Emma Kirby (born 1988, in

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

), known as Elkka, is a Welsh producer, vocalist, and DJ. With a background of songwriter and vocalist for Elkka is best known for winning the Essential Mix of the Year (BBC1) in 2021. She is also known as the co-founder of femme culture, which she founded with her partner Alex Lambert, an inclusive queer platform. The label organizes the annual HeForShe compilation, and all profits go to the charity U.N. Women.

Early life

Born in

, Wales, Elkka started her career as a songwriter. She grew up listening to RnB, pop stars such as

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

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Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...

and wanted to become a pop vocalist. In 2016, Elkka switched from writing to producing music after being inspired by musicians such as

Laurie Anderson Laurel Philips Anderson (born June 5, 1947), known as Laurie Anderson, is an American avant-garde artist, composer, musician, and film director whose work spans performance art, pop music, and multimedia projects. Initially trained in violin and ...

and

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Career

Elkka has released music on Local Action, Ninja Tune, and her own label femme culture as well as providing remixes for Kelly Lee Owens, Hector Plimmer, and Ela Minus. In May 2021, her

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

(EP), ''Euphoric Melodies'', was released. It is a fusion of house and electronica genres. In November 2021, her second EP, ''Harmonic Melodies'', was released under the Technicolor imprint. In the same year, she received Essential Mix of the Year award. Following her award for Essential Mix of the Year 2021 for BBC Radio 1, Elkka was made BBC Radio 1 Resident in April 2022, alongside Ben UFO, Andy C, TSHA, and others. In August 2021 Elkka won the Association of Independent Music award for Best Independent Remix for her remix of Ela Minus - Megapunk. In November 2021 Elkka was nominated in the DJ Mag Awards for Best Breakthrough Producer. On tour, Elkka has supported Caribou and Jon Hopkins, and she has played at significant venues and festivals including

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, and O2 Academy Brixton. Elkka is also known for founding a record label named femme culture. The label organizes the annual HeForShe compilation with the help of

UN Women The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, is a United Nations entity working for gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN Women advocates for the rights of women and girls, and focu ...

Discography

* ''Harmonic Melodies'' (2021) * ''Euphoric Melodies'' (2021) *''I Miss Raving'' (2020)

Awards and nominations

BBC Radio 1 Awards

Other Awards

* AIM Independent Remix of the Year (2021) * Nominated Breakthrough Producer of The Year in the DJ Mag Awards (2021)

References

{{BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix of the Year Award Welsh women singer-songwriters Welsh singer-songwriters People from Cardiff