upperground: DJ sets

upperground is a new DJ residency at V&A East Museum, inviting artists and selectors to activate the museum’s upper ground floor on Thursday evenings.

Each edition places the spotlight on one guest DJ, giving them space to develop an extended set through their own musical language. Moving across genres, generations and geographies, upperground recognises DJing and selection as creative practices that connect histories, communities and sounds.

Taking place during the museum’s public opening hours, the programme explores how live music can change the way a museum is inhabited and create space to listen, dance, meet and experience the building differently.

Next up
On Thursday 27 August, upperground welcomes Karen Nyame KG, the London DJ, producer and vocalist known for her percussive approach to club music and her influential role in the evolution of UK Funky. Drawing on African polyrhythms, low end bass and energetic drum patterns, KG’s sound moves between UK club music and diasporic electronic forms with rhythm always at its centre.

In partnership with BBC Introducing as part of the BBC’s The Music is Black season of programming inspired by the V&A East Museum exhibition. 

Known as the Goddess of Rhythm, Karen Nyame KG has developed a distinctive sound rooted in the hybridity of London club culture and her Ghanaian heritage. Beginning with early releases in the UK Funky scene, her practice has evolved across Afro Electronica, Amapiano, Afro House and other forms of global dance music. Her collaborations include artists such as UNIIQU3, Scratcha DVA, PinkPantheress, Kelela and BAMBII, while her mixes and performances have appeared across Boiler Room, BBC Radio, NTS, Dekmantel and Primavera Sound.

KG is also the founder of Rhythm in the City, which began as a club night and has developed into a community and record label centred around soul and percussion. For upperground, expect a set driven by rhythm, bass and the cross currents of contemporary Black electronic music.

Part of The Music is Black Festival from East Bank

Previous upperground
20 August 2026 — Gloria Rose
French born and London based DJ Gloria Rose brought hypnotic grooves, driving rhythms and layered textures to the upper ground floor, drawing on a musical vocabulary shaped by classical training and London’s underground club culture. 

13 August 2026 — Polyjammerous
London cultural platform and multi genre club night Polyjammerous took over upperground with resident DJ KEMI joined by DIGITAL SAINT and Baby Jackz. Together they moved across Afro tech, dancehall, amapiano, baile funk, garage, house and jungle in a night centred on connection, collective joy and genre fluid exploration.

6 August 2026 — Josh Caffé
upperground opened with London based DJ, producer, singer and activist Josh Caffé, whose practice moves through house, techno and queer club culture. His extended set brought the intimacy and energy of the dancefloor into V&A East Museum for the first edition of the residency.