Today’s the day! Secret 7” 2025 Artists Revealed
Our 700 records are beginning to arrive with their lucky owners and we are delighted to finally reveal the artists behind this year’s Secret 7” sleeve designs, as well as which track they were for, over on our online gallery.
Artists include actor Russell Tovey, fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, Turner Prize-winning sculptor Antony Gormley OBE RA, Wilfred Wood the artist behind Spitting Image’s notorious head and The Cure frontman Robert Smith.
Also revealed as the visual artists behind this year’s designs are Stanley Donwood who is the artist behind every Radiohead album cover, viral cartoonist Ketnipz, Stuart Semple, interdisciplinary artist Rana Begum, Haroon Mirza, Anthony Burrill, Yooyun Yang, BBC Radio 1 Rock Show host Daniel P Carter, Future Awards Africa-winner Ken Nwadiogbu, Vicken Parsons and Giles Deacon among many others.
We can also now reveal the total raised from Secret 7” 2025 is over £230,000.
That money will make an enormous difference to War Child’s work improving the lives of children affected by war.
A huge thank you to all of our musicians, artists, partners and to everyone who placed a bid this year. We couldn’t have done it without you!
We're very excited to reveal that we have now added the super-rare, numbered test pressings for all seven Secret 7" tracks for 2025 to our auction.
Even more excitingly the following test pressings for been signed by the artists themselves:
- The Cure – Warsong: Troxy Live 2024
- Frank Turner – Be More Kind
- Gregory Porter – Merchant of Paradise
- Jessie Ware – Beautiful People
- Keane – Black Rain
- Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Devotion (Unreleased and exclusive to Secret 7″)
Please note that the test pressings of Scissor Sister's Return To Oz are unsigned.
Not only could you get your hands on a rare collector's item, but bidding on our test pressings is the only way to guarantee that you are bidding on the Secret 7" track of your choice.
Search for auction items 702-751 in the Secret 7" auction.
Bidding closes Wednesday 4 June 2025, 14:00 BST
We have collaborated with artists featured in this year’s exhibition to create two exclusive t-shirts to celebrate the 2025 edition of Secret 7”.
All profits from t-shirts sold will go to War Child to help ensure a safe future for every child affected by war.
The Rhythm Of Unity T-shirt
Created by Artist and Designer Coco Lom, the design is inspired by the rhythms, textures and patterns in music. Listening to a variety of songs, she let the music guide her hand, translating the waves of sound onto the paper through different marks and lines. Using one of her favourite tools, a photocopier, she danced her drawings along the moving scanner bed to develop patterns full of motion - mirroring the shifts of energy in our bodies when we collectively move to music.
Spot the iconic shape of a vinyl player’s plinth and tonearm which holds the needle, as well as textures inspired by the ridged stripes that run around a vinyl disc. ‘The Rhythm of Unity’ is a celebration of music’s power to spark joy, inspire play and bring people together.
Coco Lom's t-shirt design is exclusive to Secret 7" 2025 and won't be around forever, so get yours now!
Coco Lom
Recognised as a 'London Rising Design Talent' by Dezeen, Coco Lom (@_cocolom_) is a multidisciplinary Artist and Designer on a mission to open people's eyes to the joyful patterns, shapes and colours around us. Her work has featured across many different mediums - including clothing, homeware, murals, an art basketball court and, given her love of music and dance spaces, her patterns have been projected into events at music venues. Through her bright colours and bold monochrome patterns, Coco Lom hopes to bring people joy, while inspiring wonder and curiosity.
Secret 7" 2025 T-shirt
This year's Secret 7" t-shirt has been designed by one of the artists featured in the exhibition, London-based visual artist Olivia Thomson (@designforyew) to celebrate the 2025 edition of Secret 7”.
If you look closely you may spot references to each of this year's Secret 7" tracks within Olivia's design!
This year in support of Secret 7", Rega have generously provided seven Planar 1 turntables that Robert Smith, frontman of The Cure, has exclusively signed.
Six signed turntables are up for auction, with the six highest bidders each receive a signed turntable.
One signed turntable will go to the winner of our prize draw. By donating just £5 to War Child you could be in with a chance of winning. You can enter as many times as you like, the more you enter, the better your chances of winning!
All proceeds go directly to War Child, helping protect and support children living through conflict around the world.
Enter as many times as you like before 19:00 on Sunday 1 June 2025.
For the Love of Vinyl is a brand new, one-night-only celebration of all things vinyl, brought to you by War Child and NOW Gallery!
8th May 6.30PM – 9.30PM. NOW Gallery, Gateway Pavilion, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0SQ.
