BBC Introducing’s Artist of the Year is surpassing own expectations

Stargazing singer Myles Smith has won BBC Introducing Artist of the Year

BBC Myles Smith, a man, wearing a white tshirt with a blue denim jacket over the top. He is smiling, with the walls behind him a light brown colour illuminated in some light. — Stargazing singer Myles Smith has won BBC Introducing Artist of the Year

When Myles Smith reflects on his journey – from an 11-year-old kid playing guitar and piano to a charting artist – he feels he’s continuously exceeded his own expectations.

This year, the 26-year-old from Luton has had a top five single, played Glastonbury, smashed past one billion streams and just been named BBC Introducing’s Artist of the Year.

“I guess it’s taken a long time. But I finally feel comfortable in my own skin and I feel proud of the music,” he says.

When Myles speaks to BBC Newsbeat, he is in Montreal, one of the stops on his North America tour.

“What I think this year’s taught me is that expectations are there for comfort. But very rarely are they exactly what we imagine.

“My expectations when I started 2024 was not in a year to have played over 100 shows or the billion streams.”

Myles says he will never take the opportunity for people around the globe to choose to listen to his music for granted.

His breakout hit, Stargazing, has achieved worldwide acclaim, been platinum-certified and even featured on former US President Barack Obama’s summer playlist.

“For me it was just about prioritising writing music that comes straight from the heart and trying not to filter too much of that brain to mouth barrier.

“I just wanted to write something that was simple, but something that we all experience and feel at some point in life.

“I feel like doing that, it resonated with so many more people around the world,” he says.

Myles says he’s grateful for the opportunity to perform to so many people around the world

Getty Images Myles Smith performs on the Greenpeace stage during day four of Glastonbury Festival 2024 at Worthy Farmon June 29, 2024 in Glastonbury, England. He is wearing a white tshirt and has a guitar in his hands while singing into a black microphone. A spotlight behind him shines down. — Myles says he’s grateful for the opportunity to perform to so many people around the world

The song, which he says was made in about 15 minutes, has also found a home on TikTok.

And Myles is well aware of how important the platform is to artists looking to break through.

In 2020, during the coronavirus lockdown, Myles began posting covers, with his acoustic version of The Neighbourhood’s Sweater Weather going viral in 2022.

“Social media in general is so significant to an artist’s journey,” he says.

“Some people may feel that the onus to do social media is a pressure that isn’t needed.

“And others may see it as an opportunity to really sort of find a community at a global scale.”

Myles sees it as the latter.

“We have the autonomy and control to be able to market ourselves how we desire and in ways which are most authentic to us.”

But there has been some criticism that TikTok’s influence is changing the way music sounds, with impacts on song lengths and styles.

“I think that the idea that TikTok somehow diminishes the quality of music or somehow you have to fit the music within parameters is a myth for me personally.

“It’s given me more freedom than ever to do what I want. And how I want to do it.

“Times change all the time. One time you were cutting records on vinyl next it was on CD, then MP3 and digital… it’s about moving with the times,” he says.

Myles performed at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in his hometown Luton

Myles Smith performing on the BBC Introducing Stage at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Luton. Myles is wearing a red Luton football jersey with a white stripe, and brown trousers. He has a guitar around his neck and both arms pointed up in the sky. Behind him are two members of the band and "BBC Introducing" lit up in white font and a black background. — Myles performed at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in his hometown Luton

While Myles accepts the “privilege” of being able to reach so many online and on tour, he feels it’s important to highlight the “other side”.

Artists such as Rachel Chinouriri, The Last Dinner Party and CMAT have previously mentioned the financial challenges of touring, particularly in North America.

Myles agrees that it “is super expensive” to tour, and feels live music more widely needs greater support.

In the UK, Myles said the “thriving” small venue and grassroots scene took a hit post-Covid, and struggle to support artists in the way the used to.

Such venues have often been an important starting point for artists who’ve gone on to superstardom, including Adele and Ed Sheeran.

“[It’s] truly fundamental to an artist’s journey and luckily I was able to start my journey a long time ago,” says Myles.

“I think that moving forward, thinking about support for musicians and thinking about how we can move forward and value the arts is an important conversation.”