Myles Smith

One Liner:  Vibey, folky soft rock that is lovely if not very sticky

Wikipedia Genre: singer-songwriter

Home: Luton, England

Poster Position: 16
Both Weekends.
Sunday at 3:45.

IHG Stage.

Thoughts:   Born to a British Jamaican family in 1998, about two weeks after I graduated from college.  Which makes me feel deeply old.  He grew up listening to all sorts of music, and while young he bought a guitar for himself and taught himself how to play.  He began performing covers at open mic nights by the time he was 12, apparently focusing on soft folk songwriters like Mumford, Sheeran, and Chris Martin.  He got his larger start by covering The Neighbourhood's "Sweater Weather," which went viral in 2022.

"Behind" sort of feels like someone is trying to make a Noah Kahan song after having heard only one or two Noah Kahan songs.  I can't put my finger on who the rest of this mostly reminds me of - "Wait For You" is really bugging me because it is the perfect example of whatever it is that is stuck in my mind, but I can't come up with the comp.  But his mega hit is 2024's "Stargazing," which he wrote with two other guys and released just this May.  There are now six version of it on Spotify, and so it is hard to listen to his discography without getting beaten over the head with it.

The chorus almost makes it sound like an EDM song, with those claps increasing as the guitar drives the tune harder, like you are waiting for the drop to come (but it never does).  Is it just me or does every song's comment section include someone talking about how the song helped them when they got their cancer diagnosis.  WTF man.  But, a lovely song that is really nice to bop along to.  Definitely sounds like something else I have heard before, but very nice.

No actual albums, just some singles and EPs, but his other top tune is a 2023 single called "Solo."  118 million streams.

Pretty good turn of phrase for the chorus there.  Another really nice sounding song - his voice is strong without overpowering, and lyrically I like it too.  Good heartbreak tune.  I've gone through the You Promised a Lifetime (Acoustic) EP from 2024 several times, and it is really nice.  If you want some gentle folky soft rock in your day, I heartily recommend it.  I may choose Bakar over this cat, but they both have a really nice vibe to them.