Little Simz Surprises Fans With New EP Sugar Girl
‘The Wave Returns’: Little Simz Surprises Fans With New EP Sugar Girl
LONDON — The North London wordsmith is back. Following a whirlwind year that saw her conquering cinema screens and curating world-class festivals, Little Simz has officially announced her next musical chapter. The Mercury Prize winner took to social media late on Wednesday to confirm that a new EP, titled Sugar Girl, will be released next week on Friday 8th May.
The announcement was accompanied by a striking, monochrome teaser clip featuring a snippet of a bass-heavy, atmospheric track. True to the artist’s "minimalist-but-meaningful" aesthetic, the post offered little in the way of a tracklist, but immediately set the industry alight with anticipation.
The ‘Sugar Girl’ Frequency
Sugar Girl marks Simz’s first major body of work since the 2025 release of her sixth studio album, Lotus, which debuted at Number 3 in the UK charts. While Lotus was celebrated for its orchestral grandeur and introspective themes, early indications suggest the new EP may lean into a grittier, club-leaning sound.
The project will be released via AWAL Recordings, the independent powerhouse that has supported Simz’s rise from underground favourite to global icon. Sources close to the artist suggest the EP was recorded during her travels following her recent sold-out arena tour.
“This project feels like a reset,” a source within her camp noted. “If Lotus was the deep dive, Sugar Girl is the victory lap. It’s sharp, it’s fast, and it reminds everyone why she’s arguably the best lyricist in the country right now.”
A Year of Artistic Domination
The announcement caps off a prolific twelve-month stretch for the rapper, born Simbiatu Ajikawo. Since the turn of the year, Simz has balanced her musical output with a burgeoning acting career, appearing alongside Cillian Murphy in the acclaimed drama Steve, for which she also provided the original song "Don’t Leave Too Soon".
Her influence on the UK cultural landscape was further cemented last summer when she took the reins as the curator for the 30th edition of London’s Meltdown Festival, bringing a diverse array of global talent to the Southbank Centre.
Little Simz – Recent Discography & Accolades
| Project | Year | UK Chart Peak | Key Award/Nomination |
| Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | 2021 | #4 | Mercury Prize Winner |
| No Thank You | 2022 | #— (Surprise Drop) | MOBO Best Album |
| Lotus | 2025 | #3 | BRITs Album of the Year Nominee |
| Sugar Girl (EP) | 2026 | TBC | Release Date: 8 May |
Summer of Simz: Tour Dates
The release of Sugar Girl serves as the perfect precursor to a packed festival season. Simz is scheduled to headline Brockwell Park on 24th May for the Cross The Tracks festival, followed by a major performance at the Downs in Bristol on 30th August.
Fans are already speculating that the new EP will form a core part of her festival setlist, as she continues to expand her "Little Simz Live" experience with enhanced visual storytelling and live instrumentation.
The Verdict
By announcing the project just nine days before its release, Little Simz continues to favour the "surprise drop" strategy that has served her so well in the past. In an era of long, drawn-out rollout campaigns, the immediacy of Sugar Girl feels like a breath of fresh air, a direct transmission from one of the most vital voices in British music.