Join us for an unforgettable evening where record lovers, collectors, and music fans come together to immerse themselves in vinyl culture. Expect an electric atmosphere with incredible DJs soundtracking the night and a vibrant community record swap where you can trade and find new favourites. Take part in live screen printing featuring a unique design by leading artist Yinka Ilori MBE, which has been etched across all Secret 7″ records, giving you the chance to create your own vinyl-inspired artwork.
The event takes place 8th May from 6.30PM – 9.30PM at NOW Gallery, Greenwich Peninsula, where you’ll also get a special evening viewing of this year’s Secret 7” exhibition, featuring 700 stunning, one-of-a-kind sleeve artworks.
Don’t miss the chance to be part of London’s vinyl-loving community!
Tickets are £7 with all proceeds going to War Child’s vital work supporting children impacted by conflict.
Programme:
6.30PM – 9.30PM Vinyl Bitch X Secret 7” Record Swap
6.30PM – 7.15PM Vinyl Bitch Open Deck Sessions
7:00PM – 9:00PM Private Press X Yinka Ilori: Screen Printing Workshop (Drop In)
7.15PM – 7.45PM MADDØG (DJ Set)
7.45PM – 8.15PM Dialled In Presents: nikhil (Live)
8.15PM – 9.30PM Dialled In Presents: Pri (DJ Set)
Art Exhibition Featuring 700 unique artist-designed sleeves goes on display at NOW Gallery at Greenwich Peninsula, 11 April - 1 June 2025.
With thousands of artists having submitted artworks, with 700 unique, one-off record sleeve designs selected for the anonymous auction, which opens at NOW Gallery at Greenwich Peninsula from 11 April – 1 June in a free public art exhibition. The records will be available for auction until 1 June 2025.
Each record has a unique sleeve design inspired by the tracks put forward by this year’s musicians. Artists creating designs include iconic Yinka Ilori MBE, fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, Turner Prize-winning sculptor Antony Gormley OBE RA, the artist behind every Radiohead album cover Stanley Donwood, interdisciplinary artist Rana Begum, Harron Mirza, Anthony Burrill, Yooyun Yang, The Cure frontman Robert Smith, BBC Radio 1 Rock Show host Daniel P Carter, Andrew Pierre Hart, Future Awards Africa-winner Ken Nwadiogbu, Vicken Parsons and Giles Deacon among many others.
Buyers won’t know which artist – world-renowned or emerging – has designed their sleeve until after auction.
For the first time, in 2025 Secret 7” has hidden 7 Golden Records, signed by the musical artists, at beloved independent record shops across the UK. Record hunters can find clues of where to find them on the Secret 7” Instagram @secret7s. When they find a golden record sleeve, they can hand it in to the record shop counter to collect their signed Secret 7” 2025 auction Golden Record. The hunt begins April 11 2025.
Anthony Burrill, Giles Deacon, Andy Vella, James Joyce, Adam Riches and many more confirmed for this year’s auction.
After much anticipation, War Child and Secret 7” can finally reveal the headline artists that will be contributing sleeves to this year’s show. Turner Prize-winning sculptor Antony Gormley OBE RA, legendary fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, The Cure frontman and visual artist Robert Smith, acclaimed British-Nigerian multidisciplinary artist and designer Yinka Ilori MBE, multimedia innovator Haroon Mirza, Nigerian multidisciplinary artist Ken Nwadiogbu, sound inspired painter Andrew Pierre Hart, Seoul based contemporary painter Yooyun Yang,and Radiohead’s longtime collaborator and visual artist Stanley Donwood.
Additional contributors include Anthony Burrill, Andy Vella, James Joyce, Sol Sato, Alice Tye, Owen Gildersleeve, Daniel P Carter, and Adam Riches. They join hundreds of artists, including those selected via an open submission and through D&AD’s New Blood Awards, showcasing an incredible range of creativity and innovation.
This year's records feature an exclusive etching by Yinka Ilori MBE that’s wrapped in bright colours and a unique flower motif, bringing the phrase ‘Let Them Blossom’ to life. 700 creatives, from globally renowned artists to emerging talents, then interpret the song into a unique record sleeve. All 700 records will be displayed in a free public exhibition at NOW Gallery at Greenwich Peninsula (11th April - 1st June 2025) during which time they will be up for auction on Givergy (1 June 2025).
The catch? Buyers won’t know who designed the sleeve or the track inside until after purchase – therein lies the secret.
What if your artwork could change lives? A big hello to our Secret 7” community, for our first post of 2025 and on the week of our launch (!), we’re thrilled to announce an exciting partnership between War Child’s Secret 7” and D&AD for this year’s New Blood open call. This collaboration marks a significant milestone, as Secret 7” joins the ranks of D&AD's esteemed briefs, providing an incredible platform for emerging talent in the creative industries.
