As host of her namesake Apple Music 1 show, broadcaster Dotty has a big self-proclaimed goal: to bring Black music culture from around the world to life. And she’s remarkably suited for the task: She grew up in global music mecca London as a second-generation immigrant—“all of my grandparents came to the UK from the Caribbean during the Windrush generation,” she explains—and surrounded herself with soul from the US, dancehall from Jamaica, and much more. “I love all branches of the Black music tree, from reggae to R&B,” she says. The Dotty Show finds her interviewing the artists lighting up Apple Music with the biggest tracks across hip-hop, dancehall, Afrobeats, and everything in between, from the UK and beyond. “It’s wall-to-wall Black music from all across the globe,” she says. “A guided tour of the very best.”
Tune in to The Dotty Show every Monday through Thursday at 7 am LA/10 am NYC/3 pm LDN. Hometown: London Former life: Dotty signed a record contract in 2012 and released several mixtapes; she has also hosted different shows on BBC Radio 1Xtra. Earliest musical memory: “My mum playing reggae vinyls on the record player on a Saturday morning. Beres Hammond, Barrington Levy, Gregory Isaacs, Janet Kay were the sound of my childhood.” Favorite group: Destiny’s Child, “because who else?” Favorite music video: Michael Jackson, “Remember the Time” First concert: Usher at the Temple in London First song purchased or downloaded: Will Smith, “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” Go-to karaoke song: Mariah Carey, “Honey” Five songs to get me through the day: 1. Stevie Wonder, “As”
2. Luther Vandross, “Never Too Much”
3. Wizkid, “Essence”
4. Mariah Carey, “Honey”
5. Tems, “Ice T” Favorite workout: “Brisk walks to and from the fridge. Sometimes a light jog to the oven.” Most inspiring thing about music:“I love that feeling of discovering something new and hearing it for the first time.” Anything else you want people to know? “Rihanna retweeted me once!”