The Philharmonia Orchestra has announced British-Ugandan Artist, Songwriter and Producer Love Ssega - founding songwriter and lead vocalist of Grammy Award-winning Clean Bandit - as their Artist in Residence for 2022-3.

Launched in 2020, the residency programme is a collaboration between the Philharmonia and a highly acclaimed artist from a non-classical tradition, exploring fusion of art forms and music’s place in the digital world.

Speaking of the new collaboration with Ssega, Philharmonia’s CEO Thorben Dittes said 'I very much look forward to seeing the results of Love Ssega’s residency with the Orchestra – his unique sound world and areas of artistic interest are bound to spark an inspired response from Philharmonia musicians.'

London-born Ssega has built a varied career collaborating across art forms. Founding songwriter for Clean Bandit, his music blends a mix of New Wave, 80s Hip-Hop, African polyrhythms and NYC Disco into modern Pop. The Philharmonia will work Ssega throughout his residency, to combine his pop inspired style with their orchestral sound, exploring themes that link together climate change and social justice.

Love Ssega - Our World (Fight for Air)

Ssega’s multi-arts 2021 commission 'Airs of the South Circular' highlighted the impact of air on the Black community in South London, reaching 100,000 of his local London Borough of Lewisham’s 300,000 residents. The project saw him featured in YouTube Originals’ series ‘Seat At The Table’ alongside Sir David Attenborough and President Barack Obama.

The project will culminate at the end of the current Philharmonia season in June 2023.