Episode description

For soul singer Mica Paris, when she first dreamt of becoming a singer it was Josephine Baker who inspired her most.

Baker was a young black American dancer who became an overnight sensation in Paris in 1925 after performing wild, uninhibited routines in the skimpiest of costumes.

So can Mica Paris make the case for Baker who wore a string of bananas and little else while performing the 'banana dance?

Joining presenter Matthew Parris to help tell the story of Josephine Baker is author Andrea Stuart.

Producer: Perminder Khatkar

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 May 2018.