Music: Kae Tempest Covers George Michael's 'Freedom!' to Explore Self-Discovery and the Price of Identity

Kae Tempest is an acclaimed recording artist, lyricist, performer, author, playwright, and poet from London, England. They are a highly decorated artist, having won the Ted Hughes Award for their spoken word work and received Mercury Music Prize nominations for their albums Everybody Down and Let Them Eat Chaos. Tempest's musical genre is primarily categorized as Hip-Hop/Rap and Spoken Word, using rhythmic, earnest delivery to discuss personal stories and dark social issues. Their work is deeply connected to their identity journey; Tempest came out as non-binary in 2020, and more recently as a trans man in 2025. Their fifth studio album, Self Titled (released July 4, 2025), is described as their most intimate and revealing project to date, feeling like a proclamation of freedom and strength.

"Freedom! '25" is a recent single released by Kae Tempest on October 30, 2025. The track is a cover of George Michael's classic "Freedom! '90". Tempest was inspired to cover the song because they "loved the song forever" and wanted to explore the layers of meaning within its lyrics. The song is a celebration of self-expression and honesty, with Tempest stating that "it feels powerful, re-summoning the spirit of this song in this moment".

The provided lyrics—"Self for sale, brand new self with an origin myth and skin in the game. All I want to be’s the knot that goes against the grain. Just like every other self who wants the same"—directly connect to the song's theme of identity and personal freedom. These lines critique the modern pressure to market a "brand new self" with a constructed origin story, while simultaneously acknowledging the deep, universal desire to be a unique individual ("the knot that goes against the grain"). The track features the soulful vocals of Leah Cleaver and was produced by Fraser T. Smith.

Artist Page: https://www.instagram.com/kaetempest/?hl=en