Sunday Conversation: Craig David On Coldplay, Vulnerability, New Music, Using Fame For Good And More

LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 16: Craig David performs at The O2 Arena on April 16, 2022 in London, … [+] England. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)

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Twenty-two years ago U.K. singer Craig David burst on the scene with his smash album, Born To Do It. It’s a bold title, one that David has spent the last two decades proving is true.

Like any artist with a 20-plus year career, David has enjoyed the ebbs and flows of success. As he and I discussed over Zoom, the day before Queen Elizabeth passed — hence the opening question — every great artist, including the likes of David Bowie and Elton John, went through the career roller coaster at some point.

Now, in 2022, David is again at the height of the roller coaster, with a superb new album, 22, and a new book, What’s Your Vibe?, out this month. Earlier this year, David was back in stadiums, joining Coldplay on stage at Wembley in front of 80,000 fans.

I spoke at length with David about the advice he got from Coldplay’s Chris Martin, opening up the discussion for men to be more vulnerable, using his fame for good and his new album.

Steve Baltin: With Queen Elizabeth in bad health, I’m sure that everybody there is on full alert.

Craig David: Yeah, I heard the news myself. I think everyone’s feeling sort of on bated breath, like a day that a lot of people never thought were to come around, especially for people who’ve only known the Queen in their lifetime. All the family were going over to see her, which ultimately is going to see their grandma, and I think that’s the part which it hits home when you look at family, someone’s grandma, it’s that. It’s someone’s mom. It’s a sad time.

Baltin: It’s like watching the Taylor Hawkins tribute this past Saturday (September 3). It’s like everyone in the world feels they knew him. But you’re watching this and at the end of the day, that’s someone’s dad.

David: Exactly. And I think once you get back to that, you start to see the real link of it. I mean seeing his son perform was a really touching moment when you were just like, “Wow.” And to play with such enthusiasm and passion, you could tell that he was playing through those drums. You felt every part of that. So it was a very touching tribute.

Baltin: The end of the day it’s all just human. And it’s interesting ’cause we can tie that in with the book. People think they know you through the music, but when you put a book out or documentary, they get to see another side of you.

David: You’re absolutely right. Because it’s connection, and even us just speaking on here right now, it’s being able to have that rapport where it’s not like a means to an end. Because I feel like sometimes if it’s just music related, it’s like, okay, cool, we’re gonna ask some questions about music and then I’m gonna tell you about the music. And then hopefully we get a nice write up and everyone talks about the music. And you can do that with book as well. You can easily just have information backs and forwards. I’m already immersed in a conversation with you. That’s not a means to an end. And I just love that, man. That for me is life. And I think you only get that later possibly in your career where you realize actually there’s always gonna be someone who wants to dissect it and pull extracts. And some is gonna be click-bait, some is gonna be very accurate. As long as you stay on your course and you speak your truth and it’s part of you that you want to share, just do your thing. And it will touch the people it needs to touch when it needs to touch them.

Baltin: When you do a book, you get to go back and revisit it. So what were a couple of the things that emerged that really surprised you the most?

David: This was a very cathartic period, because the pandemic was happening. We had to surrender to whatever it may be. Not that you had to be super creative and come up with something at the back end, or you’re just relaxed and rested or trying to work out how you were gonna survive in that period of time. I kind of had always been touched upon about doing a biography and always felt like, “There’s better people out here who can talk about my career.” There are people who know probably more about my career than I actually do. But what I actually can do though is talk about anecdotes, have anecdotes and stories that people can relate to, but also to make it land in a natural space, which is current and up to date. That leans into some of those life lessons that those songs or those moments brought me to. Which I felt like I needed to make it relatable. Otherwise, again, it was just an information encyclopedia of how did I write “7 Days.” So I kind of feel that for me when I did dig deep into it, it churned up a lot of the things maybe that I’d repressed, the relationship with the Artful Dodger, the way in which my career had gone so fast, the things I was doing that maybe wasn’t in alignment with how I felt at the time. But because I was young and impressionable and wanted to be a people pleaser and just say yes to everything, where those yeses got me. And I kind of feel like all of those parts in the story, things that people could relate to if even if you haven’t got a musical career or you’re just living life. And I love your cat, by the way. This vibe. Diggs, man I’m telling you. That’s what I’m liking. It’s just natural and I’m gonna put my tail up and just flick it as I wish. But genuinely, I found that the music parts were great to relive some of those moments to bring, like I said, with the Artful Dodger. My first time in Notting Hill Carnival, no one knowing who I was, but the song has my name in it and I’m seeing people singing my name out in the middle of thousands of people. And I’m a ghost to the whole thing. Most incredible experiences I’ve ever had in my life. I could try and dress up and do a disguise. But to actually be there so openly and yet no one knows who I was. Yet it was actually such a euphoric moment of people going crazy to the song. Those things I felt people would appreciate me and I appreciate going back into.

Baltin: Are there people you admire or have learned from as to how to handle the ups and downs that come with a music career?

