On The Rise: John Glacier

A rising dexterous force in experimental music.

London-based rapper, poet and producer John Glacier creates boundary-pushing blended musical styles that, partnered with her personal and rawly delivered narrative, radiate a deeply emotive quality. It's this captivating authenticity that draws you into her introspective world on Like A Ribbon.

"I live with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which has shaped my outlook on life and creativity. It makes me value what I create even more, because every piece is a snapshot of me pushing through."

Comprised of tracks from the two existing EPs Like A Ribbon and Duppy Gun, as well as the third unreleased EP Angel’s Trumpet, her debut album project spans minimalist production and evocative lyrical content, weaving in themes of vulnerability and emotional turbulence. John Glacier is an artist to truly experience (if you were present at her Rough Trade East set on Record Store Day 2024, you'll understand exactly what we mean). The worlds she crafts are at the same time fragile and powerful, with digital and fragmented textures transporting us to the kind of abstract sonic landscape we can surrender to fully, and get wholly lost in.

What does the future hold for an artist like John Glacier? Limitless possibility.

We're excited to announce John Glacier as part of Rough Trade On The Rise, our dedicated curation putting a spotlight on the emerging music we are the most excited for you to hear, to follow and become a fan of. Read on to discover more about the artist in her own words and don't miss debut album Like A Ribbon on Young.

John Glacier on John Glacier

A self-penned bio

Hi, I’m John Glacier, a London-born artist from Hackney, and I’d call myself a poet before anything else. Music is my way of translating what’s in my head into something you can feel. I started out teaching myself how to produce on GarageBand and Logic, dropping tracks on SoundCloud for anyone who’d vibe with my world. It wasn’t about making hits - it was about creating something real for myself.

My debut project, SHILOH: Lost For Words, came out in 2021, and it’s as much a piece of me as it is a reflection of where I was at the time. It’s filled with hazy, raw textures and words that I think of as my journal entries, spilled out for you to hear. I’m not here to fit into a box, though. I make music for people who are okay being in their own space, because that’s where I feel the most alive.

I live with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which has shaped my outlook on life and creativity. It makes me value what I create even more, because every piece is a snapshot of me pushing through. Beyond music, I’ve stepped into fashion, performing for brands like Burberry, and exploring how art flows across different mediums.

Right now, I’m evolving. My upcoming album, Like a Ribbon, shows a lighter side of me - still raw, but with more movement, more colour. If you listen closely, you might just catch where I’m headed next.

Five by Five

5 Qs, 5 As

Describe John Glacier in 5 words.

Enigmatic, introspective, experimental, resilient, visionary

5 records you listened to prior to making your album?

Sampha - Process
Pusha T - Fear of God
Future - High Off Life
Capleton - Good So
D-block - No Security

Top 5 career moments since forming?

Supporting Sampha at Alexandra Palace. 
Sold-out headline show at ICA. 
Doing the poetry for the Burberry campaign. 
Signing with Young
Releasing SHILOH 

You host a pre-release listening party for the album. Who are your 5 VIP guests (dead or alive)?

Nina Simone
Skepta
lil yachty
Arca
Cardi B

Top 5 essential tour snacks?

Crisps 
Sour sweets
Chicken wings 
Lamb chops x 2