An Evening with Kae Tempest (Part Two)

An Evening with Kae Tempest (Part Two)

From Intelligence Squared by Intelligence Squared

May 3, 2026 · 48 min · Season 1 · Episode 3430

About this episode

Kae Tempest discusses their return to fiction and the themes explored in their new novel.

Kae Tempest is widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest wordsmiths. In a career of ferocious creativity, he has received multiple prizes and critical recognition across the many forms he works in. Beginning as a lyricist and songwriter in his teens, Tempest threw himself fully into whichever discipline he could find work in; gigging as a poet, writing for the theatre or busking with his band. A decade later, this obsessive compulsion to push his writing as far and as hard as he could, secured him a record deal with UK independent label Big Dada and a poetry publishing contract with Picador. Tempest’s work has always sought to pull the focus between the global or national concerns of a character, and the private, very intimate experiences of their lives; the minuscule and the mundane peering out from behind the incomprehensibly large and overpowering. Whether it’s austerity, addiction, communal disassociation, the planet in crises, or the death of our prevailing myths, the bigger picture is always made up of tiny parts. We were joined by Tempest live on stage at St George's, Bristol as he discussed his much anticipated return to fiction. His first novel in a decade, Having…

People in this episode

Guest: Kae Tempest

Topics covered

  • poetry
  • fiction
  • identity
  • redemption
  • family
  • creativity

Keywords

  • Kae Tempest
  • poetry
  • fiction
  • Having Spent Life Seeking
  • identity
  • redemption
  • family

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Big Dada, Picador

Books & works: Having Spent Life Seeking

Places: Edgecliff, St George's, Bristol

More episodes of Intelligence Squared

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Intelligence Squared podcast page.