Selections: Emma-Jean Thackray

Listening to Emma-Jean Thackray’s latest album, ‘Weirdo’, feels like peering inside the Leeds-born artist’s psyche. Explorations of grief, identity and selfhood are expressed through ​​glowing synth washes, brass shards and buoyant polyrhythms, bringing her jazz background into sharper focus while folding in ever-more funk, soul, and analog electronic influences. It’s bruising and beautiful in equal measure, and befitting to an artist who has spent the past few years quietly but decisively staking her claim as one of the UK’s most singular musical figures.

Originally conceived as a meditation on neurodivergence and mental health, ‘Weirdo’ changed course dramatically after the unexpected loss of Thackray’s long-term partner in 2023. Entirely alone in her South London flat, she arranged, performed and produced the record in a profound bid to process the trauma and recalibrate her life. What emerged was a 19-track epic which tackles its heavy themes with a lightness and reverence that stays with you long after the needle lifts. “I think we need to talk about the dark shit in our heads, and finding the humour in it only makes that easier,” Thackray shared following its release. “When you centre in on the silliness it’s easier to speak on your pain, and easier for others to hear it.”

The groundswell of support for the record culminated in ‘Weirdo’ being shortlisted for the 2025 Mercury Prize, a milestone Thackray described as “bucket list sh*t”. Since then, the multi-hyphenate has leveraged the momentum to explore new musical avenues, including film-scoring and remixing. In September, she dropped her ‘EJT remix’ of album track, ‘Save Me’, flipping the technicolour nu-jazz number into a club rager with a formidable bassline and razor-sharp drum programming. “It’s full of loads of bass, big kick drums, lots of claps, and vocal chops to make you cry in the club (it’s okay, don’t be scared, the lights are off anyway),” she shared. You can watch Thackray playing out the remix here. 

She’s also excited to focus more energy into DJing, with upcoming sets including the launch party for new independent arts and music festival, Show of Hands. Her approach behind the decks mirrors her broader musical ethos: jazz-leaning but grounded in warm, soulful electronics and shot through with unexpected club energy.

Thackray’s Selections this week offer an insight into her tastemaking palette, taking in 10 essential tracks for headphones and the club. Dive in below.