It’s been nearly 25 years since Craig David’s debut album Born To Do It. Now, at 43, he’s hitting the road again, combining his TS5 DJ set with a live band performance. Amy Wild helped Craig turn the clock back to his unlikely teenage emergence from Southampton – and look to the future too.

“You’ve got the full band – maybe a vocalist comes out and sings acapella, a guitarist plays a little acoustic thing, and suddenly, I’m dropping a beat from my DJ set,” Craig David tells me, explaining the plan for Commitment, his February UK tour. “I just felt like I could find that sweet spot where they both married together. It could be very vibey.”

Craig has always navigated the music scene at his own pace, merging r’n’b and garage to create his distinctive sound. “So I was like, let’s really hone this. It’s hard to sync a DJ set with a full band, but we’re working hard to let everyone come out of their shell. We’re all great musicians up here – just be ready to go!”

Rewind to the late 1990s, and a kid from Southampton with a knack for spinning records and writing catchy melodies starts to make waves. His early work with production duo Artful Dodger, notably 1999 chart smash Re-Rewind, signalled the rise of a UK garage legend. But it was debut solo album Born To Do It, released in 2000, that made him a household name at only 19. Packed with tracks like Fill Me In and 7 Days – both written in his childhood bedroom – it became the fastest-selling debut ever by a British male solo artist, and still sounds fresh today.

Reflecting on those early years, Craig calls Born To Do It “the gift that keeps giving. I’m so grateful for the experience I had leading up to that album coming out. Coming from Southampton, not being London-centric, I was like, what’s going on? Who is this kid?

“I love the innocence of it all, the magic. When I think back to that album, it always ignites something in me – reminds me to stay childlike, to be playful with music. Don’t get too serious or too cool for school, don’t try to be something you’re not. When I wrote those songs, I was just a kid who loved writing melodies and listening to other people’s stories, and that changed my life in the most spectacular way. So, it’s a reminder to stick with what you know is at the core. Just do your thing, and enjoy where it takes you.”

Craig David has worn various hats in his career: songwriter, producer, DJ, and author. But what does he enjoy the most? “On the colour palette, they have slightly different tones,” he says. “There’s something exciting about knowing you’re in that smaller environment, writing something no one in the world has heard yet. I felt the same at 18 years old, thinking, ‘no-one in the world has heard this!’” he continues, recalling the thrill of creating his millennial hits.

“It’s crazy to think people would enjoy it, not just in Southampton where I grew up. Little did I know it would change my life, and that feeling has never changed. Those three minutes could be the ones that change my life all over again.”

Performing live continues to offer Craig another layer of fulfilment. “When I see the crowd’s reaction, it’s another level. You realise these songs aren’t just my creations from the studio, my babies: they belong to everyone now. They’ve become a part of people’s lives – their moments, their memories.”

Craig David’s contact list is as impressive as it gets. He’s worked with Justin Bieber, Sting, and even shared writing credits on DJ Khaled and Drake’s For Free. But there’s one name that stands out on his wishlist. “It sounds super cliché, but Beyoncé. Having grown up listening to Destiny’s Child and then following their careers, there is something about the way in which she floats over the melodies that I just find incredible. When you listen to Survivor, Bills, Bills, Bills or Say My Name, you’re just like wow! I would love to experience that writing, because she’s an incredible, prolific songwriter. I think that being in the studio, even if the song didn’t actually come out, would be a beautiful experience.”

After more than two decades in the music industry, what keeps Craig going? “Going back to that inner child, being creative, and recognising why I got into all this. It’s an honour to perform at all these exciting venues, meet new people, perform songs, and see people’s faces light up. When someone sings along, looks at their partner, and you realise that song has become theirs – maybe it’s their first dance now.”

When you sit down with Craig, what strikes you first is how grounded he is: he doesn’t come off as someone caught up in the glitz of his accumulated success, from platinum albums to sold-out tours. For Craig, it’s about more than just the numbers. “What’s really helped me along the way,” he says, “is to strip back and not get too lost in past achievements. I appreciate everything – they’re all things that I am honoured for – but to be able to do this right here, today.”

Craig’s focus on the present is what keeps his music and creativity alive. “It’s not about living off the past or constantly talking about how many records I sold or how many number ones I had. Like, cool, great story, but what’s happening right now?” For him, the excitement is in pushing forward: “trying new things and seeing what makes sense” today, in his words, and it’s this fresh outlook that fuels his artistry.

In 2022, Craig’s journey expanded beyond music with the publication of his debut book, What’s Your Vibe?. “I kind of stumbled into it a few years back,” he says, explaining how it came about.. “It was a big shift for me, diving into something totally different from music. Unlike creating a song, where the melody can guide the lyrics, writing meant that I had to focus solely on the words, and I ended up really connecting with this new space.

Craig has also begun speaking at events, discussing mental health, depression, and imposter syndrome. “Talking about these issues with people from all sorts of backgrounds has shown me how common these struggles are,” he notes. “It’s clear many of us want to talk more openly about these topics.” Using his platform, Craig aims to use it to share his own experience and spark meaningful conversations. “It’s not just about chart-topping hits anymore – it’s about connecting with people and making a difference.”

As Craig David prepares to bring his tour to Cardiff, then, he’s focused on giving his fans exactly what they want. “The mixing of the DJ and the full band show, I think will be great,” he says. For those hoping for a new spin on his classics, Craig is clear. “I want you to hear Seven Days the way it’s supposed to be sung! I’m going to give it to you like it landed. And the same for the other songs!”

Craig isn’t just surviving after two decades in music; he’s thriving. Through his performances, writing, and efforts to spread positivity, he remains a dynamic and authentic force in the industry: still undeniably born to do it.

Craig David, Utilita Arena Cardiff, Tue 11 Feb.

Tickets: £51.50-£105. Info: here

words AMY WILD