Mo Gilligan Shares His Most Influential and Personal Songs

Comedian Mo Gilligan opens up about the music that has shaped his life in a candid interview. His earliest musical memory was influenced by his father, a Rastafarian, who introduced him to reggae classics like Bob Marley’s ‘Get Up, Stand Up.’ The first single he purchased was ‘Rollout (My Business)’ by Ludacris, which he played repeatedly. Gilligan shares his karaoke go-to songs, including Robbie Williams’ ‘Angels’ and Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall,’ emphasizing songs everyone can sing along to. He recalls memorizing Shaggy’s ‘Boombastic’ from a Levi’s advert as a child, while ‘Sweet Caroline’ by Neil Diamond has become overplayed for him. For parties, he recommends ‘Talkin da Hardest’ by Giggs and ‘Freed from Desire’ by Gala. Though he keeps it a secret, he enjoys ‘Wannabe’ by the Spice Girls and praises its clever lyrics. The song that profoundly impacted him was ‘Heartbreak’ by Drake and Yebba, which he listens to when needing calm. His morning motivation comes from Jamiroquai’s ‘Cosmic Girl,’ and Cleo Sol’s ‘Know That You Are Loved’ moves him emotionally. For his funeral, he considers either DMX’s ‘Party Up (Up in Here)’ for a lively send-off or East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’ for dramatic effect. Gilligan will tour the UK and US from January to May, sharing his humor and personality with audiences worldwide.