Rivkala

mjf @ First Street (Main Stage)

Rivkala vocals / Faye Maccalman saxophones, clarinet / Billy Bradshaw trumpet / Ben Lawrence keyboards / Luke Elgie guitar / Katy Trigger double bass, bass guitar / Mark Johnson drums

mjf partners with Jazz North to present a showcase of the latest northern artists to be selected for the groundbreaking touring programme Northern Line.

Self-proclaimed showgirl Rivkala – along with her esteemed band – blends jazz, soul, funk, and klezmer to build the twisted world of the Crushed Velvet cabaret bar, where she delivers biting yet playful social commentaries. The Mancunian singer-songwriter has made the North East her home over the past seven years, working across a range of projects and co-founding Jam Sandwich, an improvised contemporary jazz jam.

Winner of Youth Music Video of the Year (2025), Youth Music Ones to Watch (2026), BBC Introducing: One to Watch (2025), and Drake Music’s Emergent Artist (2023), Rivkala delivered exhilarating performances in 2025 for BBC Proms (broadcast on Radio 3’s ‘Round Midnight), MOBO Fringe, Sofar Sounds, SXSW Roadshow and TV features for BBC Look North and ITV Tyne Tees.