The New Blood open call is an exceptional opportunity for students, recent graduates, and up-and-coming creatives. Participants not only have a chance to compete for the prestigious awards, but also to have their work exhibited and auctioned, alongside globally renowned artists, at an exhibition in Spring 2025 at the NOW Gallery in Greenwich Peninsula, all while supporting War Child’s vital mission to protect and empower children affected by conflict.
This alignment of creativity and purpose underscores the transformative potential of art in making a difference in the world. If you are a student, or just starting out with your art practice you can submit your S7” application here to ensure your submission is also considered for the prestigious D&AD New Blood Pencil, a significant accolade in the creative industry.
Sammi Vaughan, Partnerships Director at D&AD, shares that: “We have always been inspired by the remarkable work of Secret 7”, and we’re thrilled to invite New Blood entrants from across the globe to participate in its highly anticipated return.” This initiative aims to support and recognise emerging talent in design, advertising, and creativity, giving participants the chance to showcase their work to industry employers and potentially earn the coveted D&AD New Blood Pencil.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where should I submit my work?
All submissions should go through the D&AD platform. This will simplify the process and avoid confusion, ensuring you qualify for both recognition as part of the D&AD New Blood selects and also the potential to exhibit at the Secret 7” exhibition alongside renowned artists.
How do I submit my work?
All submissions must be made through the D&AD platform. Please do not submit directly to the Secret 7” website.
What are the eligibility requirements?
Participants must be students, recent graduates, or emerging creatives. Further details can be found on the D&AD website.
How many submissions will be accepted?
The number of accepted submissions will be determined by the selection panel. Specific details will be communicated after the submission period ends.
When is the deadline for submissions?
March 20th for submissions via D&AD.
What happens to my artwork after submission?
Selected artworks will be showcased at NOW Gallery in London and auctioned online, with 100% of the proceeds from every sleeve sold directly supporting War Child’s vital work, helping children affected by conflict worldwide. Click here to read more about our work.
About D&AD
D&AD is dedicated to celebrating, stimulating, and enabling creative excellence. With a commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability, D&AD advocates for a creative industry that reflects the communities it serves. The organisation offers a range of programs designed to connect emerging talent with opportunities in the field.
The annual D&AD Awards and Festival stands as a benchmark for excellence in design, advertising, production, and craft, inspiring industry professionals and setting a global standard for creativity. Through initiatives like New Blood and Shift—a free night school for self-taught creatives—D&AD actively bridges the gap between education and industry, providing vital pathways for new talent to thrive.
Get Involved
This partnership with D&AD opens new avenues for artists and creatives worldwide. We encourage all aspiring talents to engage with the New Blood open call and seize the chance to contribute to Secret 7”. Your creativity can help shape the future and, at the same time, support War Child’s essential work.
Explore more about D&AD and how you can participate at www.dandad.org/en/d-ad-new-blood-awards/.
We can’t wait to see the innovative ideas and artwork that emerge from this collaboration! Together, we are celebrating creativity and making a meaningful impact on the lives of children affected by conflict globally.
Secret 7”, the much-loved charity initiative combining music and art, is making a highly anticipated return in 2025, proudly presented by War Child for the second consecutive year.
After a resounding success last year, the project is set to once again bring together a stellar mix of world-class musicians, visionary artists, and passionate collectors. All proceeds will go towards War Child’s vital work providing protection, education and specialist mental health support to children caught in conflict zones around the world.
Launched in 2012 and now running its ninth edition, Secret 7” selects seven iconic tracks from globally-renowned musicians, pressing each track onto 100 limited-edition 7” vinyl records. Creatives worldwide, from renowned artists to emerging talents, create one-of-a-kind sleeve designs for each record, interpreting the track in any style or medium of their choosing, resulting in 700 distinctive pieces of collectible art that push the boundaries of what a record sleeve can be.
These records are exhibited publicly, with the designers' identities kept secret until a big reveal once all items are sold. Therein lies the secret. During its nine year run, Secret 7” has produced and sold 5,600 one-of-a-kind records, raising over £700,000 for various charities to date.
Today, Secret 7” and War Child reveal the seven tracks in this year’s initiative:
The Cure - Warsong: Troxy Live 2024
Frank Turner - Be More Kind
Gregory Porter - Merchant of Paradise
Jessie Ware - Beautiful People
Keane - Black Rain
Scissor Sisters - Return to Oz
Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Devotion (Brand New Song, Exclusive to War Child's Secret 7" )
We’re delighted to announce that War Child presents Secret 7” 2024 has raised an incredible £210,000!
Thank you to all the contributors, everyone who bid, attended the exhibition at NOW Gallery and helped spread the word – you were all vital to achieving this amazing result.
It has been wonderful to see the Secret 7" community come together to support War Child’s work. All funds raised will help War Child protect, educate, and stand up for the rights of children living through conflict in 14 countries around the world.
