Craig David has played to sold-out arenas around the world. He’s topped charts, picked up awards, and racked up millions of record sales. But last week, when he stepped onto the stage at The 1865 for a special Vinilo event, the homecoming meant something extra. This wasn’t just another gig. This was the 1865 in Southampton – the city where it all began.
If you grew up in Southampton in the late ’80s or early ’90s, you might remember the David family on the Holyrood Estate. Craig’s father, George David, was a bass guitarist for The Ebony Rockers, a local reggae band that made serious waves in the city’s music scene. George’s influence obviously had a big impact as Craig grew up surrounded by music.
A mural celebrating The Ebony Rockers and their legacy was unveiled in 2022 on the very estate where George lived – a nod, as Solent University put it, to the band’s lasting impact on the city. For Craig, it’s a daily reminder of where it all started. “I always say this when I come down The Avenue – I just get the nostalgia, that feeling of growing up here and what it means to me,” Craig said, speaking ahead of his show. “It’s home.”
It’s easy to look at Craig David’s career and think it’s all been smooth sailing. But when asked about regrets, he’s quick to point out that the tough times matter just as much as the triumphs. “I think experience and wisdom with time allows you to look back at some of those things that were testing and difficult for you. And you realise that actually that shaped you into who you are now,” he said.
There’s no sign Craig is slowing down. His ninth album, ‘Commitment’, dropped this month. Why that title? “I’ve always felt committed to wanting to make music that just touches your heart in some way,” he explained. The reaction has been everything he hoped for: “If this resonates, this could be a core memory for a 16, 17-year-old kid who just discovers it, or a fan who’s been there from day one.”
He’s still pushing boundaries, too. Craig recently performed on stage with Usher, and the idea of a studio collaboration is very much on the cards. “I would love to work in the studio with Usher, it’s been a long time coming… I think the tone of voices would be magical and I feel he feels the same so let’s see how it goes.”
It’s not just about what’s new, though. This year marks 25 years since his debut album ‘Born to Do It’ – the record that launched him from his childhood bedroom on the Holyrood Estate to international fame. “It not only changed my life but it seems to have changed so many other people’s lives,” he said. “’Rewind’ being the one that broke through the garage scene but ‘Walking Away’ which people say has really helped them get through a relationship or a situation at work and they needed to leave and they made that decision based on listening to that song.”
Last Friday night, Craig made a point of shouting out his parents, telling the 1865 crowd they were there in the audience watching. It was a reminder that behind the platinum records and radio hits, there’s a Southampton story about family, sacrifice, and the kind of support that makes dreams possible.
So how does Craig David define success, all these years on? “It was never necessarily about defining yourself by how many records or number ones… I’m so grateful for those things but it’s about being able to put out a ninth album and being relevant with a younger crowd but have my core fans with me.”
For one night in Southampton, Craig David was right back where it all began – and the city couldn’t have been prouder.
