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Kitty Empire
Pop Critic
Kitty Empire is The Observer’s pop critic. Prior to her broadsheet work, she wrote for the New Musical Express and freelanced. She occasionally crops up on BBC Radio 4 and has also contributed to 5Live, 6Music, BBC2’s The Culture Show and Newsnight Review. She has appeared on judging panels for the Mercury Prize, the BRITS or the Sky Arts Awards. She also has a wholesome side-gig reviewing middle years children’s books.
Kitty Empire
Pop Critic
Kitty Empire is The Observer’s pop critic. Prior to her broadsheet work, she wrote for the New Musical Express and freelanced. She occasionally crops up on BBC Radio 4 and has also contributed to 5Live, 6Music, BBC2’s The Culture Show and Newsnight Review. She has appeared on judging panels for the Mercury Prize, the BRITS or the Sky Arts Awards. She also has a wholesome side-gig reviewing middle years children’s books.
On his new album, Harry Styles is living his best life
Lily Allen’s radically self-contained one-woman show
The Brits honour success stories. And what a story Olivia Dean has
Mitski: the voice of an anxious generation
Raye’s irresistible charm
Sessa’s bringing bossa nova back
When protest came to the Grammys
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy is keeping the faith
The rise and rise of Dijon
Robbie Williams still wishes he was Britpop
Chapter books of the month: adventurers assemble
David Bowie’s Blackstar: urgent, contemporary and elliptical
Dry Cleaning’s Secret Love is a work of everyday poetry
Playlist of the week: acts to watch out for in 2026
The albums and tours to look out for in 2026
The best albums of 2025
Are Stereolab better than ever?
What to do this weekend
Jacob Alon and the art of restraint
