As a millennial who grew up in Southeast Asia, pop music of the early 2000s holds a singular mixture of consolation and nostalgia. Lengthy earlier than the appearance of Spotify and the assorted streaming platforms of at the moment, radio and music channels like MTV Asia and Channel V had been stuffed with the sounds of London-based artists who — regardless of their British roots — resonated deeply with audiences throughout the globe. Earlier than 2024’s chart-toppers the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, and Chappell Roan, there have been Blue, Sugababes, S Membership 7, and naturally, Craig David. His music was inherently British but managed to ring a bell with listeners 1000’s of miles away.
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Craig David burst onto the scene in 2000 along with his debut single “7 Days” from the album Born To Do It, a file that might change into a staple of the last decade. Together with his clean vocals, unmistakable fashion, easy swagger, and an impeccable debut music video, he epitomised a singular style of the early 2000s — a crossover between R&B and UK storage leading to a a sound that left its personal mark on the music trade. Born To Do It was greater than an album; it turned the cheeky (not-so-subliminally sensual) anthem of a technology. Now, in 2024, Craig David is again, ushering in a brand new chapter of his profession as he reconnects with followers each loyal and new. With a brand new tour and album, he is able to bridge the hole between the early 2000s and the current, reminding millennials why they fell in love along with his music whereas introducing his timeless vocals to a youthful technology.
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His uplifting new single, “In Your Fingers,” was launched in September, and it instantly brings to thoughts the traditional non secular, “He’s Bought the Complete World in His Fingers,” which dates again to the Nineteen Twenties. With its deeply emotional lyrics and soul-stirring melody, Craig David’s track attracts on the themes of hope, resilience, and self-worth. The accompanying music video is wealthy in nostalgia and sees Craig alongside a “youthful” model of himself as he displays on his childhood. With visible nods to his debut album Born To Do It and scenes that hint his rise within the music world, the video is a tribute to his previous and a have a look at how far he’s come. I communicate to Craig on a Friday morning over a Zoom video name. He’s as effervescent as his florescent pink t-shirt, in an equally neon-lit room that radiated along with his signature power and heat.
“”In Your Fingers” is such an essential track for me,” David shares, “as I wished to shine a lightweight on how actually particular all of us are. It’s about embracing our distinctive paths, irrespective of the challenges, and remembering that we’re every able to unimaginable issues.” A stark distinction to his earlier hits, the tonal shift and inventive alternative displays a brand new maturity in his work.
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Very like his new single, the music trade has undergone monumental adjustments since 2000, particularly in how music is bought, consumed, and shared. Artists have needed to regularly adapt, and Craig David is not any exception. After I requested him about among the greatest adjustments he’s noticed and the methods he’s used to navigate this evolving panorama, he mirrored thoughtfully earlier than responding. “The largest distinction has been how we obtain music now, particularly with streaming platforms,” he explains. “There’s been this big shift from shopping for bodily copies—the place you’d exit, buy a CD, and really personal it—to every little thing being shared on-line. “With streaming, we’re all experiencing the identical songs in real-time,” he continues, “however it’s filtered by way of algorithms tailor-made to every listener. So, in a means, we’re all linked, however we’re additionally remoted in these personalised bubbles.”
In relation to staying grounded amid the fast-paced calls for of social media, David is evident about his priorities. “On the finish of the day, it’s all the time concerning the music. The songs are what matter,” he says firmly. “Positive, you may sustain with tendencies and make dance movies, however I all the time ask myself: is what I’m making actually impacting folks’s lives in a optimistic means? So long as I keep true to the music, every little thing else falls into place,” he says assertively.
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At simply 19, Craig David was thrust into the highlight with the success of his debut solo album. With ongoing conversations at the moment about how younger folks navigate fame, I used to be curious to find out how he managed such early success. “When the album dropped, and people first singles Fill Me In and 7 Days began to explode, folks I went to highschool with, folks from my neighbourhood, would come as much as me asking for autographs. I’d be like, ‘Bro, I do know you—your identify is Jeff!’” Craig laughs, recalling the unusual shift from familiarity to fame. He goes on to clarify how difficult it was to regulate, having grown up understanding nearly everybody round him within the Holyrood council property. Regardless of his speedy ascent, Craig has all the time held on to his roots. He remembers his humble beginnings fondly, saying, “Even now, I might nonetheless reside in that little flat with my mum, however on the similar time, I’m doing three nights at Wembley Enviornment with a number-one album on this nation.”
The discharge of his newest album marks a brand new period for Craig David, introducing his music to a recent technology of listeners. On balancing the reference to at the moment’s technology alongside satisfying his loyal, long-standing followers, the charismatic singer explains, “You discover a actual candy spot. The individuals who’ve been with you from day one — they’ve a bit extra time with you; they know the place you began. They keep in mind the recollections you created collectively, that are so essential and visceral. Then there’s the brand new technology, simply discovering you. I really feel like they each can exist in the identical world.” For Craig, it’s not about “fragmenting” his fanbase into previous and new however fairly having them recognize his music by way of a shared expertise. “The individuals who’ve been there from the start, they get the sensation and emotion, they usually’re like, ‘Yeah, that’s the Craig I do know.’ And for the brand new listeners, they will discover your total discography on any platform and assume, ‘Yeah, this all is sensible.’ It looks like one large album with tons of of songs.”
As for what’s subsequent, with over 20 years within the music trade — together with a profession spotlight of acting on Glastonbury’s primary stage — Craig now focuses on connecting with folks on a private degree, particularly in a world that may generally really feel divided. He shares that he now approaches life with a way of completeness and interior achievement, feeling “primary” from inside fairly than in search of exterior validation. On a closing notice, Craig David’s message for his followers in Singapore and throughout Asia is a promise of “good power, good vibes, and good music.” He goals to create core recollections and significant moments along with his viewers, bringing folks collectively and specializing in positivity and unity. “That’s what we want proper now, beaming out the great power. Love”.
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