Kitty Empire is a British music critic and writer, best known for her long-standing role as pop critic for The Observer since 2002. Born in Montreal in 1970 and raised across Canada, Egypt, and Italy, she moved to the UK in 1988 and studied at Oxford’s Wadham College. Empire began her music journalism career at NME in 1995, where she spent seven years before joining The Observer. Her writing blends cultural insight with sharp critique, and she’s contributed to outlets like GQ, Elle, Uncut, and BBC Radio. A former Mercury Prize judge and a self-described feminist, Empire is celebrated for her “show, don’t tell” style and her ability to spotlight both the artist and the art.