The Multitudes in Us: Kae Tempest’s Favourite Records

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

1. Nina SimoneLive At Montreux 1976

The performance on this record of ‘Stars’, a Janis Ian cover, is completely revelatory. This album, for me, is a masterclass in what performance can be: that presence, communication, storytelling, and just insane clarity. I was in a hotel where I’m touring at the moment, I played that song, and I had to drop to my knees and cry. Maybe some people don’t listen to music that way, but Nina Simone live is like God speaking. It’s an encounter with the divine. 

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