Craig David hails his career changing decision to return to UK

Craig David says his decision to move back to England marked "an amazing moment" in his career.

The singer begins a nationwide run of stadium tours in Cardiff on Thursday, performing to some of his biggest ever audiences.

Few could have anticipated the extent of his recent comeback following a six-year hiatus in Miami.

"I had the sports car, I was living the dream, the sun, I had the whole thing going on," David said. "But the music was falling by the wayside because it’s got everything to tell you not to go and make music.

"It just wasn’t productive for me and when I made that choice to move back, a year and a half ago, it was the most amazing moment because as soon as I made that choice, I came back and everything changed."

It was a collaboration with MC Big Narstie, updating his hit Re-Rewind – the song by Artful Dodger that started his career back at the turn of the century – that first got people saying his name again.

Updating his garage track for a grime generation, his success now is largely down to the children of his original fans, and they have helped make Craig David cool again.

Last year he had a number one album, Following My Intuition, and even a Brit Award nomination.

"I don’t look at chart positions or worry about that stuff because that’s more of an ego thing," he admits.

"I didn’t know as a 16-year-old kid when I was writing that first album where it would take me.

"I’m even more passionate now, weirdly enough, but the wisdom of 16 years means I focus in on the things that are important and that’s to go in the studio, because three minutes can change your life."

His decision to escape the UK was understandable.

He’d started out as one the country’s most promising young musicians. But fame proved fleeting.

In less than a decade, he’d become a figure of ridicule when comedian Leigh Francis decided to make him the running joke of his TV show Bo’ Selecta!.

The show killed-off his career. But, somewhat remarkably, he isn’t bitter about how he was treated.

"You only have a finite amount of energy in the morning.

"I just want to use it in the most positive way I can, so I’m not trying to put myself in situations where I’m wasting it by looking at negative things.

"I think it’s an amazing story to be able to tell a young aspiring songwriter-musician that if you just love music, you don’t over complicate it, and you enjoy the process, anything is possible."

His tour begins at Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. Some of his biggest shows will include the Liverpool Echo Arena, London’s The O2 arena and the Manchester Arena.

(c) Sky News 2017: Craig David hails his career changing decision to return to UK