And also Leeds (the 2nd show of my debut tour). As I was singing the last notes of my final song, I got really emotional and had to hold back the tears. It was this incredible moment of reflection, where I stood there and thought this is really happening - wow.
What inspired you to audition for Britain's Got Talent (BGT), and what was the experience like? When I became a teacher, it was all-consuming. It’s incredibly hard work and my singing career went out the window. I just didn’t have time to think about it. But, when I saw that advert; I thought to myself, I’ll give it a go. I also said to myself, ‘ Tom, this is your one final shot at this’.
How did you prepare for your performances on BGT, both mentally and physically? Lots of work! ITV provide vocal coaches, you have a weekly lesson with them and then Zoom calls in-between. I still have lessons with the same coach actually. But yeah, it was constant. I rehearsed and rehearsed; morning, noon and night. The last thing you want is to be on stage and forget the lyrics! (laughs)
What advice would you give aspiring performers who dream of auditioning for BGT or similar shows? Oh, (laughs), erm, I’m still trying to action this myself. Do as Tom says, not as I do! (laughs again). I would have to say: just to live in the moment. It’s easy to let the little wins pass you by; the first solo, or the first performance with a live band, but try to stop and embrace these times… even if it’s just for 30 seconds.
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Can you share with us your musical journey and how you got started as a singer? It all started when I was about 7. I grew up in a house full of music. Mum used to play music nonstop, especially in the car. Anything and everything; from Elton John to Phil Collins to musical theatre, Les Mis was an absolute favourite from me. And that’s how I started singing, learning the words to Gary Barlow and Take That… and shouting them in tune! Mum recognised how much I enjoyed singing so she enrolled me into the local amateur dramatics group and signed me up for some singing lessons. For the next 10-12 years, it was my life; performing in shows, concerts and gigs. I went on to study drama and performing arts at college and university, where I became a singing teacher myself to earn money whilst studying for my degree. I became a secondary school teacher after all this and put my singing career to one side, that was until I saw an advert for Britain’s Got Talent...and I thought, why not. I submitted a video and my life literally changed overnight.
What do you believe sets your music apart from others in the industry? That’s a tough one. I don’t like bigging myself up. (laughs) Erm… I guess, if I write music it’s always personal, honest and real – that’s how I want to make an impact. For example, ‘Home Again’, which I sang at after the interval, I wrote this song at 1 o’clock in morning, literally as I was supposed to be leaving the house, knowing I would be away from home for a long time, and it just poured out of me. It was honest and true to how I was feeling at that time and my hope is that is a wide range of people find it relatable.
Can you share a particularly memorable performance or moment from your career as a singer? It has to be America with the golden buzzer… it was unreal.
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So now you’re going it alone on your debut tour, how do you approach live performances? By making sure I am prepared, in terms of lyrics and order of songs. I don’t like to over-rehearse my interactions with the audience as I want that to be natural. But with my songs, I make sure I know exactly what I’m doing. Likewise, I try not to rehearse too much on the actual day of a show and talk as little as I can. I’m also careful with what I eat on show days, avoiding dairy and bananas as these are not good for the voice.
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