Latest news with #MerkyBooks
Times
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Yrsa Daley-Ward on Stormzy, Beyoncé, and her new novel, The Catch
'IYA! Y'ORITE?' booms a friendly Lancashire accent when I log on to a video call with the author and 'Instagram poet' Yrsa Daley-Ward, who is sitting waiting with luminous skin, glossy lips and a smile so big and bright that it beams through the is talking from a hotel room in Washington, where she's promoting her debut novel, The Catch. Released on Thursday, it's a mysterious, dark tale of twin sisters Clara and Dempsey, whose familial bond is severed in childhood when their mother, Serene, vanishes into the Thames. The book already has a starry backing — in the UK it's being published by Merky Books, an imprint launched by the rapper Stormzy.'Stormzy is awesome,' Daley-Ward says, smiling. 'I haven't spoken to him for a while but he's incredible. So when Merky wanted to publish my book, I jumped at the chance.'Daley-Ward is already a publishing success — it was her 2014 poetry collection, Bone, that first grabbed Stormzy's attention and in 2018 she released The Terrible, her searingly honest memoir, which went on to win the PEN Ackerley prize the following year. • 80 best books to take on holiday this summer — chosen by the experts How did Stormzy discover her? He 'just out of the blue one day' sent Daley-Ward a photo of himself holding a copy of Bone — 'the really old vintage edition that I knocked together and was selling on Etsy and Amazon', she says. 'I was like, 'Oh my God, the work is travelling!' ' At the time Daley-Ward was travelling the world performing live readings of her poetry and had begun posting snippets of her work on Instagram. Even if you're not a poetry fan, you may have scrolled past her words at some point, usually displayed in a small, subtle typewriter font, cut down to a few sentences and repurposed as a motivational quote, often shared by somebody going through a break-up or experiencing grief. • Read more book reviews and interviews — and see what's top of the Sunday Times Bestsellers List Though poetry books have increased in popularity in recent years, with sales predominantly driven by younger readers and social media, Daley-Ward doesn't take too kindly to being called 'an Instagram poet'. 'There's an idea that I started on Instagram, but I was writing and performing at festivals for years before that,' she says. However, she does see social media as 'a wonderful tool' because 'it got the work to people who might've never picked up a poetry book. They see it on a little square and think, 'Oh, I feel this thing too.' ' Bone was a huge success. Stormzy publicly described the poems as 'honest, unflinching and unforgettable' and hailed Daley-Ward as 'one of Britain's best writers'. Her memoir caught attention too, with Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine describing it as 'like holding the truth in your hands'. Then in 2020 Daley-Ward was asked to be a collaborator on Beyoncé's film Black Is King with two days' notice. 'I got a mysterious call and they asked if I wanted to do it,' Daley-Ward says. 'I said, sure, and then there I was. It's definitely the thing in my bio that people ask most about.' She is tight-lipped on the details, but says that working with Beyoncé 'was such a collaborative space and an incredible experience. I don't know many people who aren't a Beyoncé fan. Just being there was an honour. It shows that when you concentrate on something, stick to it and believe in it, then it will take you to those places.' • Yrsa Daley-Ward: the extraordinary life of the model poet of Instagram Daley-Ward grew up in Chorley, a market town in Lancashire, and now lives in LA. This contrast is one she explores in The Terrible, a detailed account of an unsettled childhood, spanning everything from discovering that the man who raised her wasn't her biological father to being sent, aged seven, to live with her strict grandparents for four years. This stood her 'in good stead because the way my grandparents ran the house was regimented', she says, before adding, 'not that I'd recommend that … but it made me extremely organised.' Aged 16, Daley-Ward ran away with an older man and later became engaged to somebody else before breaking it off. She then moved to South Africa where she worked as a model, though 'certainly not a super successful one'. Now 36, she doesn't regret any of her past: 'I don't judge earlier versions of myself and you shouldn't allow anyone else to, either.' But there is one significant moment in her life that inspired her novel. Her mother died when Daley-Ward was 22, and questions of motherlessness and motherhood are a big theme throughout the book. 'To this day I'll see someone in the street that looks like my mum and I get such an intense longing,' she says. 'But it's also love — grief is love, so it's not necessarily a negative thing. It's all the things mixed together.' Despite poems and a memoir coming first, fiction was always Daley-Ward's intention. 'The only reason why these other things came first is because I had a lot of personal stories in the way before I was able to dream and imagine enough to write this,' she says. She is ready for people to assume that The Catch is autobiographical because 'the perception of women is that we always want to divulge', she says. 'Inevitably that happens to an extent, because it's what you know. But fiction gives you the opportunity to be quite wild — these characters behave in ways that I would never, so it's a fun experiment.' Despite having the likes of Stormzy, Beyoncé and the Italian fashion house Valentino on her list of collaborators, Daley-Ward doesn't do parties these days, opting instead to 'read books and go on long walks — that's living it up for me', she says. She visits Lancashire regularly to see her brother and his children and describes its 'nature, space and deep quiet' as being 'an excellent backdrop for dreaming and for making up stories. Going back there is really interesting and very layered, but it's lovely,' she explains. 'Lancashire is a huge part of me, you can hear it in my voice, it will never go anywhere. It's my beginning.' The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward (Cornerstone £16.99). To order a copy go to Free UK standard P&P on orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
Metro
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Stormzy set to make film debut with major career move
Stormzy has officially unveiled #Merky Films, the latest addition to his creative empire. The launch is his entry into the world of film and visual storytelling, expanding the #Merky brand (which already includes #Merky Books, #Merky Foundation, and #Merky FC). To kick off the venture, Stormzy is debuting Big Man, a short film produced in association with Apple and shot entirely on iPhone 16 Pro. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Aneil Karia, the film stars Stormzy in his first-ever lead acting role. Klevis Brahja, 15, will also be making his acting debut in the film after being street-cast for the film. Some fans may recognise Jaydon Eastman, 14, from The Lion King, Matilda, and MJ The Musical on the West End, who is also starring in the new project. Premiering on YouTube at 8:00pm BST on June 18, 2025, the film follows the story of Tenzman, a retired rap star whose life takes an unexpected turn after he meets two spirited boys, Klevis and Tyrell. Their unlikely friendship rekindles Tenzman's passion for music, leading him down new avenues of discovery. The film explores themes of rediscovery, gratitude, and the enduring power of connection. More Trending '#Merky Films is something I've been dreaming about for ages,' said Stormzy. 'It's a space for powerful British stories and fresh, unexpected art. I hope Big Man inspires people to dream bigger and live louder.' The new media venture aims to spotlight new voices and bold narratives within British cinema and TV, and its upcoming slate includes a drama series, a biopic, documentaries, a new animation project, and a mockumentary. In an Instagram post about the project, Stormzy wrote: 'I hope you love Big Man as much as we loved making it. It captures the joy, the spirit and the fearless energy of youth and I hope it inspires you to dream big.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'Stupid' Apple Pay prank plagues commuters on London Tube MORE: Warning issued to anyone with an iPhone over urgent security upgrade MORE: WhatsApp will stop working on a range of phones this month – is yours on the list?