David: Look at the roller coaster ride of artists who’ve been in this for a career. That’s the keyword, is career. Because I’ve seen many people who’ve had huge hits and I don’t want to say it’s a one-hit wonders, it’s just that they had their shine and that moment was very hard to eclipse that. But if they were okay with a career which didn’t always have to be defined by a number or how many it’s sold, then you have a career. I think every artist has a career. It’s just if you define it by a number, then obviously you’re gonna find that if it has to be number one, that’s gonna put a lot of pressure onto you. But I absolutely, completely agree with you a career spans the ebb and flow of life. And I’m as passionate as I was back in the day. I spoke to Chris Martin, actually when we were doing rehearsals at Wembley Stadium. He said to me, “Look, Craig, I’ve got nothing to prove here. All I want to do is be of service and have fun. I want to perform music.” He even said like, “I’m very blessed and very grateful because I’m doing stadiums. I’m doing this amazing part in a career.” And I was just like, “Wow, I’m so love where you are in your place.” But at the same time, very conscious about the energy and renewable energy and having people where they’re creating their own energy by riding bikes and they’re bouncing on pads in the show. Recognizing that there’s a real symbolism behind everything you’re saying. Positivity and love and connection and making people feel relevant and seen. I’m like, “You’re using your foundation and platform to elevate people, rather than just being in this grandiose thing of actually we’re just one of the biggest bands in the world.” And I love that he’s also recognizing the importance of his words and his actions as much as you are Coldplay and you’re huge. He’s a really beautiful human being.

Baltin: Alice Cooper said to me a few years ago, “As you get older, your fame is the brand that allows you to do good.” I love that quote so much. Your book is literally about positive vibes. And you are in a place where you can give back. What are the things that are really important to you right now, in 2022 in your career?

David: To be honest, to be able to have that realization. When I released Born To Do It, album goes number one, you’re travelling the world. But weirdly enough, my manager who’d been with me 22 years too, never took the shine off of what was going on. He’s like, “You’re an 18-year-old kid having the best time of your life. But at the same time, recognize any artist who’s had careers, you can’t sustain this forever. You can’t sustain this level of what’s going on. There’ll be a moment where you’ll have to kind of ride the lower part and then you’ll come back up.” And he was so accurate with that. And that gave me a premise of understanding what career really means. And I think now in the climate of where we are in the world, I’m just very conscious of using my platform to connect to people. Especially as a man to be able to use with the book to be more vulnerable. ‘Cause there is power in vulnerability. And Brené Brown talks about this very well in her book, The Power of Vulnerability. But for a man to open up and to talk about depression and to talk about the times that were hard and to not use the words, “Let’s man up and come on, just dig deep, get in there and stay strong.” We’re gonna move all those old patriarchal ways of communicating and actually get more into our feminine, empathetic, intuitive parts. We are now seeing the shift, where women aren’t having to shout as loud as they had to before. Which should never have been the case. We’re now seeing people actually need more healing. They need the answers to things that are much more beyond getting to a destination, what I said, the journey is the destination. So for me, if I can be part of helping use my stories and my life lessons that you can relate to, that someone can lean into them, we’re on the right course there. This world, like you said, needs healing and music is one of those forms. But also let’s do it through literature. Let’s do it through music. Let’s do it through talking, let’s do it through books. Let’s use a multifaceted, like a lotus petal.

Baltin: Are there artists and people that you admire for the way that they’ve been able to express themselves and really be able to evolve and grow?

David: I use Elton John as a good example. For you to actually have a movie that’s been representing your career and be able to express yourself in that way, and be able to be vulnerable in a show, all the facets of how that was, it hit differently to just knowing these incredible songs that you’ve written. And I also feel that. When you use the examples of someone breaking down, I got that. Good Morning America, I talk about the opening part of the book, when I walk up onto stage and I felt the pain in my back that was just like something I’d never felt before. It was like 240 volts putting my fingers in the plug, And a feeling that then cascaded into this unfolding of depression and can’t carry on doing this. In a moment that I was supposed to be smiling, the biggest moment at Times Square, Good Morning America just sung my debut song out in America for that new album, The Time Is Now. But behind that facade was a broken man. And I felt like that’s the stuff that we need to feel very compelled to talk about. Don’t worry about how you are feeling. Those things we put to the side, let’s get to this destination. So I feel we’re in a place where people are ready to hear that too, as well. I know that the songs now are healing, that people who are conscious of the importance of music and the importance of their words and it all marrying together, it’s a form of healing. Recently there’s a choir here called the Dementia Choir, and they’ve got people learning songs, for people who are suffering with dementia, that’s a huge thing to be able to remember the songs. It shows you that once music is being used, it’s actually something that really does lock in. People can remember, short term memory music.

Baltin: What are your one or two most uplifting songs?

David: If I hear Robyn, “Show Me Love,” there’s something about that song because it’s a soul wrenching, but so obvious, “I’m not putting up with this anymore.” And the way the chords are set up, it’s the go to chords that every dance tune will try and emulate. And I feel the euphoria every time I play it, every time I sing that song, so that’s one for sure. And it’s a funny one, but “Candle In The Wind.” Every time I hear that song, I just feel like it’s so emotive, but yet it’s so uplifting.

Baltin: What songs from 22 are you particularly excited to see how the audience responds to them?

David: I have to say that seeing the progression of the song “Who You Are” and seeing how that’s related to the crowd from when it got released to then seeing people really owning that chorus. There’s a moment where everyone feels very euphoric to sing. And I felt like everyone wears their heart on their sleeve to that moment, which has been really beautiful for me to watch a crowd sing that back to me. I’d also say, one of my favorites on the song, on the album is “Teardrops,” which is the opening song. It has an interpolation of “They Don’t Know” from Jon B. Because such a big fan of Jon B. “They Don’t Know” is my ringtone on my phone, has been for the last three or four years. I’m always careful with interpolations of anything. If you’re gonna use something that’s classic, you really have to bring something to the table, otherwise, I feel like for me personally as a songwriter, you’re not doing it justice because you might as well just leave it alone. So to have that, that song I think will be great. And also, “DNA” is a song that I think many people are connecting with the sentiment of it. We’re all connected in our DNA, some things aren’t always so clear in our minds, but when we connect there’s something that you don’t have to talk about.