very long time."

Next month she will head off to Australia with Harry Styles for a series of support slots, which the childhood One Direction fan says is "surreal", and something she agreed to with "no questions asked".

"'Whatever I've got, cancel it'," she joked she had told her team on hearing about the request.

"It felt like a dream because I was the age of One Direction [fans], so that was around when I was a child and obviously I loved them and Harry and Zane were my favourites.

"So then now to go and support Harry Styles is just mental."