$Holysseus Fly + Ellen Beth Abdi \/ YES Basement, Manchester \/ Tue 18 Nov$

Hailed as ‘one to watch’ by the Guardian, Holysseus Fly has spent the past couple of years carving out her own unique path. With a series of standout releases accompanied by striking visuals, she’s established herself as one of the UK’s most compelling new voices.
As vocalist, co-writer and pianist in critically acclaimed collective Ishmael Ensemble, Fly is a vital presence in the UK music scene and as a solo artist she pushes further, blending emotion-soaked lyrics with soaring, cinematic choruses. Both her 2023 debut EP Birthpool and last year’s Out Of This World were championed by Lauren Laverne and earned praise from industry heavyweights including Annie Mac, Chris Hawkins, Jamz Supernova, Craig Charles, and Huey Morgan.
In 2024, Fly joined Nick Mulvey on a sold out UK tour before launching her own headline run, with standout shows in London, Manchester and Bristol that drew a rapturous response. That same year, she made her solo debut at Glastonbury and performed on the main stage at Bristol’s Forwards Festival, sharing the bill with the likes of CMAT, Jessie Ware and LCD Soundsystem.
With new music on the way and her biggest solo UK tour set for this autumn, 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for Holysseus Fly as she continues to cement her place as one of the UK’s most exciting and distinctive emerging artists.
Special guest is Ellen Beth Abdi. Mancunian music-maker Ellen Beth Abdi crafts wonky, soul-infused pop with live loops, pokey drums and quietly subversive lyrics. A rising force in Manchester’s scene, she’s supported The Stone Roses, performed with New Order and A Certain Ratio, and shared stages with Olivia Dean, Hollie Cook and Angélique Kidjo. Her debut album dropped in May 2025 via her own label, Sweet Twenty-Three Records.
Price: £15 adv
Info/tickets: https://www.heymanchester.com/holysseus-fly#info