Lady Leshurr

Melesha Katrina O'Garro (born 15 December 1987), known professionally as Lady Leshurr , is a British rapper, singer, songwriter and producer. She is known for her Queen's Speech series of freestyles, the fourth of which became popular in 2016. Her subsequent freestyle, Queen's Speech 5, was called "brilliant" and "2015's crowning freestyle" by Spin. In 2021, she entered the Channel 4 series The Celebrity Circle for Stand Up to Cancer, catfishing as Big Narstie, and won. She also competed in the thirteenth series of Dancing on Ice, where she reached the semi-final.

Early life Melesha Katrina O'Garro was born on 15 December 1987 to Kittitian parents. but decided that writing music would bring her to a wider audience. In her words:

Career Leshurr played one of the lead female roles in Vertigo Films' 2009 film 1 Day. In 2010 Leshurr's first television music video appearance came in the music video "Game Over Female Takeover", featuring Amplify Dot, Mz Bratt, Ruff Diamondz and others. The music video was directed by Nick Donnelly and produced by Carla Marie Williams. Leshurr won second place in the Best Female category of the Official Mixtape Awards 2011. To complement the music releases, she has designed a range of merchandise, the "Friggin L" clothing line named after her 2011 mixtape Friggin L.

In 2016, she won the MOBO Award, celebrating excellence in black music, for Best Female Act. In 2019, she won the award for "Best Rap / Grime Act" and in 2020 she won "Best Solo Female" at the Birmingham Music Awards. In 2019, Leshurr performed at The Nicki Wrld Tour in Birmingham and Manchester as a special guest for rapper Nicki Minaj.

She was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to music and charity.

In 2020, she appeared in a commercial advertising for beauty brand Olay and became the first Black British woman to lead a campaign for the company.

In late 2020, it was announced that Lady Leshurr would be joining the line-up at BBC Radio 1Xtra with her own Saturday afternoon radio show. In February 2023, it was announced that she would be replaced by Joelah Noble as presenter of the Saturday afternoon show.

In 2021, she appeared as a contestant on the thirteenth series of Dancing on Ice, partnered with Brendyn Hatfield. She also won The Celebrity Circle for Stand Up to Cancer.

In 2021, Leshurr announced a partnership with Kamo Premium Vodka, through which she became a co-owner.

In April and August 2022, Leshurr appeared as a guest panellist on the ITV show Loose Women.

In 2025, Leshurr was announced in the line-up for Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Influences Leshurr has named Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Ms. Dynamite, Missy Elliott and Lil Wayne as her primary influences. Nia Kay, a competitor on The Rap Game season 2, stated that Leshurr was one of her influences due to her uniqueness and rap skill.

Personal life Leshurr came out as pansexual in September 2018.

In late 2019 Leshurr took time out from her music career following the death of her sister from breast cancer.

On 22 October 2022, Leshurr and Sherelle Smith allegedly assaulted Leshurr's ex-girlfriend Sidnee Hussein and Hussein's new girlfriend Chante Boyea. She was charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and Smith was charged with one count of the same offence. Both women pleaded not guilty to their charges and were bailed. Twelve months later, the pair were found not guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court. The prosecution said that Leshurr had bitten Boyea's hand, while the defence said that Leshurr had been bitten by Boyea's Belgian Shepherd dog. After her acquittal, Leshurr said that her career had been ruined due to loss of deals and income because of the charges.

Discography Mixtapes Title Details Friggin L Released: 8 April 2011 Label: Self-released Formats: Streaming 2000 and L Released: 11 May 2012 Label: Self-released Formats: Streaming L Yeah! Released: 15 February 2013 Label: Self-released Formats: Streaming Mona Leshurr Released: 9 March 2013 Label: Self-released Formats: Streaming, Digital download Lil Bit of Lesh Released: 22 May 2014 Label: Self-released Formats: Streaming, Digital download

Extended plays Title Details Queen's Speech Released: 9 September 2016 Label: Self-released Formats: Streaming, digital download Mode Released: 27 April 2017 Label: Sony Formats: Streaming, digital download Quaranqueen Released: 6 June 2020 Label: Unleshed Records Formats: Streaming, digital download Astronaut Released: 26 December 2020 Label: Unleshed Records Formats: Streaming, digital download