BBC News
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
#Merky Books winner wants to write for 'next gen of black boys'
When Abaka Debrah thinks about the future, he has one big mission in mind."I want to write for the next generation of young black boys," he new novel Where Geezers Call Home is partly inspired by the UK riots last year, while also drawing on his own experiences of moving to the UK from Ghana aged book has just won the New Writers' Prize on Stormzy's #Merky Books label, with the story catching the attention of the judges, including the rapper himself. They described the story as "a thrilling and shocking dystopian exploration of the complexities of race and identity, trust, and rebellion in modern British culture".This year there were over 700 submissions, with the contest - launched by Stormzy six years ago - aiming to increase access to the publishing industry for a wider range of voices. 'Being British can feel like an ongoing battle' Known as Abs to his friends, 25-year-old Abaka's story shows a future where race riots lead to the United Nations (UN) taking over the UK government."It's set in this alternative world where the UN steps in to implement strict laws where everyone has to be equal," he says, describing it as a "wacky little story".But that doesn't take away from some of the serious themes in the book, such as race relations in the UK."I love the UK but you also realise there's a lot we need to do to not be oblivious of cracks and divides," Abs thinks there's a danger too many people sweep these issues under the rug."There's this idea that everything is great in the UK and we all get along," he says. The book draws on Abs' childhood, with main character Xavier being relocated to Essex, where the author also moved as a also incorporates some of his ideas of a more complicated identity, which he's worked into his spoken word poetry."I'm from Ghana and I've lived here most of my life. What it means to be British is this ongoing battle," Abs says."The UK is my home and I love the UK but I thinks sometimes for a lot of people who contribute a lot to this society they wonder if this place is really home."Or if it's just an Airbnb they're passing through." Abs hopes his book will help to inspire the next generation of writers, saying he didn't get the chance to read many authors like him in school."It brings out representation and support for people not seen in traditional publishing."There's so many great writers from marginalised communities not represented," he he does feel there has been progress in the types of stories being told about minority winners of #Merky Books prizes have included stories from Sufiyaan Salam, junior doctor William Rayfet Hunter, Hafsa Zayyan, author of We Are All Birds of Uganda, and Zadie Smith and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie."We're seeing a lot more media now about black love and black joy, instead of just black pain," Abs adds. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
The Guardian
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Stormzy to receive honorary Cambridge University doctorate
Stormzy has been awarded an honorary law doctorate from the University of Cambridge, to recognise his philanthropic work. The rapper, 31, has initiated various schemes across sport and the arts outside his chart-topping music career, such as founding his Merky Books imprint which champions Black British authors, and buying out the football team AFC Croydon Athletic with the intention of turning it into a 'community asset'. He already has ties with the university, launching the Stormzy Scholarship programme in 2018 which funded two Black British students a year. It expanded in 2021 to 12 students per year, in a partnership with HSBC. Stormzy's Cambridge doctorate is his second honorary degree, after receiving one in 2022 from the University of Exeter 'in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the field of higher education philanthropy and widening participation'. Also recognised with an honorary Cambridge doctorate this year is another esteemed British musician, though from a rather different sphere: choral composer John Rutter. Other honourees are the American professor Angela Davis, actor Simon Russell Beale, former supreme court justice Mary Arden, Nobel prize-winning economist Oliver Hart, biologist Maria Leptin and Olympic gold medal-winning rower Katherine Grainger, who is chair of UK Sport and chancellor of the University of Glasgow. Following Stormzy's win in the rap act category at the Brit awards earlier this month, the Cambridge doctorate is the latest bright spot of news for him after some bruising weeks in the public eye. After launching a new advertising partnership with McDonald's in February, his social media was flooded with comments which criticised the campaign. Stormzy has been a vocal supporter of Palestine, but McDonald's is the target of a global boycott over its activity in Israel: the country's former franchise owner, Alonyal, gave free food to Israeli soldiers in October 2023. Stormzy addressed the criticism, saying amid a long Instagram post: 'I understand it must feel disappointing and disheartening when it seems like someone you've championed has compromised their beliefs for commercial gain but this isn't the case here'. He is expected to release a fourth studio album later this year.
