Craig David Opens Up About His Painful Rise, Fall & Redemption | E135

Craig David opens up to Steven Bartlett about a childhood marked by bullying, weight insecurity, and his parents' divorce in Southampton, and how those wounds drove both his fitness obsession and his songwriting. He recounts his fast rise through UK garage with the Artful Dodger, the euphoria of Born to Do It selling six times platinum, and the pressure that followed when later albums were judged commercial failures. He describes a period of disconnection in Miami, a debilitating back injury that triggered depression and dark thoughts, and how returning to London and his musical roots restored him. He explains the origins of his TS5 house-party DJ concept and frames his new album, 22, through a Willy Wonka metaphor of being tested and finally choosing authenticity.

• Johnny (2006) was the first time Craig opened up about being bullied, including the physical bullying he faced in school corridors.
  00:01:48
• His longest relationship was only 2.5 years, and he admits his heart closed after an early childhood heartbreak, shaping decades of guarded relationships.
  00:20:50
• On his last House of Blues night he discovered Stevie Wonder, plus Beyonce, Missy Elliott and J-Lo, had come to watch, and Quincy Jones said Michael Jackson loved Born to Do It.
  00:54:24
• The label treated Slicker Than Your Average's 3.5 million sales as a disappointment because they had projected 10-11 million.
  00:56:32
• A severe back injury in Miami caused continuous nerve spasms and pushed him into depression with dark thoughts that he 'couldn't live like this.'
  01:20:18
• TS5 began as private Miami house parties where Craig refused to play his own songs until a guest begged for 7 Days.
  01:08:30
• His new album 22 releases 24 June, 22 years after his debut, and he says it feels like Born to Do It and makes him 'feel like the kid again.'
  01:27:33

• As a schoolkid Craig ran a chocolate-reselling business, buying near-expiry stock and using timing leverage to mark up Mars bars before the tuck shop opened.
  00:08:51
• His dad played bass in a Southampton reggae group called Ebony Rockers, who now have a mural on Onslow Road.
  00:25:26
• He made his first recordings around age 11-12 by dubbing vocals between two cassette decks on a 'Studio 100' hi-fi his dad bought him.
  00:28:32
• His first taste of success was winning a songwriting contest with his song 'I'm Ready' for the boy band Damage when he was about 14.
  00:31:11
• He started as MC 'Fade' (a play on his name Chris... 'the fade was Chris') for DJ Flash, also lugging the record boxes.
  00:36:56
• He met Artful Dodger's Mark Hill and Pete Devereux at the Old Orientals club, with the club, his flat and the studio all within a 10-minute walk.
  00:40:01
• A security guard had to carry Craig on his shoulders across Leicester Square through the fan crowd, signalling Fill Me In had changed everything.
  00:49:46
• TS5 grew from SoundCloud recordings to airing on Kiss and Capital Xtra, and eventually to a Glastonbury performance.
  01:11:35
• Fill Me In was released the same day as Destiny's Child's Say My Name, a group whose posters were on his wall.
  00:50:17

Books, products and media the guest or host genuinely endorsed here — with the buy link.

Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.