Fusing poetry and music together, the artistic stylings of Lanaire Aderemi (Verse Writer) have already put her on the map as one of the most exciting and innovative rising artists in the UK. From the publishing of her poetry anthology, ‘of ivory and ink’ in 2017, Verse Writer’s writing has been steeped in the rich history of Nigerian voices that history has threatened to forget. Her ability to tackle topics like feminism,faith and family in an engaging and captivating manner, led to her being named one of the 30 artists commissioned by the Coventry City of Culture Trust. Her play, ‘an evening with verse writer’, received an Artistic Development Award as it blurred the lines between spoken word, traditional storytelling, and theatre, inviting the audience to become active participants in a world of her own creation. Verse Writer has opened for young stars like Ajebutter and Odunsi The Engine. ‘Ancient History’, her 2018 collaborative EP with King Solomon, was another artistic leap, putting her poetry to music and letting it bleed into the dizzying raps from King Solomon. She has had the opportunity to work with fashion labels like BLOKE, and even had her work featured on the BLOKE Fashion Show during Lagos Fashion Design Week Runway. Verse Writer is constantly challenging and reinventing herself, making her an artist to follow closely. Quite simply, you’re never sure what she’ll do next. -Seunfunmi Tinubu