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Kitty Empire
Kitty Empire
Kitty Empire
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Kitty Empire (born 1970) is a British writer and music critic, currently writing for The Observer.[1]

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Empire says that she was born in Montreal, Quebec, in 1970 and brought up in Canada, Italy and Egypt before arriving in Britain in 1988. She studied at Wadham College, Oxford, and Thames Valley University before working as a stage door-keeper for the Royal Shakespeare Company and London's Barbican Theatre.[2] Empire describes herself as a feminist.[3]

Career

[edit]

Empire began writing about music at the NME in 1995, continuing for seven years. In 2002, she became pop critic for The Observer.[2] She has also contributed to a variety of publications and broadcasts such as Elle (US), GQ, Radio 4's Woman's Hour, Newsnight Review, Uncut and The Scotsman.[2] In 2008, she served as a judge for the Mercury Music Prize and she is a guest judge for the 2022 Observer / Anthony Burgess Prize for Arts Journalism.[4][5] Empire also featured on 5Live, BBC 6Music, and BBC2's The Culture Show and Newsnight Review.[1]

Critical reception

[edit]

Writing in Cambridge University's Popular Music journal, Devon Powers and Tom Perchard describe Empire as "one of the UK's comparatively few broadsheet pop critics, and one of the most insightful."[6] Jennifer Skellington notes that Empire's reviewing style focuses as much upon the artists as their art, and reflects a trend towards "a less conservative approach to rock- and pop-related writing" in the quality press.[7] Educator Mary Hogarth praises Empire's "show, don't tell" approach to writing, her pacing, and her balance of description, perspective, and first-hand experience.[8]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Kitty Empire

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Kitty Empire is the of a British and , renowned for her role as the pop critic for since 2002. Born in , , in 1970, she was raised in , , and before moving to the in 1988. Empire studied at , and Thames Valley University, after which she worked as a stage door-keeper for the Royal Shakespeare Company at London's . Her journalism career began in 1995 when she joined (NME), where she wrote about and edited the new bands section for seven years until 2002. In addition to her print work, Empire has contributed to outlets such as , , and Uncut, and she frequently appears on , 5 Live, and 6 Music, as well as BBC Two's The Culture Show and Newsnight Review. She has served on judging panels for prestigious awards including the , the , and the , and occasionally reviews middle-years children's books.

Early life and education

Upbringing

Kitty Empire was born in , , , in 1970. Her family relocated frequently during her childhood, moving from to and then to , which provided her with early exposure to a variety of cultures and environments that broadened her worldview. In 1988, at the age of 18, she immigrated to the , where she would later pursue her education.

Studies and early influences

Empire attended Wadham College at the for her undergraduate studies. Following this, she pursued further education at Thames Valley University, now known as the . After completing her studies, Empire took on entry-level roles in London's scene, including as a stage door-keeper for the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Barbican Theatre. These formative experiences in theater and performance, combined with her international upbringing in Canada, Egypt, and Italy, nurtured her interests in artistic expression and live performance.

Professional career

Beginnings in journalism

Kitty Empire entered the field of music journalism in 1995 when she joined New Musical Express (NME), drawing on her background in the arts from early jobs including as a stage door-keeper for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her first professional role came in 1995 when she joined (NME) as a junior writer, where she began covering the burgeoning music scene of the era. In this capacity, Empire edited the new bands section, focusing on emerging artists and helping to spotlight up-and-coming talent amid the vibrant indie and landscapes of the time. This early position allowed her to hone her skills in a fast-paced environment, navigating the challenges of tight deadlines and the need to identify influential sounds in a rapidly evolving industry. During her initial years at NME, Empire's work emphasized discovery and critique of fresh music acts, contributing to the magazine's reputation for breaking new ground in pop and rock coverage. Her growth as a writer was marked by an increasing depth in analyzing cultural shifts, setting the foundation for her later prominence in music criticism.

