The non-binary performance artist and poet has been celebrated for their new collection Divisible By Itself And One
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGES PROVIDED
Kae Tempest is many things. Spoken word performer. Poet. Recording artist. Novelist. Playwright. And now they can add Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize longlisted to their impressive repertoire.
Longlisted for their groundbreaking collection Divisible By Itself And One, Kae is joining a host of talented young creatives who have been recognised by one of the UK’s most prestigious literary prizes. This global accolade honours exceptional literary talent aged 39 or under, and celebrates the international world of fiction under the legacy of the infamous Dylan Thomas.
Since the release of their first poetry book Everything Speaks In Its Own Way in 2013, Kae has seemingly never stopped writing. From their highly acclaimed spoken word piece Brand New Ancients to their Mercury Prize-nominated album Everybody Down, Kae has been performing and producing work globally for the last decade.
“Recognition by other people who are professionals in your field, there’s something about it,” Kae told DIVA. “It’s probably difficult to admit to myself even how much of a big thing it is.”
They continued: “The real truth is that for a long time, I felt like a total outsider in the world of poetry. There’s a part of me that feels so excited to be recognised as a poet by a panel of people who know about that kind of thing. It feels special. I feel so glad to be alongside the other writers and have this celebration of work.”
After coming out as non-binary in 2020, Kae has never felt closer to the LGBTQIA community in their work. “The galvanising, reassuring, loving, celebratory, complicated warmth of the community has been unbelievably joyous, momentous, and important,” they explained.
Previous winners of the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize include Patricia Lockwood, Max Porter, Raven Leilani, Bryan Washington, Guy Gunaratne, and Kayo Chingonyi. The shortlist will be announced on 21 March here: swansea.ac.uk/dylan-thomas-prize/
DIVA magazine celebrates 30 years in print in 2024. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA media and keep us going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.
