Closer to Kae Tempest
ELLA GAUCI CHATS to the spoken word poet and writer who has shaken up the scene since 2013
Kae Tempest has the kind of voice that stops you completely in your tracks. In fact, I think Kae could just read out the ingredients in a packet of Oreos and I’d feel as though I was experiencing an existential revelation. After only a few minutes of our Zoom call, I am completely, utterly, earth-shatteringly spellbound.
Having found recognition and acclaim after the release of their spoken word piece Brand New Ancients in 2013, Kae has seemingly never stopped writing. The spoken word performer, poet, recording artist, novelist and playwright boasts a portfolio most could only dream of. From their Mercury Prize-nominated albums Everybody Down and Let Them Eat Chaos to their Sunday Times best-selling debut novel The Bricks That Built The Houses, Kae’s work is never-ending.