THE UNDERCOVER HIPPY: Drum and Bass MC turned singer-songwriter Billy Rowan, aka The Undercover Hippy, is definitely not your average singer songwriter. Described by Tom Robinson (BBC6Music) as being “like the love-child of Steel Pulse, Kate Tempest and The Sleaford Mods”, his music brings together powerful messages, infectious reggae rhythms, and the lyrical delivery of a skilled mc. Combining intelligent, provocative lyrics with dangerously catchy hooks and a feel good groove, this is music for the thinking man to shake his arse to. Think Natty meets Eminem…on a protest march…at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Renowned for the electric atmosphere of their live shows, Billy and his band have performed at some of the UK’s best festivals, including Glastonbury, Boomtown Fair, Shambala, Green Man, The Secret Garden Party, Ireland’s Electric Picnic, and many more. As the music clocks up over 3 million streams on Spotify, the band have been clocking up motorway miles, touring relentlessly, with over 80 shows and festival appearances across the UK and Europe each year. Highlights have included headlining alongside The Cat Empire, Grandmaster Flash and The Skints at Eden Festival in Scotland, playing to 1000’s of festival goers at Buskers Bern in Austria, and making a much anticipated debut appearance to a 2000 strong crowd at Boomtown Fair near Winchester.

 

“Beautifully produced agitprop reggae flavoured rap”
“Like the love-child of Steel Pulse, Kate Tempest, and The Sleaford Mods” Tom Robinson, BBC6Music
“Delivers big, weighty messages with an optimistic and entertaining light-heartedness” On The Beat (review of album launch)
“A powerful masterpiece… weaves together humour and shrewd political commentary to create a catchy, fun and renegade modern protest album that could not be more relevant” On The Beat (review of Truth & Fiction)
“The band lit up the venue with their tongue-in-cheek yet poignant music” ClunkMag Review
“Insanely infectious” **** (Truth & Fiction album review) Liverpool Sound & Vision
“Politically charged reggae that sticks two fingers up to the powers that be” Fresh on The Net, Christopher McBride
“His combination of catchy tunes, rhythmical vocal style, and socially aware (but often amusing) lyrics, is a recipe that is difficult to nail without seeming preachy or dull, but Rowan succeeds where many fail.” eGigs.co.uk

 

SUPPORT FROM ROAMAN: From acoustic folk to reggae, drawing inspiration from gospel and hip hop, Italian singer-songwriter turned “artivist” Roaman weaves an eclectic and unpredictable tapestry of memorable melodies and inspiring, thought-provoking lyrics with a clear intention in mind: uplift the spirit, shake the collective conscience, and remind us that: “everyone is family and everywhere is home”.

After years of refining his uplifting sound performing and busking between London, Italy and the Canary Islands, Roaman has spent the last 3 years between Europe and California touring independently from Chicago to Los Angeles, to promote his newest album “People of the Sun”, his third musical project following the first two EPs “Free at Last” and “Younger Now”.