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 17 September, upperground welcomes London based artist Demae, whose musical world brings together golden era hip hop, soul, jazz and ambient R&B. Known for an instinctive approach to genre and a sound shaped by warmth, introspection and curiosity, Demae brings a different energy to the residency, drawing connections between the music that has shaped her own practice and the sounds that continue to inspire it.

Born and raised in Harlesden, Demae is a multidisciplinary artist whose creative journey began through home recordings and experiments across genre. Her breakout project Life Works Out...Usually and subsequent Maelibmixtape attracted support from BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra and 6 Music, while her EP Deliver Me has reached more than 2.3 million streams. Her work has been supported by platforms including COLORS, The Face, The Independent, Hypebeast, Notion, Clash and Wonderland. As a live artist, she has toured with Jorja Smith across the UK and Europe and joined Ravyn Lenae on tour.

Part of The Music is Black Festival from East Bank

Previous upperground
10 September 2026 — Zakia Sewell
Writer, DJ and broadcaster Zakia Sewell brought her expansive approach to listening and selection to upperground, drawing connections across music, memory, place and cultural history.

3 September 2026 — LO-LOW
London DJ LO-LOW brought her genre fluid approach to techno to upperground, moving between deep house, electro, ballroom, breaks and pop. Guided by the energy of the room, her set approached the dancefloor as a space for freedom, connection and collective release.

27 August 2026 — Karen Nyame KG
Known as the Goddess of Rhythm, Karen Nyame KG  brought her distinctive blend of African polyrhythms, low end bass and energetic percussion to upperground. Rooted in UK Funky, London club culture and her Ghanaian heritage, her set moved through the cross currents of contemporary Black electronic music.
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.  

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.