Kara

The Annie Nightingale Pioneers initiative celebrates the pioneering spirit of Annie Nightingale, Radio 1’s first female DJ and longest-serving presenter. It honours her enduring legacy of championing new music, emerging talent and underrepresented voices in electronic music.

Our final Pioneer of 2026 is Kara. She is one of drum and bass’s most exciting emerging DJs, having performed at major festivals including Tomorrowland, Glastonbury and Boomtown. In 2024 she launched The Foundation, an independent label and event series celebrating jungle and drum and bass culture.

Produced by We Are Grape for BBC Radio 1.