Neneh Cherry

"Back then, much to my embarrassment, Don would play the flute walking down the street, and I used to wish my parents would be just like normal folks. Now, of course, I'm eternally grateful for the experiences we had."

Neneh Cherry was born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1964. She began travelling when she was 2 years old, accompanying her parents on her stepfather (the celebrated jazz trumpeter and global music pioneer, Don Cherry) on his tours. In between travelling, Neneh spent most of her school years in New York.

Music played a dominent role in Neneh's childhood - when she was just 4 years old she met Miles Davies and went to concerts with her Dad. In 1979 she started playing bass and singing backing for 'The Nails' - a pseudo- ska-punk outfit. By this time, she had made contact with British iconoclasts 'The Pop Group' and 'The Slits' who would influence the start of her own career.