The British actress Daisy Ridley was basically unknown when she was tapped to play Rey, the determined heroine of the new Star Wars trilogy. She did have a couple of small parts in British TV shows, and appeared in a weird short film titled 100% BEEF, but that’s about it. That is, apart from a 2013 Wiley video called “Lights On,” which GRM Daily unearthed a few days ago.
Five years ago, the Godfather of Grime was leaning into the pop world with his major label album The Ascent, which also housed the catchy U.K. number one “Heatwave.” “Lights On” showcases his crossover ambitions of the time, with its hooky chorus from Angel, electro-house beat, and Wiley’s buoyantly-delivered bars in the verses. In the narrative-led video, Ridley plays the straight-talking girlfriend of a young aspiring DJ; she wears a slick ponytail and fresh Reebok classics, buys alcohol in London stores with a fake ID, and passes her boyfriend’s tape to a selector at her local pirate station. It’s unexpected but charming to see a Hollywood star like Ridley in the down-to-earth surroundings of tower blocks, and she lights up the screen. Watch the video above.
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