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Emma-Jean Thackray

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Emma-Jean Thackray
Birth nameEmma-Jean Thackray
OriginLeeds, England, UK
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • Producer
  • Singer
  • Bandleader
  • Songwriter
  • Composer
  • DJ
  • Broadcaster
Instruments
  • Voice
  • Trumpet
  • Guitar
  • Bass Guitar
  • Drums
  • Percussion
  • Keyboard
  • Electronics
Years active2015-present
LabelsBrownswood Recordings, Parlophone, Movementt, International Anthem, The Vinyl Factory
Websiteemmajeanthackray.com

Emma-Jean Thackray is an English musician and DJ, described by The Guardian as a 'musical polymath'.[1] She was born and brought up in Leeds, West Yorkshire,[2] and is now based in south London.[3] She is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and vocalist.[4][5] She has directed the London Symphony Orchestra[6] and performed at Glastonbury,[7] won the Jazz FM public vote for act of the Year in 2021, and the following year won their Album of the Year awards for her debut album ‘Yellow'.[8] She played every instrument, wrote every song and recorded each aspect of the music on her 2025 album 'Weirdo', apart from cameo appearances by Reggie Watts and Kassa Overall.[9] She is signed to Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label[10] and Parlophone.[11]

Early life

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Thackray grew up in a working-class family and has spoken openly about growing up in a low income household.[12] She began playing the cornet in primary school, using an instrument her parents bought from a second-hand music shop.[13] By her teens, she was playing Principal Cornet and Trumpet in several brass bands in Yorkshire.[14] She studied jazz performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama under British jazz pianist and composer Keith Tippett.[15] After her studies at the college, she took a Masters in orchestral jazz composition at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance under composers Issie Barratt and Errollyn Wallen.[14]

Music career

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In 2016, Thackray self-released her debut EP Walrus.[16] The same year, she was selected as a participant on the Red Bull Music Academy.[17] She wrote and played all the music on Ley Lines (2018), which was released by Vinyl Factory, as well as recording, producing and mixing the release.[18]

The following year her collaboration with drummer Makaya McCraven, "Too Shy" / "Run Dem" was released on Chicago label International Anthem.[19] In September 2019 she was asked by BBC Radio 1 to arrange a cover of Dua Lipa's New Rules with all sounds made by brass instruments and car horns, as a trailer for the Greg James Breakfast Show.[20]

In 2020, Thackray started self-releasing her own music under the label name Movementt, in collaboration with Warp Records.[21] The label's first release was her solo EP Rain Dance, followed by reissues of her 2016 EP Walrus and 2018 EP Ley Lines.[22] Also in 2020, Thackray released an EP, Um Yang, with Night Dreamer Records.

In June 2021 Thackray made her first appearance on Jools Holland's BBC Two show Later... With Jools Holland performing "Say Something". Later the same year she was signed by Warner Chappell Music.[23]

In July 2021, Thackray self-released Yellow, her debut album.[15] The album reached No. 1 in the UK Jazz Albums Chart, and No. 3 in the UK Independent Albums Chart.[24][25]

Four-track improvised EP Talking Therapy by Talking Therapy Ensemble was released on Movementt in February 2022.[26] The ensemble recorded at Abbey Road Studios as part of Abbey Road Amplify x Pitchfork London Sessions.[27]

In 2025 Thackray released second album Weirdo, which Thackray self-produced, self-performed and self-mixed.[28] Discussing her vocal technique with 15Questions.net she said: “I want to be able to control every single aspect; that's how you master your voice.”[29]

Other artforms

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Thackray is also a DJ[30] and has been booked to play records at festivals including Glastonbury[31] and BBC6Music Festival.[32]

