Myles Smith Reflects on a Monumental Year Featuring Glastonbury and Obama’s Playlist

Myles Smith, a 26-year-old artist from Luton, believes he has consistently surpassed his own expectations throughout his career, which began with him playing guitar and piano at age 11. This year, he achieved a top five single, performed at Glastonbury, accumulated over one billion streams, and was recognized as BBC Introducing’s Artist of the Year. He states, “I guess it’s taken a long time. But I finally feel comfortable in my own skin and I feel proud of the music.” During an interview with BBC Newsbeat, Myles was located in Montreal, a city on his current North America tour itinerary. He shared his perspective, saying, “What I think this year’s taught me is that expectations are there for comfort. But very rarely are they exactly what we imagine.” He added, “My expectations when I started 2024 was not in a year to have played over 100 shows or the billion streams.” Myles expressed that he will always value the chance for individuals worldwide to opt to listen to his music. His successful track, Stargazing, has garnered global recognition, earned platinum certification, and was even included on former US President Barack Obama’s summer playlist. He explained his creative process: “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.” He continued, “I just wanted to write something that was simple, but something that we all experience and feel at some point in life.” He concluded, “I feel like doing that, it resonated with so many more people around the world.” The song, which he mentioned took approximately 15 minutes to create, has also gained popularity on TikTok. Myles acknowledges the significant role the platform plays for artists aiming to achieve widespread recognition. During the coronavirus lockdown in 2020, Myles started uploading cover songs, and his acoustic rendition of The Neighbourhood’s Sweater Weather became viral in 2022. He commented, “Social media in general is so significant to an artist’s journey.” He elaborated, “Some people may feel that the onus to do social media is a pressure that isn’t needed.” He added, “And others may see it as an opportunity to really sort of find a community at a global scale.” Myles aligns with the latter perspective. He believes, “We have the autonomy and control to be able to market ourselves how we desire and in ways which are most authentic to us.” However, some critics have suggested that TikTok’s impact is altering musical aesthetics, affecting both song durations and genres. Myles countered this criticism, stating, “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.” He continued, “It’s given me more freedom than ever to do what I want. And how I want to do it.” He concluded by emphasizing adaptability: “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.” While Myles acknowledges the “privilege” of connecting with a vast audience both online and through touring, he also deems it crucial to address the “other side” of the industry. Artists including Rachel Chinouriri, The Last Dinner Party, and CMAT have previously spoken about the financial difficulties associated with touring, especially in North America. Myles concurs that touring “is super expensive” and believes that the broader live music sector requires enhanced assistance. In the UK, Myles noted that the “thriving” small venue and grassroots music scene suffered after Covid, and now finds it challenging to support artists as it once did. These types of venues have frequently served as crucial launching pads for artists who later achieved superstardom, such as Adele and Ed Sheeran. Myles remarked, “[It’s] truly fundamental to an artist’s journey and luckily I was able to start my journey a long time ago.” He emphasized, “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.” Another aspiration Myles holds for his future is to “keep making music I love.” Myles is scheduled to open for Ed Sheeran in 2025, referring to him as “one of my idols.” He expressed his personal goals: “I just want to have the most fun and the best year that I can.” He added, “Spend it with the people that I love the most.” He concluded, “And that is a priority for me now.” Newsbeat can be heard live at 12:45 and 17:45 on weekdays, or accessed for later listening. This content is Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their external linking policy is available.