Between the grit of East London and the charisma of Essex sits the unassuming town named Ilford, home to the iconic Ilford Lane, Belgrave Road and internationally recognised poet, Hussain Manawer.
His raw spoken style is emotionally charged, lending itself to the most important issues facing a generation. Dignitaries, major brands and broadcasters seek him out to articulate the struggle and shame that so many find suffocating. He most recently appeared in the AppleTV+ Series “The Me You Can’t See” executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry, alongside Lady Gaga and Glenn Close.
At Royal Request Hussain was also commissioned to create ‘The Mental Health Minute” which was recited by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Jamie Oliver, David Beckham, Shirley Bassey, Joanna Lumley, Charles Dance, Anne Marie and Jesse Lingard. The piece was broadcast across every radio station in the UK at the same time reaching a record-breaking audience of 6 million + listeners.
2021 also saw Hussain open The 74th Bafta Awards” with a piece entitled ‘Moving Image’ crediting all those involved in the artistic process of movie making throughout the pandemic, whilst managing to highlight all 54 film nominations on the night within his opening performance. Further credits include the opening of The Heads Up FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium at Royal Request. The opening of Soccer Aid For Unicef at Stamford Bridge.
A Special collaboration on drug addiction with Word Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury. A Celebration of St George’s Day for England FC, and a poetic contribution for Marcus Rashford’s Free School Meals Campaign to name a few.
With notable performances including Glastonbury, Latitude Festival and Radio 1, Hussain has shared the stage with numerous global leaders such as the late Kofi Anan, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, Actress Emma Watson and Grammy Award Winning singer Cher.
Tagged ‘The Original Mummy’s Boy’, Hussain derives much of his inspiration from his own experiences and intense grief at the sudden loss of his mother. He has a strong passion for Diversity, Sociology, Psychology, Activism and the Arts.
Hussain is the youngest Honorary Fellow at King’s College London and the youngest Honorary Doctorate at Oxford Brookes. In 2017 alongside his partners Hackney Empire and Professor Dame Til Wykes they set the Guinness World Record For The Worlds Largest Mental Health Lesson in East London educating hundreds of young people on mental health and the power of speaking about their emotions.
Hussain is available for commissions, brand partnerships, performances, keynote speeches and workshops.
In May of this year Hussain is set to release his highly anticipated debut poetry collection (published by Hodder) which will invite readers on his journey through depression and grief, and out the other side to a better place- there will be joy, hope, tears and laughter – the emotions that make up the fabric of human experience. His words will remind readers that even in your lowest moments you can find the gold dust, Life is Sad and Beautiful will shift outlooks and stand as a powerful vehicle for growth and change.
