Double mercury Prize nominee Kate Tempest from Brockley changes name to Kae

Double Mercury Prize nominee Kae Tempest  – formerly known as Kate – has revealed they have changed their name and pronouns in a message to fans.

The poet and performer from Brockley, 34, posted their decision on Facebook, with their fans sharing supportive messages.

Kae said: “Hello old fans, new fans and passers-by – I’m changing my name. And I’m changing my pronouns. From Kate to Kae. From she/her to they/them.

“I’ve been struggling to accept myself as I am for a long time. I have tried to be what I thought others wanted me to be so as not to risk rejection.

“This hiding from myself has led to all kinds of difficulties in my life.

And this is a first step towards knowing and respecting myself better. I’ve loved Kate. But I am beginning a process and hope you’ll come with me. From today I will be publishing my books and releasing my music as Kae Tempest.

“It’s pronounced like the letter K. It’s an old English word that means jay bird. Jays are associated with communication, curiosity, adaptation to new situations and courage, which is the name of the game at the moment.

“It can also mean the jackdaw, which is the bird that symbolises death and rebirth. Ovid said the jackdaw brought the rain. Which I love.

“It has its roots in the Latin word for rejoice, be glad and take pleasure.

“And I hope to live more that way each day. Funny, because I know this is much more of a big deal than it is to anyone else, but because of my role as an artist, it is in some ways a public decision as well as being a private one. So, here is my announcement.

“Sending my love to you all and wishing you courage as you face whatever you must face today.

“This is a time of great reckoning. Privately, locally, globally. For me, the question is no longer ‘when will this change,’ but ‘how far am I willing to go to meet the changes and bring them about in myself’.

“I want to live with integrity. And this is a step towards that. Sending love always.”

Kae worked in a record shop from age 14 to 18, went to Thomas Tallis School in Greenwich, leaving at 16 to study at the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon.

They graduated in English Literature from Goldsmiths, University of London in New Cross.

They launched the theatrical spoken word piece Brand New Ancients at the Battersea Arts Centre in 2012 at the age of 26 and won Tempest the Herald Angel and The Ted Hughes Prize.

The album Everybody Down was nominated for the 2014 Mercury Prize.

Let Them Eat Chaos was nominated for the 2017 Mercury Prize, and Kae was nominated for Best British Female Solo Performer at the 2018 Brit Awards.

They have also written five poetry collections, three plays and a novel.

Pictured top: Kate Tempest has changed their name to Kae