When poolside, I love playing… throwback R&B tunes, like Usher and Mya, followed by island vibes from Beenie Man, Sean Paul and Beyoncé. If I’m on a party holiday, somewhere like Ibiza, I’d put on vocal house mixes. Snoh’s albums are the soundtrack to my holidays, but I also love putting on Kranium – in my opinion, he’s quite underrated as a Jamaican artist – as well as Koffee. When I’m relaxing with a G&T or cocktail, it has to be Luther Vandross and Snoh Aalegra. The type of music I listen to on holiday… really depends on where I’m going. It’s like a big comfort blanket – one I’d probably need on a desert island! It reminds me of my mum, and all the people I love know how much it means to me. If I was going to a desert island and had to take just one song with me, I’d choose… ‘ Never Too Much’ by Luther Vandross. I was far too young to be singing the lyrics of his songs when I was younger – it felt a bit risqué! I was so obsessed with Pretty Ricky back in the day, it’s really nostalgic for me now. I could even tell you the track list without having it in front of me. My other top choice has to be Bluestars by Pretty Ricky I know every single word on it, top to bottom. It’s such a classic and every song is so, so good. My favourite album of all time is… The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
Another favourite is Sinead Harnett’s recent album, Ready Is Always Too Late. My favourite album right now is… We're All Alone In This Together by Dave. Add in a dash on Mariah Carey and I’m set. Think P Diddy, Tupac, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. When I’m getting ready for a night out, I listen to… 90s R&B and current hip hop, with songs I know every single word to. I’d also throw in some funky house, like ‘ The Cure & The Cause’ by Fish Go Deep. That said, I love old-school garage mixes – there’s a great remix of ‘Just In Case’ by Jaheim, while ‘Weak’ by SWV is such a tune. My favourite old-school tunes include… ‘Gimme the Night’ by George Benson, ‘ Hangin’ On a String’ by Loose Ends, ‘ Nights Over Egypt’ by the Jones Girls and Damage’s ‘ Ghetto Romance’. It’s a blend of Afrobeats, Afroswing, dancehall, bashment, R&B and vocal house – a showcase of some of the best Black music we have in the UK. It’s the best getting-ready-to-go-out mix I’ve ever heard, and it makes you feel like you’re already in the club. Til Two, who run one of the best nights in London I’ve ever been to, have a great mix called July 19th by DJ Pioneer & Spidey G. If you’re in the mood to party… jump onto SoundCloud. One song that I haven’t been able to get away from is ‘ GYALIS’ by Capella Grey – it’s a really short tune but it became a huge hit in New York at underground parties during lockdown and my friend from the US sent it to me. Pip Millet is another cool singer-songwriter and has recently released an EP which includes a song featuring Ghetts called ‘ Running’, which I’ve been loving.
It’s soft, gentle listening and he has a great vibe. He’s from Canada and his vibe is a mix of R&B and alternative sounds. The artist I’m currently playing on repeat is… Mustafa. I also listen to a lot of AmaPiano mixes, which are so cool. Right now, there are so many great South African producers out there – Black Coffee has been around for years, but I also love female DJ and producer Success SA. In fact, it’s hard to choose just one genre as I also love old-school soul music and South African vocal house.
My family is from Jamaica, so I’ve been brought up on a lot of reggae and high-tempo Caribbean music. My favourite genre of music is… bashment.