Little Simz – Lotus

Little Simz’s “Lotus” emerges from profound personal betrayal as her childhood friend and longtime producer Inflo allegedly failed to repay £1.7 million in loans, leaving her financially devastated and artistically liberated. Working with new producer Miles Clinton James, she transforms this devastation into her most emotionally raw statement yet—opening with the venomous “Thief,” a forensic takedown delivered over noir-inspired production that sets the album’s confrontational tone. The sonic palette expands dramatically across thirteen tracks, incorporating Afrobeat grooves, punk influences, orchestral arrangements, and intimate acoustic moments that showcase her artistic range beyond the Inflo collaboration era. Standout moments include the therapeutic sibling dialogue of “Blood” featuring Wretch 32, the nearly seven-minute title track’s cathartic build with Michael Kiwanuka and Yussef Dayes, and the vulnerable closer “Blue” where Sampha’s ghostly vocals accompany her confession of career uncertainty. The lotus metaphor proves surprisingly effective—Simz genuinely blooms from muddy circumstances, channelling rage into wisdom on tracks like “Free” while maintaining her sophisticated lyricism and vocal control. This isn’t just artistic achievement but emotional necessity; this album had to exist for her survival as an independent artist, and the result is a fucking masterpiece that sometimes proves the best revenge is success served over jazz-influenced production with devastating precision.