Local music acts to perform at Latitude 2025
There will be some great local talent on stage at Latitude this year, with four East Anglian bands playing over the festival weekend.
The acts were chosen through BBC Introducing and the First Light music festival, which takes place each year in Lowestoft and is known for showcasing local and emerging artists.
From Suffolk…
Jazmine Honey Banks is a rising country-pop singer-songwriter from Lowestoft, known for her heartfelt lyrics and captivating performances. With a deep love for country music, Jazmine blends traditional country sounds with modern pop influences, creating her own unique style.
Currently, she’s busy releasing new tracks and performing with her band, The Wild Hearts, at various festivals.
She says: “We are really excited to be playing Latitude this year. To get the opportunity is amazing considering I've been coming to the festival since I was 16! When we got that phone call, we were thrilled.”
Now aged 25, Jazmine has been singing since she was 13 years old, and was on X Factor at 19 where she was put into a country band with two other girls. Though she didn’t progress in the competition, it was this experience that uncovered her passion for country music. Last year her band played in Nashville, and this year they have performed as part of the First Light Festival - through that, they were chosen for Latitude.
“I think it's such a lovely festival to come to and especially being on my doorstep,” Jazmine smiles. “A lot of my friends come to this festival so to be able to say that I'm playing it is just amazing, really. There are amazing artists on all weekend and to say you're part of that - it's wonderful.”
Jazmine Banks and the Wild Hearts will be on stage at the Sunrise Arena on Saturday, July 26, and can be found on Spotify and Instagram.
Also playing, from Norfolk…
Chest is a Norwich band that takes its influence from guitar-driven 90s alt pop. It is known for creating a sound that is steeped in nostalgia while being intensely modern and novel, merging inspiration from the likes of Catatonia with more contemporary influences such as Been Stellar and Inhaler.
Also playing is Lottie Gray, who spent most of her childhood nurturing her imagination by conjuring stories from her bedroom on the south Norfolk coastline. Now aged 21, she creates an intimate, open conversation between audience and artist and is influenced by the prolific Joni Mitchell, Taylor Swift, Maggie Rogers and Bruce Springsteen. Lottie's ability to jump across genres has taken her songwriting to extraordinary heights, blending elements from pop, folk and Americana. She is now studying music in Manchester says she is delighted to be given the opportunity to play at Latitude, having visited many times. She adds: “I'm so excited. I think when I get on that stage and see people resonating with my music, it'll just be a really special feeling.”
Finally, Arthur Black draws inspiration from the wistful sonic musings of Big Thief, The Cranberries, and Fleetwood. Raised off-grid, the Norwich-based artist fostered an appreciation for alternative sounds through their family’s eclectic musical tastes. Following a family tragedy, Black turned to songwriting and guitar as a means of solace and they have been honing their talent at Access Creative College’s Norwich campus.
Lottie Gray, Arthur Black and Chest will take to the Alcove Stage over the festival weekend.
Latitude Festival is at Henham Park on 24-27 July 2025.
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