Each month, BIRD takes a peek into the record bag of a musical soulmate. This time we give the floor to our own BIRDies. And who better to do that than one of our founding fathers, Philip Powel! From Sunday morning jam to the soundtrack of his first love: we asked him all about it.

Which song would describe your current world?

‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ by Sam Cooke; an anthem of change and a musical symbol for the turbulent times we live in. But also the song ‘Soweto’ by Abdullah Ibrahim. It exudes a great deal of hope. I heard that when Nelson Mandela first heard this song during his imprisonment on Robben Island, he knew that apartheid in his country would come to an end. In these uncertain times, hope is an important counsellor.

What is your ultimate heartbreak song?

‘Ex Factor’ by Lauryn Hill, because I have always been fascinated by the words this woman chose to express the impossibility of love with her ex-partner. Tragic but beautifully rare at the same time.

What is the soundtrack of your first love?

‘Been Around the World’ by Lisa Stansfield. In the summer of 1989, I played this song in my teenage bedroom for about a month non-stop, about as long as my first love lasted.

Which song or artist keeps you grounded?

‘A Love Supreme’ by John Coltrane. For me, this song is a masterpiece that leans towards perfection. And Prince, he possesses so much exceptional talent that it brings any other person back to earth.

Which song could you now fully sing/rap/play from beginning to end?

‘Ze Huilt Maar Ze Lacht’ by Maan, because my six-year-old daughter has this song on repeat.

Which song is suitable for a late-night cry session?

‘Someday We’ll All Be Free’ by Donny Hathaway. Ultimate vocals combined with his reassuring words in the dead of night make the best recipe for tears (of happiness, of course).

Which song reminds you of your family?

‘Liefste, M’n Liefste’ by Robert Long because it was my mother's life song.

What is your Sunday morning jam and what breakfast goes with it?

‘The Peacocks’ by Bill Evans, with croissants from the oven, jam (with butter) and coffee. delicious.

What were your rebellious anthems? Or, if your puberty wasn't that rebellious, with which songs did you lock yourself in your room?

‘The day I Tried To Live’ by Soundgarden and ‘All Along the Watchtower’ by Jimmy Hendrix. Lots of guitars and prophetic lyrics.

Last but not least, what is the farewell song that will be played at your funeral?

‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face‘ by Roberta Flack. Farewell feels like a new beginning to me. In this song I recognise both.