Hak Baker, Benjamin Zephaniah, Celeste and Baxter Dury talk about writing whilst living in London, their view of success in their careers so far, and the impact of family and cultural history on their writing.
Hak Baker was born in Luton and raised on the Isle of Dogs, in London. At a young age he was exposed to everything from reggae and dub to classic pop, R&B and soul via friends and family. His first introduction to performing was as part of the Southwark Cathedral choir, before moving towards grime and MC-ing at his local community centre. Later he learned to play guitar, and started writing songs about his experiences and those of the people around him, digging deep into everything from toxic masculinity to social inequality, identity and unity. This year he released his debut album World’s End FM, which is presented as a pirate radio broadcast transmitting from the edge of the apocalypse.
Benjamin Zephaniah is a novelist, playwright and musician, and one of the UK’s best poets of the last 50 years. Born in Birmingham, he is influenced by the music and poetry of Jamaica and writes about race, politics and social injustice. He’s recorded numerous reggae records and has worked with the likes of Sinead O’Connor and The Wailers.
Celeste is an American-born British singer who has established herself as one of the finest soul singers in the UK right now. After winning the Brit Award Rising Star of 2020, she released her critically acclaimed debut album Not Your Muse, becoming the first female British solo artist in five years to reach number one with a debut album.
Baxter Dury is a singer and musician known for his gritty vocals and witty, observant storytelling. His sound brings in influences from hip-hop to new wave, and in June of this year he released his new album I Thought I Was Better Than You, written with his teenage son Kosmo during lockdown.