Right now, a pioneering artist and activist is writing the next chapter of their story, powered by thirty years of hard-won experience and carrying a powerful message.
Meet Indigo Reign.
Who? Well, if you’ve been around the jungle and drum ‘n’ bass scene any time over the last three decades, you’ll know her by the name Lady MC. After all, she was one of the very few women to make it onto line-ups in the testosterone-heavy world of nineties rave emceeing so she was hard to miss. If you heard a woman’s voice on a DnB tape pack back in the day, there’s a very good chance it was her. Even that would be legacy enough, given the doors she helped open for today’s generation of female artists, but that’s just the beginning.
And, anyway, that was Lady MC, the rough-hewn, dance-hyping, gun-finger brandishing spitter, born in the rave and trained on stage. That’s a previous incarnation.
Indigo Reign takes things to a whole new level, taking those years of experience and alchemically transmuting them into brand new possibilities.
The story started in a childhood which brought an array of musical influences to the young Indigo Reign. Of course, she was simply Kerry O’Brien then; learning to play around with songwriting and singing inspired by her musician dad. The classic rock, pop and reggae she was introduced to at home was supplemented by her grandma’s love of jazz and her own discovery of rap via the likes of Salt n Pepa and MC Hammer. This was her first taste of emcee culture, something that would, by her mid-teens, become one of the most important parts of her life.
It all came together at a drum ‘n’ bass rave at Club Labrynth. Still only fourteen years old – people were a bit more chill about ID in those days – the soon-to-be Lady MC saw real live mic controllers in action and that was that. Sure, she’d played around with rapping previously, even popping up on kids TV once to spit some bars, but she never thought it would be a serious hobby, let alone a career. That night, though, seeing the way the emcees connected with the crowd and held their attention, a whole new dimension was opened up to her. She saw these artists holding and controlling their space, and that would be a theme for the rest of her career.
So, she was off and running. Over the next few years she took every opportunity to get on the mic that she could. Winning a Kool FM emcee competition helped put her on the map, and she credits original junglist mic man Deemas J for his encouragement and for giving her early opportunities.
It wasn’t all so pleasant, though. Not everyone was on board with the idea of a woman on the mic, and Lady MC had to face some tough and discouraging times. Even after she was an established professional, she was still having to deal with sexist attitudes and sometimes physical intimidation. There were the Deemas J’s of this world – and a few other supportive artists like the Ragga Twins and IC3 – but the journey was far from plain sailing.
Still, she held her space.
A trip to Miami Winter Music Conference in 2001 – where the elite of electronic music congregate each year – led to a meeting with the mighty TC Izlam (RIP), and an invitation to join his crew’s “Compound” in New Jersey. The following year was spent in the States where Lady MC toured, performed and collaborated with the literal founding fathers of hip-hop. Let’s be honest, playing shows and learning hip-hop lore with the likes of Afrika Bambaataa and Kool Herc would seem an impossible fantasy for most British DnB emcees. But, then again, a woman being a DnB emcee in the first place used to seem impossible too. Lady MC, now Indigo Reign, has never been constrained by what’s considered possible.
Already an inspirational figure, the next stage in her journey proved to be something completely different. Having been asked to do a motivational talk at a local school, she found herself connecting with a young girl and realising that she had a mission to support and elevate young people. This coincided with a powerful spiritual awakening, and the narrative of empowerment – encouraging others to hold their space and express themselves creatively – took on new meaning.
This was the birth of the organisation that would become the Young Urban Arts Foundation. Through mentoring, workshops, and an ethos of empowerment through artistry and creativity, the YUAF has helped and supported tens of thousands of young people, especially in deprived or opportunity-scarce areas. Having built a solid team of motivated and talented people, her ambition for the YUAF continues to grow, garnering widespread media attention and plaudits.
And now, there’s Indigo Reign. This new name reflects how far Kerry O’Brien has come and how much she’s evolved. Make no mistake, though, the mission is still the same. Lady MC was born from the empowerment she saw rave emcees conveying; instructing crowds to hold their space, lose their inhibitions and express themselves through movement. YUAF does the same job – just in different environments – using music and artistry to empower and encourage. Indigo Reign brings all that together.
You’ll see Indigo Reign performing as a liquid drum ‘n’ bass emcee, bringing a whole new level of soul and maturity to her craft, as well as representing as a regular part of the Kool FM line-up. With her lyricism informed by spoken word poetry – yet another string to her bow – and with decades of experience performing in all kinds of environments, her shows across raves and airwaves alike are set to be unmissable for all real aficionados of this music.
Indigo Reign is the fulfilment of Kerry O’Brien’s journey. The music, the message, the mission, all of them come together to show us an example of someone who held their space and didn’t back down, who wields art and creativity as tools for change, and who wants all of us to live our authentic lives.