She hosted a monthly show on Worldwide FM between October 2018 and October 2022. The show was nominated for a Best Radio Show at DJ Magazine's Best of British awards 2022.[33] As well as covering for Mary Anne Hobbs[34] on 6Music and Soweto Kinch on BBC Radio 3,[35] she hosted occasional shows on NTS[36] and multiple residencies on Jazz FM.[37] She currently has a monthly residency on Tokyo station J-Wave. [38]

In 2022, Emma-Jean scored the soundtrack to a short film, Erax, for Netflix dir. Hebru Brantley [39]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Extended plays

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  • Walrus (2016, Movementt)
  • Ley Lines (2018, The Vinyl Factory/ Movementt)
  • Um Yang 음 양 (2020, Night Dreamer)
  • Rain Dance (2020, Movementt)

Personal life

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Emma-Jean Thackray is a Taoist and regularly releases music inspired by her practice.[15]

A lifelong fan of Leeds United FC,[40]Thackray has appeared on TalkSport,[41] and came second in the Predictions League for Chris Sutton's weekly football feature on the BBC.[42] In March 2025 she won One Football's AI vs Humans Predictions feature.[43]

In January 2023 her long-term partner died suddenly from natural causes.[44] “The album is about survival,” she told The Guardian of Weirdo, the album she made in the aftermath of this bereavement. “If I hadn't made this record, I would not be here".[45]

Emma-Jean Thackray is autistic and has ADHD[15] and has spoken openly about her mental health struggles.[46] She is a vegan.[47]

Awards and recognition

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Award Year Nominee(s) Category Result Ref.
Jazz FM Awards 2022 Yellow Album Of The Year Won [48]
AIM Independent Music Awards 2022 Yellow Best Independent Album Nominated [49]
DJ Mag Best of British Awards 2022 Radio Show on Worldwide FM Best Radio Show Nominated [50]
MOBO Awards 2021 Herself Best Jazz Act Nominated [51]
Jazz FM Awards 2021 Herself Act Of The Year Won [52]
Jazz FM Awards 2019 Herself Breakthrough Artist Nominated [53]

