THE WAN (GATKUOTH WAN)

Gatkuoth Wan, who performs as The Wan, is a South Sudanese rapper and vocalist now based in London, whose music carries the full weight of his journey - from the traditional rhythms and cultural dances of his childhood to the resilience demanded by displacement across multiple countries before reaching the UK.

His mother, a traditional cultural singer, instilled in him an early and profound connection to music and storytelling; those roots remain the foundation of a sound that blends hip-hop, melodic R&B, and African rhythms into something emotionally urgent and distinctly his own.

The Wan writes unflinchingly about war, freedom, hope, and the ongoing struggles of communities in South Sudan, Sudan, and the DRC - conflicts he feels are dangerously under-reported. His current project, Change, channels that urgency into a call for unity: "I want people to know that even through war, pain, and displacement, we can still rise. At least if we come together, we will be one voice - and maybe we can make change."