The other day, I was struck by an epiphany about my enduring state of singleness that shook me to my core. Yes, life circumstances had led to it, but I realised that there was something about my psyche, a seed that was planted during my formative years that had resulted in my no-nonsense attitude towards men.

That seed was none other than my fondness for Ms. Dynamite’s debut album A Little Deeper, which I had on repeat as an impressionable pre-teen. Released on the 10th of June 2002 – which is my birthday! Another undeniable sign of my affinity with this record – A Little Deeper burst onto the British music scene making monumental waves, producing multiple top ten hits and winning the Mercury Prize.

And just like the title implies, Ms. Dynamite’s work wasn’t merely the braggadocious boastings about money and sex of her peers, but a decidedly ‘deeper’, more razor-sharp commentary on many societal issues.