Singles As lead artist

As featured artist Year Title Album 2011 "Move"(Fire Camp featuring Lady Leshurr and Scrufizzer) Move 2012 "Murder"(Lea-Anna featuring Lioness, Lady Leshurr and Ce'Cile) Murder EP "Finally"(Leon & Harvey featuring Lady Leshurr) Finally EP "Wonky" (Orbital featuring Lady Leshurr) Wonky "Boring Bitches" (Etta Bond and Raf Riley featuring Lady Leshurr) Emergency Room "Run Your Mouth"(Noisses featuring Rtkal, Foreign Beggars and Lady Leshurr) Run Your Mouth EP "Step in the Dance" (Mike Delinquent Project featuring Lady Leshurr) Step in the Dance EP "Sick Love" (Vince Kidd featuring Lady Leshurr) Sick Love EP 2013 "Blazin'"(Torqux featuring Lady Leshurr) Blazin' EP "Bet on It"(Young O featuring Griminal and Lady Leshurr) Bet on It "Swag Fi Dem"(RSXG Productions, Juki Ranx and Brooklynne featuring Lady Leshurr) Swag Fi Dem EP "I Ain't Rich... Yet"(J. Appiah featuring Lady Leshurr) I Ain't Rich... Yet EP 2016 "Run" (Tiggs Da Author featuring Lady Leshurr) 2018 "Block and Delete" (C4 featuring Lady Leshurr) "Don't Believe You" (Lethal Bizzle featuring Lady Leshurr) 2019 "Pretty Little Thing" (will.i.am featuring Lady Leshurr, Lioness & Ms Banks) "Mike Myers" (Swifta Beater featuring Lady Leshurr, Remtrex and Bowzer Boss) "Still Here" (Off course featuring Lady Leshurr)2020 "Up In Smoke" (Remtrex feat. Lady Leshurr and Yates)Bars From the Pen 22021 "No Time For Tears" (Nathan Dawe and Little Mix)2022 "Likkle Miss (The Fine Nine Remix)" (Nicki Minaj feat. Skeng, Spice, Destra, Patrice Roberts, Lady Leshurr, Pamputtae, Lisa Mercedez, Dovey Magnum, London Hill)Queen Radio: Volume 1

Guest appearances Year Title Album Label 2010 "This is SRE (Drop the Funk)" (Invasion Remix)(SRE featuring Lady Leshurr, Jaykae and Hitman) This is SRE EP Sidewinder Raw 2011 "We Know"(Trilla featuring R.I.O and Lady Leshurr) 01:21 Trilla Music "Ready" (Remix 2)(Cons featuring Tor, Kasay, Tempa, Lady Leshurr and Nolay) June Bug RGS "Gangster" (Lady Leshurr Remix)(Zdot featuring Lady Leshurr) Gangster Elite Music "So Much More"(Manga featuring KOF and Lady Leshurr) Obzokey Wranglings 2012 "Heart of Stone"(Bashy featuring Dot Rotten, Black the Ripper and Lady Leshurr) The Great Escape SB.TV "Level Up" (Remix)(Sway featuring Kelsey and Lady Leshurr) Level Up EP 3Beat "WAVY" (Seamix)(Kano and Footsie featuring Lady Leshurr, Jme, D Double E and Sway) WAVY / Kano Stencils "Hoods Up" (Remix)(Teddy Music featuring Lil Nasty, Double S, Lady Leshurr, Scrufizzer, Dot Rotten and Tre Mission) Hoods Up EP Teddy Music "I Wanna Rock" (All Stars Remix) (Maxsta featuring Tinchy Stryder, Rizzle Kicks and Lady Leshurr) I Wanna Rock EP Sony "Move to Da Gyal Dem" (Female Remix)(Donae'o featuring Mz. Bratt, Lioness, Terri Walker and Lady Leshurr) Move to Da Gyal Dem Zephron "Da Cypher (Part Deux)"(Bigz featuring Lady Leshurr and Mistah Fab) The Bigz Bang Theory DCypha "Va Heter Det"(Max Peezay featuring Lady Leshurr) F.A.S 3 Devrim 2013 "Let the Dogs Run Wild"(Labrinth featuring Lady Leshurr) Atomic Odd Child "Now That You're Gone" (Remix)(Tanya Lacey featuring Lady Leshurr) Now That You're Gone EP Laceywood "Hoods Up" (Remix)(Lil Nasty featuring Double S, Lady Leshurr, Dot Rotten and Tre Mission) This is UK Grime Vol. 3 Defenders "Off the Leash"(Teddy Music featuring Double S and Lady Leshurr) Rehearsals Teddy Music "Spitfire"(Big Shizz, Lady Leshurr, Jammer, Realz, Jammin and Villain) Lord of the Mics VLord of the Mics 2014 "Evolution 2.0"(Kid Bookie Samantha Mumba, Kuniva, Crooked I, Scrufizzer, Lady Leshurr & Dot Rotten)That SP Compilation, Vol.1 That SP Studios "Bother You" (Remix)(D'banj featuring Lady Leshurr) Bother You Mi7, DKM "Got It"(Zdot and Krunchie featuring Krept, Konan and Lady Leshurr) Adrenaline EP Sonus Music "Blow It Up"(Zdot and Krunchie featuring Lady Leshurr)

Filmography Film

Television