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

A popular R&B group whose song 'Say My Name' was released on the same day as 'Fill Me In', adding to the significance of his achievement.

A radio station that aired Craig David's TS5 sets as a show.

An R&B group whose song 'No Scrubs' Craig David plays during his TS5 sets.

A boy band for whom Craig David won a national songwriting competition at age 14, marking his first 'break' in music.

The all-boys secondary school Craig David attended in Southampton, where he experienced bullying.

Craig David's father's reggae music group, influential in his early musical exposure and now recognized with a mural in Southampton.

A musical group whose popularity influenced Craig David's mother.

An R&B group whose song 'Freek'N You' Craig David would unwittingly imitate in his early recording attempts.

An R&B group whose song 'End of the Road' Craig David would unwittingly imitate in his early recording attempts.

The UK garage duo Mark Hill and Pete Devereux, who discovered Craig David and produced his debut album.

Where Craig David studied NVQ Level 2 in Electronics, as it was the closest he could get to music production at the time.

A record label that invested in 'What You Gonna Do' and offered Craig David performance opportunities.

A venue in America where Craig David performed three sold-out nights, attended by various celebrities.

A song that Craig David covered on his 'Signed Sealed Delivered' album.

A song by TLC that Craig David plays in his TS5 sets.

A popular Destiny's Child song, released on the same day as Craig David's 'Fill Me In'.

A song by Craig David that marked a period of significant international success.

Craig David's highly successful debut album, which sold seven million copies and achieved six-times platinum status.

A song by Craig David, noted for its romantic lyrics written when he was 17 years old.

A song by Craig David about heartbreak, specifically about a friend ending up with a best friend, which he relates to his first heartbreak.

A popular song by Terence Trent D'Arby that Craig David mentions as impactful.

A classic song covered by Damage, where Craig David's winning song 'I'm Ready' was placed on the B-side.

The first official release by Artful Dodger featuring Craig David, printed on vinyl and building buzz on pirate radio.

Craig David's first solo single, which went straight to number one and dramatically changed his life.

Craig David's second album, released in 2002, which despite selling 3.5 million copies, was perceived as a 'decline' by the record label.

An album Craig David released in 2009, which he felt was made to please people and tick boxes, moving away from his original style.

A song from the 'Trust Me' album, which Craig David describes as musically very different from his earlier, synth-based work.

A covers album Craig David released after 'Trust Me', consisting verbatim of original soul classics, which he felt disconnected from.

A corrupted FM personality and friend who enthusiastically welcomed Craig David back to the UK music scene.

A character from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, whom Craig David identifies with, especially in his journey and current phase of life.

Another musician mentioned on the podcast who also started his music journey with a nerdy fascination at a young age.

An American rapper and singer who attended one of Craig David's House of Blues concerts.

A British singer mentioned as an example of artists who struggled with the pressures of extreme success, leading to mental health issues.

A song from Craig David's 2006 album, which was the first time he openly expressed his experiences with bullying.

An American musician who influenced Craig David's mother and appeared at one of Craig David's House of Blues concerts.

An iconic American musician who influenced Craig David's mother and whose song 'Human Nature' was the first 7-inch single Craig David ever bought.

Mentioned as part of The Osmonds, a group his mother was a big fan of, adding to Craig David's diverse musical influences.

An artist whose show at the Guildhall in Southampton blew Craig David's mind, inspiring him to pursue music.

An R&B singer whose records Craig David would swap with other DJs.

Craig David's early DJ mentor and chaperone who introduced him to clubs and gave him his first MC and DJ slots.

Joined Craig David for early DJ sets and is now part of the Artful Dodger.

A record producer Craig David admired and wanted to learn vocal production techniques from.

One half of the Artful Dodger, who produced Craig David's entire 'Born to Do It' album after discovering him.

One half of the Artful Dodger, who discovered Craig David.

Craig David's manager, who also co-owned his first record label and has been a trusted figure in his career.

An American singer, actress, and dancer who attended one of Craig David's House of Blues concerts.

A legendary American record producer who accompanied Stevie Wonder to Craig David's concert and revealed Michael Jackson was a fan.

An American singer mentioned as an example of artists who struggled with the pressures of extreme success, leading to mental health issues.

An artist whose instrumental 'Where Are U Now' was used by Craig David for a viral remix of 'Fill Me In', and who shared the viral performance.

The name of Craig David's successful house party series, which originated in his Miami apartment and evolved into a global brand, showcasing his DJing, MCing, and performing skills.

A deep muscle in the spine that Craig David strengthened as part of his recovery from a severe back injury.

The first 7-inch single Craig David ever bought, a song by Michael Jackson.

A prominent UK garage event/brand at the time Craig David was doing early PAs.

Muscles along the spine that Craig David strengthened as part of his recovery from a severe back injury.

A brand of DJ equipment Craig David uses for his TS5 sets.

A brand of cassette tape that Craig David used for recording his early music.

A pivotal song by Artful Dodger featuring Craig David that gained immense popularity and became a cultural reference for UK garage music.

Craig David's record label in his early career, co-owned by his manager Colin Lester.

A record label Craig David signed with after his initial deal, which suggested he do a covers album.

A radio station where Craig David had an early interview and later aired his TS5 sets.

A platform where Craig David started recording and uploading his TS5 sets for people to listen to.

Turntables Craig David used to hone his DJ skills in his early career.

A type of chocolate bar that Craig David used to eat heavily and sell as an early entrepreneur.

A video game console Craig David owned as a kid, along with Sonic the Hedgehog, reflecting his childhood experiences.

A hi-fi system with faders, microphones, a record deck, and cassette decks that Craig David's dad bought him, marking his first foray into music recording at age 11-12.

A borough in London where Craig David performed early TS5 shows to see if the house party concept would translate to a larger audience.

A park where Craig David used to go go-karting with his dad on weekends.

Craig David's hometown, where a mural of his father's band, Ebony Rockers, now exists.

The venue in Southampton where Craig David saw Terence Trent D'Arby perform, a life-changing experience for him.

Location of Mark Hill's studio in Southampton, close to where Craig David lived and first met the Artful Dodger.

A club in Vauxhall, London, where Craig David performed early PAs, alongside 'Twice as Nice' events.

One of Craig David's favorite movies, which he relates to his childhood and journey, and later references the character Charlie.

A video game title mentioned in relation to Craig David's Sega Mega Drive.