London-based singer and DJ iKeda will release her second EP, “Bangs N Braces,” on August 28 via Orbit Artist Group, following support slots on PinkPantheress’s Fancy That tour earlier this year, per nme.com.
The four-track project marks a shift from the Y2K dance-pop of her 2024 debut Pretty Little Problem toward dancehall and funky house. iKeda has described the new sound as “bubblegum riddim,” blending electronic club pop with dancehall influences.
“Bangs N Braces” includes grime-inflected track “Red Red,” alongside bubblegum bass dancehall cuts “Go!” and “Meoww,” and single “Tiger Tiger”. The singer said “Tiger Tiger” was inspired by The Tiger Who Came To Tea and signals what she called a more self-assured approach to songwriting.
iKeda, who has been releasing music since 2024, said she was persuaded to begin songwriting by fellow club-circuit artist Babymorocco, with debut single “Luv Drunk”. She has since become a regular on London’s underground electropop circuit.
Speaking in an interview on August 5, she said supporting PinkPantheress on arena-scale venues was “almost like a dream” and pushed her to treat audience reception as constructive criticism.
Raised between Tottenham and a houseboat in Cambridge, iKeda studied visual art at Central Saint Martins before focusing on music. She cited Santigold and SOPHIE among her sonic influences, but said her closest inspiration comes from collaborators and friends.
She said “Bangs N Braces” is framed as a manifesto for what she terms the “gyal dem” lifestyle, which she defined as being about liberation, disruption and taking up space. She also said the EP pays homage to her Windrush heritage, an area she had previously felt intimidated to explore.
iKeda first emerged in 2024 and supported PinkPantheress during the Fancy That tour in early 2026. “Bangs N Braces” is her first major release since Pretty Little Problem and is set to arrive later this month.
•Featured image: iKeda/Erika Kamano