Women in Jazz: In Conversation with Celeste
Music journalist Emma Warren speaks to Celeste about her musical journey, genre-defying sound and the ways jazz continues to influence contemporary music.
From the acclaim of her debut, Not Your Muse, to the personal revelations behind her second album, Woman of Faces, Celeste reflects on resilience, self-discovery and the art of translating life’s complexities into song. The conversation also touches on jazz’s reach into contemporary genres and the women shaping its evolution today.
Emma Warren brings her decades of experience documenting grassroots music and culture to the conversation, uncovering the stories behind Celeste’s distinctive voice and the inspirations that shape her work.
Curated by Women in Jazz. Founded in 2018, Women In Jazz (WiJ) is a pioneering UK organisation dedicated to addressing the gender imbalance in jazz. Through mentoring programmes, live events, workshops and a radio show, WiJ gives voice and platform to female singers, instrumentalists, composers and producers who are often overlooked in the male-dominated scene.
In 2025, WiJ launched The Year of Women in Jazz, a 12-month programme combining music releases, collaborative projects, live performances, mentorship, and industry workshops.
Need to know
For your visit
This event is held at the Purcell Room Southbank Centre
The Purcell Room is located in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, which is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
Plan your visit
The Purcell Room is an auditorium located within our Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.