Tenure at NME

Kitty Empire began her tenure at New Musical Express (NME) in 1995 and remained on staff for seven years until 2002. During this period, she focused on pop and alternative music, producing reviews, interviews, and features that documented key developments in the British and international scenes. Empire's contributions included in-depth interviews with prominent alternative artists, such as her 1999 "On the Couch" feature with indie ahead of his showcase performance. In the piece, Smith shared personal reflections on topics ranging from his favorite songs—like Quasi's instrumental "Success Can Only Fail Me Now"—to his greatest fears of bitterness and regrets over youthful misadventures, highlighting Empire's skill in eliciting introspective responses from emerging talents. She also covered live events central to the alternative and electronic landscapes, reviewing Björk's 1997 concert at Apollo as part of NME's ongoing documentation of the artist's innovative performances. Additionally, Empire co-reported on the 1998 festival, capturing the vibrancy of indie acts and the shifting cultural dynamics in British music amid the transition. Her work extended to emerging indie scenes, as seen in her positive 2001 review of ' self-titled album, praising their raw, gutter-level energy. In 2002, she critiqued Alec 's Intelligence & Sacrifice, underscoring the intensity of within the electronic realm.

Role at The Observer

In 2002, Kitty Empire was appointed as the pop critic for , a position she has held continuously through 2025, contributing to the paper's coverage of . Empire's regular columns for , published under Media Group, encompass album reviews, live concert critiques, and analyses of broader industry trends, such as annual selections of standout releases. Her work at the paper built on her earlier tenure at , allowing for more expansive, reflective commentary on music's cultural role. Throughout her columns, Empire addresses a wide array of genres, spanning mainstream pop—as seen in her reviews of artists like and —to experimental and indie sounds, including acts such as Ex-Vöid and . She frequently integrates feminist and social perspectives, examining themes of female empowerment, identity, and cultural representation in pop, as in her analysis of , , and Adele's dominance through lenses of sisterhood, authenticity, and rights advocacy. This approach underscores her influence in mainstream , blending critical insight with attention to societal contexts.

Additional media contributions

Beyond her primary role at The Observer, Kitty Empire has contributed freelance articles to several publications, including GQ, Uncut, and The Scotsman. In Uncut, she has written reviews and features on artists such as Robert Forster and Aldous Harding, often exploring themes of musical evolution and personal narrative in rock and indie genres. Her work in GQ has included music-related commentary, aligning with the magazine's focus on cultural trends. Contributions to The Scotsman date back to at least the mid-2000s, where she provided pop music analysis in a weekly column format. Empire has also appeared on various BBC broadcasts, extending her music criticism to audio and television formats. On BBC Radio 4's , she has discussed topics like women in music, including sessions on artists such as , , and , as well as the influence of pop on children. She has contributed to and , offering insights on contemporary releases and industry developments. Additionally, Empire served as a reviewer on BBC Two's Newsnight Review, providing cultural commentary on music and arts from the mid-2000s onward. She has also served on judging panels for awards including the , the , and the Awards.

