In a candid and engaging interview, former heptathlete Denise Lewis shared her personal playlist, offering a glimpse into the music that has inspired, comforted and empowered her over the years. From the epic Queen ballad that captivated her as a child to the Megan Thee Stallion anthem that gets her going in the morning, Lewis’s musical preferences reflect the highs and lows of her extraordinary life.
Lewis fondly recalled her first musical love, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, which she discovered as a nursery school student watching the chilling yet epic music video on Top of the Pops. Her first single purchase, Ring My Bell by Anita Ward, was a birthday or Christmas gift chosen with the help of her mother’s trusty record player.
The athlete’s karaoke go-to is the Whitney Houston powerhouse I Have Nothing, a number she belted out to a standing ovation during a Soccer Aid afterparty. Lewis also confessed to knowing every lyric to Take on Me and The Sun Always Shines on TV by a-ha, songs she can sing along to for days.
When it comes to party playlists, the former heptathlete and her girlfriends can’t resist the urge to take over the dancefloor whenever Candy by Cameo comes on. However, there is one seasonal song she simply can’t stand anymore – Merry Xmas Everybody by Slade, which she’s had to endure for over 50 years.
While Lewis admits to secretly enjoying Céline Dion’s My Heart Will Go On, there are some tunes that have the power to move her to tears, such as Coldplay’s The Scientist. Nonetheless, the athlete remains hopeful, envisioning Frank Sinatra’s classic My Way playing as she is cremated or laid to rest.
Throughout the interview, Lewis’s musical preferences paint a vibrant picture of her life, from the inspirational Whitney Houston anthem that fueled her Olympic dreams to the Megan Thee Stallion banger that energizes her daily. Her honest and relatable playlist offers fans a unique window into the mind and spirit of this celebrated British sports icon.