artistsGet to know Angel-Ho, the artist fusing neo-pop anthems with gritty club mentality

“When I was younger I wanted to dance like a pop star and be like that bitch on stage,” laughs 24-year-old South African singer, songwriter and performer Angel-Ho. “Music was a fantasy I could enjoy in this harsh world. It was pure, innocent fun and now, it’s an escape to really enjoy myself in the world.”

Last time we caught up with Angel she was preparing to do just that. Hitting up Hyperdub’s Ø club night at Corsica Studios as part of a UK tour, she invited fans into her elaborate, escapist world. As she transformed the club’s usually dark Room 1 into a blue-lit fantasy land, she performed material from her forthcoming debut album ‘Death Becomes Her’ complete with on-stage outfit change and an occasional whip of flame-coloured hair.

“It was when I was studying and doing a lot of performance art that I realised I should be a performer and make music,” she tells us. “It was an innate calling. I was drawn to the microphone, I was drawn to the idea of performing for an audience and really pushing the idea of what performance can be, what a stage show can be.”

For many, it’s Angel’s work as part of forward-thinking collective NON Worldwide that springs to mind. As co-founder of the underground collective, Angel’s deconstructed material was as thought-provoking as it was impactful on the dancefloor. Releases such as her 2015 Arca-mastered EP ‘Ascension’ through to her explosive mixes showcased the sound pioneered by her crew and NON affiliates.