Summary
Thomas Benjamin Grennan (born 8 June 1995) is an English singer and songwriter from Bedford and is based in London.[1] Grennan found fame as the guest vocalist on Chase & Status's "All Goes Wrong" in 2016. His debut album, Lighting Matches, was released in July 2018. The album peaked at number five on the UK Albums Chart and includes the single "Found What I've Been Looking For".
Tom Grennan | |
|---|---|
 Grennan performing in 2022 | |
| Born | 8 June 1995 Bedford, UK |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Labels | Insanity |
| Website | tomgrennanmusic |
His second album Evering Road was released in March 2021, beginning his breakthrough in the UK by charting at number one on the UK Albums Chart and including the commercially successful singles "This Is the Place", "Little Bit of Love", "Let's Go Home Together" with Ella Henderson and "Don't Break the Heart". In 2021 and 2022, he was also featured as a guest vocalist on the top-ten singles "By Your Side" with Calvin Harris and "Not Over Yet" with KSI. In 2023, Grennan released his third album What Ifs & Maybes, which became his second UK number one album. It included the top-forty singles "Remind Me", "All These Nights" and "Here" plus the top-twenty singles "How Does It Feel" and "Lionheart (Fearless)" with Joel Corry.
Early life and family edit
Grennan comes from an Irish family. He attended St Thomas More Upper School in Bedford. At the age of 18, he was attacked on the street and was left with four metal plates and screws in his jaw that "still hurt when winter comes".[2][3] He trained to become a professional footballer, playing for Luton Town for a while, also trying for Northampton Town and Aston Villa; he was later released. Grennan is a supporter of Manchester United.[4] He also worked briefly at Costa Coffee. He told Music Week: "I was close to playing over in the States but something was telling me not to and obviously it was the music".[5][6]
Grennan's musical beginnings are obscure, but he says he was at a house party where he sang "Seaside" by The Kooks. He did not remember it, but his friends were impressed and pushed him into performing more.[3][6] He studied acting at St. Mary's University in Twickenham.[3] Aged 18, he started doing gigs around London with his acoustic guitar, mainly in small pub appearances for almost three years. After a performance at the Finsbury pub, a representative of Insanity Records heard him play and offered a contract.[6]
Career edit
2016–2018: Beginnings, EPs and debut album edit
Grennan's debut EP, Something in the Water was produced by Charlie Hugall. He had his big break when he was featured on the Chase & Status 2016 single "All Goes Wrong" that was picked as "Hottest Record" on Annie Mac's Radio 1 show. Following this, he was invited for an appearance on the station's Live Lounge, and a follow-up appearance on BBC Two's television programme Later... with Jools Holland.[7] The song appeared on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 65.[8]
In February 2017, Grennan was shortlisted for the MTV Brand New Award, also performing at the MTV Showcase at London's Electric Ballroom.[9] The same year, he had a cameo appearance in Charli XCX's music video for her song "Boys", alongside many well-known artists and duetted with grime MC Bugzy Malone on "Memory Lane".[3] Grennan performed in Trafalgar Square during the F1 Live in London show in support of Formula One drivers. In March 2018, he embarked on a UK tour in support of his debut album Lighting Matches, later released in July 2018. His song "Found What I've Been Looking For" appeared on the FIFA 18 soundtrack and was also used by Sky Sports as the theme song for Super Sunday and RBI19 Baseball.[10]
2020–present: Commercial breakthrough, Evering Road and What Ifs & Maybes edit
In January 2020, Grennan released the first single "This is the Place" from his second album Evering Road. He followed this with two further singles "Oh Please" and "Amen" in the same year. His fourth single from the album, "Little Bit of Love", was released in January 2021. It earned Grennan his first top-ten single in the UK, with the song charting at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. The song has been awarded a Platinum certification by the BPI and has surpassed one million UK chart sales, also charting around Europe. Evering Road was later released in March 2021, topping the UK Albums Chart in its opening week and later gaining a Gold certification.[11] He subsequently achieved another top-ten hit with "Let's Go Home Together", a collaboration with Ella Henderson which was also certified Platinum in the UK.[1] This was followed with "By Your Side", a collaboration with Scottish DJ Calvin Harris which earned Grennan his third consecutive UK top-ten single and Platinum certification.[12] He was also featured as a presenter on Radio 1's Future Sounds show for four nights in August and September, becoming one of the five musicians to be featured for the month of August, alongside Olly Alexander, Arlo Parks, Yungblud and Charli XCX.
In February 2022, Grennan received two Brit Awards nominations, including British Song of the Year for "Little Bit of Love" and Best Rock/Alternative Act.[13] In March 2022, Grennan released the first single from his third album "Remind Me", which charted at number 27 on the UK Singles Chart.[14] In April 2022, Grennan was beaten and robbed after a performance in Manhattan. He suffered a ruptured ear and torn ear-drum and postponed an upcoming show in Washington, D.C.[15] In July 2022, he released "All These Nights".[16] In August 2022, Grennan featured on KSI's "Not Over Yet". The collaboration debuted at number one on The Sky VIP Official Big Top 40, and debuted at number four on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Grennan's fourth top-ten hit and his highest charting song to date.[17][18]
Grennan released his third album What Ifs & Maybes in June 2023, which was supported by a UK arena tour beginning in March 2023.[19]
Discography edit
Studio albums
- Lighting Matches (2018)
- Evering Road (2021)
- What Ifs & Maybes (2023)
Awards and nominations edit
| Year | Organization | Award | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | MTV | Brand New for 2017 | Himself | Included | [20] |
| BBC | Sound of 2017 | Included | [21] | ||
| Ticketweb | Ones to Watch 2017 | Included | [22] | ||
| 2017 | BBC Radio 1 | Hottest Record of the Year | "Found What I've Been Looking For" | Tenth | [23] |
| 2018 | Q Awards | Best Breakthrough Act | Himself | Nominated | [24] |
| Radio X | Best Songs of 2018 | "Found What I've Been Looking For" | Included | [25] | |
| Global | Rising Star Award | Himself | Nominated | [26] | |
| Best Indie | |||||
| 2019 | