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Episode details

Sounds,25 Feb 2025,33 mins

Pop: The Politics of Desire

Instrumental: Black British Trailblazers

Available for 170 days

Who gets to be a Pop star has often been dictated by image and marketability. While Black artists have shaped the sound of pop for decades, many have faced barriers to visibility, recognition, and success. Mia Thornton uncovers how Pop has both embraced and excluded Black artists, and what it takes to truly belong in the UK鈥檚 biggest music scene. Broadcaster Clara Amfo discusses stereotypes, colourism and what is considered 鈥榙esirable鈥� within the Pop鈥檚 power structures and rising star Hannah-Morgan on her hopes of breaking the mould. From Winifred Atwell, the Trinidadian pianist who in 1954, became the first Black person to have a UK No.1, to Craig David becoming the face of UK garage-infused Pop in the 2000s, Mia discovers how the industry has both celebrated and ignored Black talent.

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