Outlook Mixtape: For the record

For many years, artist Rodriguez was unknown in the USA but a household name in 1970s South Africa where his anti-establishment song lyrics resonated with many of those opposed to the strict apartheid state. One of those South African fans who adored him was Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, a Cape Town record shop owner; his nickname came from the song Sugar Man by Rodriguez. Whilst his music was everywhere very little was known about the man himself; rumour had it that he had killed himself during an unsuccessful concert. But when Sugar decided to find out what had become of him, something astonishing happened. This interview was first broadcast in 2022.

Nigerian James Emmanuel could be a bit naughty as a boy. To keep him out of trouble his father, a preacher, enrolled him in the local church choir. But James' secret passion was listening to songs his father considered 'devil music', such as Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing. When he was 16 his father died and things got tough financially for the family. James moved to the UK to work and provide for them. He settled in Edinburgh, where he worked in a bar cleaning floors, singing while he mopped. A customer who overheard him told him about a local karaoke night where James soon became a regular. Just a few years later, he'd be performing at the Royal Albert Hall in London in front of thousands. James spoke to Mobeen Azhar earlier this year.

As a child, Gina Waggott was ashamed of her voice. She started stammering, or stuttering, at the age of six and tried desperately to hide it. She was bullied at school and told she would never be able to follow the career path she wanted because of her speech. In 1995, her life changed when she heard a new single that was hitting the airwaves in the UK – Scatman by Scatman John aka John Larkin. John also stuttered and the song encourages others who do so to not let it hold them back. Gina became a Scatman John superfan and, when she contacted him, she couldn’t believe the response and what happened after. She recently spoke to Jo Fidgen about her path to self-acceptance. Gina’s book is called Scatman John: The Remarkable Story of the World's Unlikeliest Popstar.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Emily Naylor

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: A transparent 60-minute cassette tape with a white label bearing the words: The Outlook Mixtape. Credit: Getty Images)