Writing style and reception

Critical approach

Kitty Empire's critical approach to music journalism is characterized by a pronounced feminist perspective, particularly in her evaluations of female artists and the broader gender dynamics within the industry. She has argued against the pervasive tendency to prioritize female musicians' personal suffering over their technical prowess and artistic innovation, noting how descriptors like "raw," "visceral," and "heartfelt" are disproportionately applied to women in reviews, implying an expectation of emotional authenticity rooted in pain rather than skill. This lens extends to critiques of exploitative elements in pop music, such as the "pornification" of female performers, which she views as a systemic issue amplifying gender inequities across genres like fashion-influenced pop and beyond. Empire's progression from NME's alternative rock focus to The Observer's broader pop coverage has refined this voice, allowing her to apply feminist scrutiny to mainstream phenomena without alienating general readers. In her , maintains a factual core while incorporating subtle interpretive layers in her reviews, often limited to 400 words. For instance, she describes albums with playful metaphors—like a "kitsch-leaning of , , "—to convey emotional depth without , ensuring her writing appeals to diverse audiences while unpacking cultural contexts like identity and . This style avoids the pretensions of criticism, prioritizing clarity and levity to democratize discourse. Empire's attention to underrepresented genres and global influences stems from her multicultural upbringing, which exposed her to diverse cultural soundscapes. She brings a worldly sensibility to her work, frequently championing artists from non-Western traditions or niche scenes that receive limited mainstream coverage. Examples include her praise for Rosalía's flamenco-infused pop, which merges Spanish heritage with global hip-hop, and Tunde Adebimpe's solo explorations of Nigerian-rooted experimental sounds, emphasizing how such works expand pop's boundaries beyond Anglo-American norms. Through these selections, Empire highlights music's role in bridging cultural divides, drawing on her background to advocate for inclusivity in an often Eurocentric industry.

Impact and recognition

Empire's involvement in prestigious judging panels has underscored her influence within the UK's music and arts journalism landscape. In 2008, she served as a judge for the Mercury Music Prize, reviewing over 350 albums and contributing to the shortlisting of 12 nominees, including navigating debates on genre diversity and artistic merit that ultimately led to Elbow's victory for their album The Seldom Seen Kid. Her participation marked a shift from her prior criticisms of the prize's decisions, such as the 1994 win by over Blur, and highlighted her commitment to rigorous, equitable selection processes that shaped the award's outcome and broader recognition of innovative British . Further affirming her stature, Empire joined the judging panel for the 2022 Observer/ Prize for Arts Journalism as a guest , evaluating works that advance cultural through innovative reporting and critique. This role positioned her alongside prominent figures in arts writing, reinforcing her reputation as a key evaluator of journalistic excellence in music and pop . Empire's contributions have extended beyond judging to foster broader impacts on music discourse. Her feminist lens, evident in critiques of industry exploitation such as the sexualization of female artists, has been applied in her work.

References

  1. https://observer.co.uk/contributor/kitty-empire
  2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/review/4628600.stm
  3. https://www.theguardian.com/profile/kittyempire
  4. https://www.nme.com/news/music/elliott-smith-39-1395182
  5. https://www.nme.com/news/music/bjork-204-1399787
  6. https://www.nme.com/news/music/nme-2473-1390842
  7. https://thefortyfive.com/opinion/kimya-dawsons-absurdist-antifolk-has-evolved-into-powerful-protest-music/
  8. https://alecempire.bandcamp.com/album/intelligence-sacrifice-original-digital-hardcore-masters
  9. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jan/18/ex-void-in-love-again-review-all-of-indie-rock-is-here
  10. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/dec/22/music-kitty-empire-10-best-albums-of-2024
  11. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/feb/15/cyndi-lauper-review-o2-london-girls-just-want-to-have-fun
  12. https://observer.co.uk/music/pop/article/sabrina-carpenter-the-screwball-starlet-hyde-park-london-review
  13. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/26/beyonce-lady-gaga-adele-rule
  14. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/mar/15/michael-kiwanuka-eventim-hammersmith-apollo-london-live-review-small-changes
  15. https://www.uncut.co.uk/author/kitty-empire/
  16. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018g2z3
  17. https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2005_26_mon_02.shtml
  18. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/sep/17/popandrock
  19. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/07/miley-cyrus-music-business-women-sinead-oconnor
  20. http://research.gold.ac.uk/19841/1/Introduction.pdf
  21. https://www.albumoftheyear.org/critic/116-kitty-empire/9/
  22. https://observer.co.uk/music/pop/article/the-passion-of-rosalia
  23. https://www.theguardian.com/tone/albumreview%2Bprofile/kittyempire
  24. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/sep/14/popandrock7
  25. https://www.anthonyburgess.org/blog-posts/kitty-empire-joins-the-panel-for-the-2022-observer-burgess-prize/
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