‘The song I secretly like? Agadoo by Black Lace’: Estelle’s honest playlist
The first song I remember hearing
I remember hearing Sweet Mother by Prince Nico Mbarga at a family christening when I was about two or three. It’s a perennial song in our house.
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The first single I bought
There was a summer fete at my primary school – I must have been around 10 – and they had a 12 inch copy of The Magic Number by De La Soul on the bric-a-brac table. I remember liking the cover and vaguely remembering one of my uncles playing it, so I bought it for 50p, even though I didn’t have a record player.
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The song I know every lyric to
There are so many! Is This Love by Bob Marley, How’s It Goin’ Down by DMX … I’m a fan of music first, a singer second, so I still get excited by music, just like everyone.
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The song I’ve streamed the most
Blessing of Abraham by Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers is such an empowering, upbeat song. I’ve always loved Lawrence as a gospel singer and The Tri-City Singers as a gospel group. They just make me feel so happy; every time I hear them I want to get up and do something.
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The best song to play at a party
Everybody knows Before I Let Go by Maze, or maybe the Beyoncé version. Everyone’s going to dance when that comes on.
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The song I can’t help singing
All That I Can Say by Mary J Blige is just a beautiful song. It takes me back to a magical time in life in my mid to late teens. It feels like magic, butterflies and rainbows.
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The song I can no longer listen to
I used to love Redbone by Childish Gambino but now I just find it annoying. I keep thinking it should change more, but then it never does. I think it’s more to do with me, so it’s not on him, it’s on me.
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The song I pretend to hate but I secretly like
Agadoo by Black Lace reminds me of being a kid at Christmas in London when all of the songs are playing on the radio and TV are just a bit cheesy. It’s like a nursery rhyme, something everyone can sing along to.
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The song that is actually my favourite
You have to dance to Do I Do by Stevie Wonder. I can’t not move to it when it comes on. If you stand still to Do I Do by Stevie Wonder then you have no blood going through your veins.
The Estelle Show airs Monday-Friday from midday on Apple Music Hits.