References

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  1. ^ Hutchinson, Kate (22 April 2025). "UK jazz star Emma-Jean Thackray: 'I had the word weirdo thrust upon me. So I'm reclaiming it'". The Guardian.
  2. ^ "Emma-Jean Thackray: "It's about trying to get that genuine, organic sound. Not trying to force it, not trying to contrive anything."". jazzwise.com. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  3. ^ sourced by her bandcamp bio notifications
  4. ^ Staff, Wonderland (28 January 2025). "Emma-Jean Thackray Talks Sophomore Album & More". Wonderland.
  5. ^ Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; Finamore, Emma (30 October 2018). "Meet The Women Pushing UK Jazz Forward".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "Emma-Jean Thackray unites jazz, electronics and classical music in the spirit of improvisation — The Vinyl Factory". www.thevinylfactory.com.
  7. ^ "BBC Music - Glastonbury, On Air, Herbie Hancock, Emma-Jean Thackray, Lianne La Havas". BBC.
  8. ^ "Jazz FM Awards".
  9. ^ Garner, Sadie Sartini. "Emma-Jean Thackray: Weirdo". Pitchfork.
  10. ^ "Emma-Jean Thackray new album 'Weirdo' out now - Brownswood Recordings". 25 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Weirdo, by Emma-Jean Thackray". Emma-Jean Thackray.
  12. ^ Wilde, Jamie (24 April 2025). ""I just needed to live my purpose"". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  13. ^ "BBC Four - BBC Young Musician, 2020, Jazz Final - Emma-Jean Thackray". BBC.
  14. ^ a b Richards, Debra. "Emma-Jean Thackray: "It's about trying to get that genuine, organic sound..."". Jazzwise. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d Hutchinson. "One to watch: Emma-Jean Thackray". The Guardian.
  16. ^ "Walrus". Bandcamp.com.
  17. ^ "Emma-Jean Thackray: Women Make Music". PRS for Music Foundation.
  18. ^ "UK jazz star and multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray announces new EP Ley Lines — The Vinyl Factory". www.thevinylfactory.com.
  19. ^ "Too Shy". Bandcamp.com.
  20. ^ "Emma-Jean Thackray on Beatmaking, Brass Bands and Film Scoring". composer.spitfireaudio.com.
  21. ^ Bulut, Selim (4 March 2020). "Emma-Jean Thackray makes music to move the body, mind, and soul". Dazeddigital.com.
  22. ^ Helfet, Gabriela (12 February 2020). "Multi-instrumentalist/producer Emma-Jean Thackray launches new label with first EP, Rain Dance". The Vinyl Factory.
  23. ^ Andre Paine (14 June 2021). "Warner Chappell signs rising UK jazz star Emma-Jean Thackray". Music Week. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  24. ^ "Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart Top 30 | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  25. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50 | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  26. ^ "Talking Therapy, by Talking Therapy Ensemble". Emma-Jean Thackray.
  27. ^ Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; Murray, Robin (24 February 2022). "Emma-Jean Thackray Announces New Project Talking Therapy Ensemble".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ F, Jim. "Album Review: Emma-Jean Thackray – Weirdo; Grief grooves with funk-fueled resilience". Backseat Mafia. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
  29. ^ "15 questions | Interview | Emma Jean Thackray | "I'm definitely revealing deep secrets and singing about uncomfortable truths."".
  30. ^ "BBC Radio 6 Music - the Morning After Mix, Emma-Jean Thackray's YES live set".
  31. ^ "THURSDAY - 6pm HMS Buckfast DJ set". x.com.
  32. ^ 6Music Festival
  33. ^ "DJ Mag Best of British awards 2022: Voting is now open". 16 November 2022.
  34. ^ "BBC Radio 6 Music - Mary Anne Hobbs, with Emma-Jean Thackray".
  35. ^ Writer, Staff (17 February 2025). "Emma-Jean Thackray Sits In". bbc.co.uk. BBC.
  36. ^ "Emma Jean Thackray 24th July 2018".
  37. ^ "Emma-Jean Thackray's Jazz FM Residency". hellorayo.co.uk.
  38. ^ "Emma-Jean Thackray J-Wave Residency".
  39. ^ "Erax (Original Score from the Netflix Film)". Spotify.
  40. ^ Jones, Craig (29 December 2024). "Famous music star talks about her Leeds United love". leeds-live.co.uk. Reach Media.
  41. ^ https://x.com/ejthackray/status/1558724217713082369 [permanent dead link]
  42. ^ "Premier League predictions: Chris Sutton v Emma-Jean Thackray". 28 December 2024.
  43. ^ "🤖 AI vs Humans: Predicting the results of Premier League Matchday 28". 8 March 2025.
  44. ^ "Album of the Month: Weirdo, Emma Jean Thackray | WorldwideFM".
  45. ^ Hutchinson, Kate (22 April 2025). "UK jazz star Emma-Jean Thackray: 'I had the word weirdo thrust upon me. So I'm reclaiming it'". The Guardian.
  46. ^ ""I Just Needed to Live My Purpose" Emma-Jean Thackray Interviewed | Features". 24 April 2025.
  47. ^ "The Story Behind Every Song on Emma-Jean Thackray's New Album 'Weirdo'". 25 April 2025.
  48. ^ "Jazz FM Awards Results 2022". jazzfmawards.com.
  49. ^ "FIRST WAVE OF NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR AIM INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS 2022". aimawards.co.uk.
  50. ^ "DJ Mag Best of British awards 2022: voting is now open". djmag.com.
  51. ^ "THE MOBO AWARDS ANNOUNCE THEIR 2021 NOMINEES 2021". mobo.com.
  52. ^ "Jazz FM Awards Results 2021". jazzfmawards.com.
  53. ^ "Jazz FM Awards Nominations Announced". jazzfmawards.com.
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