Famous Firsts Podcast: Billy Ocean reveals why he picked his name and how he cracked America

31 January 2022, 15:00 | Updated: 23 January 2023, 14:31

Billy Ocean is the latest guest on Smooth's Famous Firsts podcast, and the legendary performer opens up about his incredible life and career.

In episode 10 of Famous Firsts, Billy Ocean speaks to Jenni Falconer in-depth about his family's move from Trinidad and Tobago to the UK, and how he discovered his love of music before becoming one of the world's biggest stars.

Billy opens up about how he chose his famous stage name, and how he took over America in the 1980s with hits like 'When the Going Gets Tough' and 'Caribbean Queen'.

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Billy heads out on a tour of the UK this summer. Head here for all the ticket and venue details.

Listen to the episode below:

In Famous Firsts, Jenni Falconer chats to pop music legends to hear the stories behind their firsts: first gigs, first record deals, first TV appearances and much more.

Previous episodes have featured the likes Ed Sheeran, Michael Bolton, Leona Lewis, Richard Marx, and Marti Pellow.