Ackie Naomi

But success has not come easily.

Shortly a er graduating from drama school in 2014, she starred alongside Florence Pugh in the period thriller Lady Macbeth e William Oldroyddirected film was released to critical acclaim in 2017 and proved to be the making of Pugh, who went on to become a household name shortly a er. But for Ackie, despite winning Most Promising Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards, it proved a false dawn. e experience almost made her quit acting, due to the lack of diverse roles available for actors of colour – an issue that is starting to improve, but prevails today. Later that year, Ackie found herself working at an immersive Crystal Maze experience based on the Channel 4 game show in London’s West End. She realised something had to give, and so the actor set herself the deadline of a year to make it happen. And boy, did it happen. Shortly a er, Ackie won the part of Bonnie in comedy noir e End Of e F***ing World, and then, aged 28, she took on the key role of Jannah in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – this showcased her talents to the US and set her on the path to becoming Whitney Houston.

Next up? A leading role in Pussy Island – a thriller directed by Zoë Kravitz and co-starring Channing Tatum –plus Ackie will star alongside Robert Pa inson in Mickey 17 Bong Joon-ho’s much-anticipated follow-up to Parasite Long may her run continue.

Gabriel Rico

Artist, Mexico

Sculptor and installation artist Gabriel Rico brings together seemingly unrelated objects –think taxidermy, ceramics, neon, branches, CDs, glass bottles and phones, as well as his own personal items – to reflect on the relationship between humans and their natural environment. His work nods to the post-Surrealism and Arte Povera movements. Rico has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the world, including the ASU Art Museum in Arizona, MASIN Sinaloa Art Museum in Mexico, the Pérez Art Museum Miami and the 2019 Venice Biennale. His work will also be on display at Soho House Mexico City when it opens this autumn.

The Korean-American singer-songwriter was all set to be a management consultant, until a YouTube video of him performing caught the attention of a Korean producer who was searching for contestants to feature on the X Factor-style talent show Star Audition: Birth of a Great Star Nam took part in the show and the rest, as they say, is history. To celebrate 10 years in the music industry, Nam, now a K-Pop icon, recently announced a “reimagined” version of his 2022 album ere and Back Again For the 2023 release, all seven songs have been totally reinterpreted for a sound that feels at once fresh yet nostalgic.

Danielle Soon Jewellery designer, Malaysia

Nominated by Disney

Malaysian-born artist Danielle

Soon creates intricate, handcra ed jewellery for her brand Tzu, which is sold through Instagram (@tzu.stu ). Soon’s designs are influenced by her time living in Borneo, where she learnt about the local traditional cra techniques – as a result, many of Tzu’s pieces feature delicate beading inspired by the region. e earrings, for example, use a variety of Japanese Miyuki beads to create Soon’s signature flowers, including tulips, lilies and daffodils in a range of colours – an homage to her mother’s love of flowers and the natural beauty and botany of her homeland.

Bianca Saunders is leading a generation of designers whose identities and cultural heritage are integral to their fashion ethos. It’s paying o the Royal College of Art graduate won the ANDAM Fashion Award in 2021, was shortlisted for an LVMH prize and took home the Golden Picante for Breakthrough Designer at our 2022 awards, held at 180 House – Saunders’ favourite House. “I couldn’t stop going there when it opened,” she says. Her evolved take on menswear blends sharp, minimalist tailoring with draped fabrics and bold optical prints (pictured below) – an aesthetic rooted in her love for London and her Caribbean heritage.

Charity SsB

Musician, Shanghai e result: hear elt lyrics and an easy sound that blends R&B with laidback Afrobeat vibes. She first came to our a ention with her 2019 EP Last Train Home followed by EPs In the Meantime and e Art of Conversation For her latest project, the seventrack Adultsville, Bellah explores her experiences of growing into the woman she is today with a powerful sincerity. e Italian artist has lived in countries all over the world – born in Saudi Arabia, she then lived in the likes of Italy, Mexico and the USA before moving to Paris, the city she now calls home. is experience is reflected in her paintings, which o en interpret the world around her. During her studies at Central Saint Martins in London, École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris and Hunter College, New York, Granara learnt how formalism and minimalist colour pale es were traditionally considered to have more gravitas than colourful, figurative works. Today, she aims to turn this notion on its head, painting what are o en seen to be stereotypical, almost clichéd, symbols of femininity, such as bu erflies, hearts, flowers and the naked female form. ese bright, bold works are o en accompanied by poetry and other musings by Granara, which provide further insight into her process.

Charity SsB has been beamed in from the future by way of Shanghai to electrify the world with his eclectic pop bangers. His experimental fashion image and bold sound – which spans reggaeton, industrial rock, trap and lighters-in-the-air pop – is a product of his hometown, which, with its population of 28 million and neon-drenched skyline is less of a city and more of a Blade Runner-style megalopolis. He is part of the creative collective Genome 6.66 Mbp and Chinese-Korean rap duo Vroskiii, and his 2020 mixtape NIC3 2 MEET U introduced his next chapter as a solo artist.

The photographer and filmmaker draws deeply from his South London roots and Nigerian heritage to create his portraiture, which is rich in texture and inspired by artists including Gordon Parks and Malick Sidibé. rough Moses’ lens, subjects – whether a rapper from America or a ballet dancer in Lagos –appear epic and timeless. e self-taught artist was offered his first directing role with Nike at the age of 18 and was the youngest photographer to shoot a cover for Dazed He has collaborated with brands and designers including Adidas, Dior, Moncler, Supreme, Burberry, Virgil Abloh and Pharrell.

Singer-songwriter Bellah is on a mission to help put British R&B on the map and make it as successful as its US counterpart. e 26-year-old North London native has been writing and creating music since she was 17.

Ammar Abo Bakr

Artist, Egypt

Nominated by Disney

As a muralist, installation artist, set designer, art director, painter and draughtsman, it’s safe to say Abo Bakr is a man of many talents. He was arguably one of Egypt’s leading street artists during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, known for his murals along Mohamed Mahmoud Street in Cairo, which leads to one of the main sites of protests during that time. e artist uses his murals – which feature bright colours and a combination of traditional and contemporary motifs – as a form of reportage and a study of the Egyptian people, and can be found everywhere from Cairo to Luxor, Amsterdam, Berlin and Brussels.

Saul Nash Fashion designer, London Member, 180 House

Central Saint Martins and Royal College of Art graduate Saul Nash is a choreographer and dancer as well as an awardwinning designer. His inspired use of hi-tech performance materials combined with a choreographer’s eye for theatricality and showmanship results in kinetic, free-flowing designs that de ly blend creativity with functionality. But it’s more than fashion. It’s about liberation, pride in Nash’s heritage and loyalty to northeast London, where his creations are produced. Since winning the Woolmark Prize in 2022, he’s also pioneered new techniques in the longevity and carbon impact of sportswear.

Shah Rule

Musician, Mumbai

Member, Soho House Mumbai

Mumbai-based rapper Shah

Rule takes his name from the US rapper Ja Rule and the Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan. As the moniker suggests, his music is a canny blend of US rap and R&B with contemporary Indian pop sounds. e rapper is famous for songs including Default and Superstitious, but got his big break performing alongside Indian superstar Ranveer Singh in a rap battle scene in Zoya Akhtar’s 2022 movie Gully Boy – his first film role. Rule was born in Hong Kong, raised in Moscow, studied in London and now lives in Mumbai – a true nomad.