Season 58 2021

Jools welcomes musical icon Noel Gallagher, who looks back at ten years of his band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, including ‘that scissor moment', stories of his life and career, and the music that has inspired him. His choices from the archive include the likes of Young Fathers, The Strokes and Paul McCartney.

There's also a special performance from Walsall-born singer-songwriter and Brit winner Jorja Smith, who made her TV debut on the Later 25th anniversary special at the Royal Albert Hall in 2017. She sings the track Home from her new eight-track project Be Right Back, a collection of songs that she says will be 'interpreted in different ways, depending on experiences of the people listening'.

And we will be welcoming the return of Ohio duo The Black Keys, who have just released their tenth studio album, Delta Kream. It celebrates the band's roots, honouring the musicians and songs of the Mississippi Hill Country Blues that they have loved since they were teenagers. They will be performing a rendition of an R.L. Burnside track, Going Down South, from the band's Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville.

Jools chats to US musician and BBC 6 Music's Artist in Residence, Annie Clark aka St Vincent, from her home studio in Los Angeles. They discuss her early life growing up in Texas and the musical influences that shaped her, such as Lou Reed, Al Green and British icon PJ Harvey, who all feature in her top favourite Later… performances. They also explore some of the themes and inspirations behind her recently released fifth studio album, Daddy's Home, which sees her take on a new persona inspired by the music and culture of the early 1970s.

Multi-talented actor and musician Johnny Flynn makes his debut on the show with a performance filmed at Jools' studio of the track Ten Degrees of Strange, taken from his latest album, Lost in the Cedar Wood, which was co-written with nature writer Robert MacFarlane and features fellow musicians Cosmo and Merlin Sheldrake as well as Johnny's nine-year-old son Gabriel. Flynn has recently appeared in hit films such as Emma, The Dig and the David Bowie biopic Stardust, and over the years has written and released four studio albums as well as the soundtrack to hit BBC sitcom The Detectorists.

Also making their Later… debut are Bristol-based five-piece Squid, who will treat viewers to a performance of their single Paddling, which sees the band sharing vocal duties and explores the 'dichotomy between simple pleasures and decadent consumerism'. Squid first met at Brighton University in 2015, having connected over a love of ambient, jazz, and the propulsive sounds of 1970s Germany. They quickly became one of Britain's most-lauded new bands and have recently released their debut album, Bright Green Field, which is produced by Dan Carey, the man behind many of the most vital debut records in recent years.

Returning to the show for a performance filmed at West London's Bush Hall is Birmingham-born multi-instrumentalist and vocal powerhouse Laura Mvula. Armed with her keytar, Laura will perform a number from her forthcoming third LP Pin

Jools chats to Dublin-born singer songwriter Imelda May about her life and career, including the success of her latest album 11 Past the Hour, which topped the Official Irish Album Charts to make her the first Irish female solo artist to top the charts in over five years. Her new record and sixth studio album is the follow up to her spoken word EP Slip of the Tongue and features a star-studded array of guests including Ronnie Wood, Noel Gallagher and Miles Kane. Having sifted through the Later… archive, Imelda discusses her top five performances from the show, in which Kirsty MacColl, Joan Armatrading and Queens of the Stone Age all feature.

From north London, British-Nigerian musician and actor Little Simz returns to the show with a performance of her latest track Woman, which features vocals from fellow Londoner and previous collaborator Cleo Sol. The music video for Woman marks Little Simz's directorial debut, and the song is taken from her much- anticipated fourth studio album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, the follow-up to her critically acclaimed and Mercury Prize nominated LP GREY Area .

Jools also welcomes a rising star from Grantham, Holly Humberstone, to perform a new song live in his studio. The hotly tipped singer-songwriter is fast gaining popularity following the release of her debut EP Falling Asleep at the Wheel, a slot supporting Lewis Capaldi at Wembley last year and her runner-up position on the BBC's Sound of 2021.

Jools welcomes British legend Joan Armatrading, Tyneside art rockers Field Music and LA-based group Gabriels to the show.

Jools chats with comedian, writer and music lover Romesh Ranganathan, bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and producer Emma-Jean Thackray and the legendary Van Morrison.

Jools welcomes to the show grime originator, rapper and songwriter Kano and two Later debuts: Sheffield's Rebecca Taylor, aka Self Esteem, and contemporary soul and funk purveyor Joel Culpepper.