When Craig David’s ninth studio album, Commitment, drops on Friday (August 8th), it will mark just one week shy of the 25th anniversary of his debut global hit record, Born to Do It.
Released on August 14th, 2000, that first album featured a string of what are now some of the UK songwriter’s most iconic tracks – “Fill Me In”, “7 Days”, and “Walking Away”, just to name a few. As well as reaching the top of music charts worldwide, Born to Do It was a massive commercial success and is widely considered one of the best R&B albums ever.
But as David tells Rolling Stone AU/NZ in an online exclusive chat from his UK home, Commitment‘s release date was not intentionally placed to even be near the 25-year milestone.
“It was very divine,” he smiles. “I knew it was the 25th anniversary of Born to Do It, but I didn’t know it was on the 16th. And [Commitment] was gonna be a month earlier, and then it got pushed back to this new date. I was like, ‘No, you can’t make this up.’
“It’s very synonymous, because I feel like the way I wrote this album was very much in the same way that I did Born to Do It, where I didn’t have any, sort of, pressures of having to hit a date to finish the songs or make sure that we’re in the mix and in the know with what is the current trend that you need to be on. Whatever bag that I was in when I did Born to Do It, which ended up allowing songs like “Can’t Be Messin’ Around”… there was a vibe.”
Because of the success of Born to Do It, the now-44-year-old artist has had the very tough task of generating the same success ever since. It’s fair to say he could have easily ridden the wave of the record for the rest of his career. Instead, he continued to work. Since 2000, he has produced eight more records, launched DJ venture TS5, in which he works the decks and sings, toured the world many times over and even released his first book, What’s Your Vibe?, in 2022.
Even David is stunned by his output.
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“You could never have told me when I was making the first album that I’d be nine albums in over the course of 25 years, and what would have gone on in between those times,” he says. That’s been the real litmus test for me. I think when I first started off, it was about I’ve got to experience travelling, I want to play Wembley Arena, I want to go to a different country, I want to have a number one – those kind of things as an aspiring, like, first off artist. I’ve been very blessed to have achieved a lot of my bucket list. But 25 years later, for it to be falling a week before Born to Do It’s 25th anniversary and the title being Commitment, I think it really just locks in what it is all about.”
With Commitment, David set out to bring those signature 2000s R&B and garage sounds to 2025, while the album also has dashes of pop, dance and even country sprinkled throughout. But there was no secret agenda. Only a focus to tap into the music he resonates with today, his way.
“Second and third albums, for me, I felt were like were kind of more the pressure albums, because especially off the back of Born to Do It having success, you’re just a little bit behind the eight ball and a bit like you’re looking at the environment and you’re trying to work out where do you sit in the mix of it.
“[With Commitment] I’m not trying to preach or push anything on anyone… I just feel like I’m back in that bag again, man.”
You only need to look at what David has been up to in recent years to understand his global appeal. Just this past April, he was brought out on stage by US superstar Usher (who also dominated 2000s R&B) at London’s O2 Arena in April to perform together, while in 2022, he was a surprise guest at Coldplay’s concert at Wembley Arena for two nights in front of 80,000 fans.
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The love and respect David has earned from his fans and peers in the last 25 years is not lost on him. And while he wants to enjoy the success, he’s as hungry as ever to deliver more.
“It’s this weird sort of dichotomy, where you’ve got the one side of me that now has gone through enough career and has had enough hit songs now… where you’ve got enough that you can draw from from different albums,” he explains.
“Coldplay were like, ‘Can you do “Fill Me In” one night and then the following night, can you do “7 days”‘? It was an honour for [Coldplay frontman Chris Martin] to personally come on the phone and speak to me and to say, ‘Which songs would you wanna do?’ And I’m like, ‘Mate.’ Do you know what I mean?
“We grew up at the same time, he said it on stage as well, we were in and around the same time when we came up. But he said, ‘I’m happy to sit back, I wanna be your backing band today and you perform, my man. I’m like, ‘What? Coldplay’s my backing band on stage?!’ When I did it and the crowd erupted in Wembley Stadium, it was unbelievable. The same with Usher.
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Ultimately, that’s what keeps David always looking ahead and striving for the next great piece of music 25 years on. He’s never settled, and he’s never finished.
“We’ve got the songs to feel like we’re good, but the musician, hungry. I always wanna just be a student in the game,” he says.
“It’s always like, ‘OK, these are great, these accolades are great, the respect is great, the hits are great, but what did you do today?’ And at that point you have to question yourself and you’re like, ‘Well, I haven’t written 7 Days today, so I guess I need to get in the studio!’ And then the game begins.
“Nine albums in, that’s what keeps you in the flow, you know what I mean?”
Craig David’s Commitment is out now.
