Lady Sovereign

Louise Amanda Harman, born December 19, 1985, is a British rapper known professionally as Lady Sovereign. She gained widespread recognition for her hit singles "9 to 5" and "Love Me or Hate Me," eventually becoming the first non-American female artist signed to the hip hop label Def Jam Recordings.

Harman grew up on the Chalkhill Estate in Wembley Park, London. She was inspired to pursue music after hearing Ms. Dynamite's song "Booo!" in 2001, which introduced her to female MCs writing their own material. At age 15, Harman began uploading her tracks and photos to various music websites, where she faced initial negative feedback regarding her background and gender. In 2004, she signed with Universal, released solo recordings, and opened for established acts including Basement Jaxx, The Streets, Dizzee Rascal, D12, and Obie Trice.

Beginning with the single "The Battle," Lady Sovereign released songs such as "A Little Bit of Shhh!", "9 to 5", and "Sad Arse Stripah," alongside online freestyles like "Tango" and "Cheeky." Her compilation EP Vertically Challenged was released through Chocolate Industries in November 2005, followed by the UK EP Blah Blah and the US radio EP Size Don't Matter! in 2006. She contributed to the 2005 grime compilation Run the Road and collaborated with The Ordinary Boys on "Nine2Five," a remix of her song "9 to 5" that reached number six on the UK top 40 singles chart.

In late 2005, Harman auditioned for Def Jam CEO Jay-Z by performing an on-the-spot freestyle, leading to a contract with the label. She released her full-length debut album, Public Warning, in October 2006 in the United States and February 2007 in the United Kingdom. The album featured the singles "Random," "Hoodie," "9 to 5," and "Love Me or Hate Me." The video for "Love Me or Hate Me" became the first by a British artist to reach number one on the US version of MTV's Total Request Live. During this period, she performed on the Late Show with David Letterman, embarked on a US tour, and opened for Gwen Stefani's 2007 The Sweet Escape Tour.

Following a dispute with Island Records, Lady Sovereign established her own label, Midget Records, to release her second studio album, Jigsaw, in April 2009. She promoted the project with the free single "I Got You Dancing" and toured with DJ Annalyze. Outside of recording, her music was featured extensively across media, appearing in video games such as Need for Speed: Carbon and Fight Night Round 4, as well as television series including Malcolm in the Middle, Ugly Betty, and Waterloo Road. She also appeared on television programs such as Celebrity Big Brother and Total Wipeout.

In her personal life, Harman's mother died of a terminal brain tumor in March 2010. Harman stated in a 2010 interview that she came out as a lesbian while appearing on Celebrity Big Brother. After a prolonged hiatus from music, during which she noted medical issues halted her career, she confirmed in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome. In 2026, following 15 years away from releasing music, she began teasing a studio return via Instagram.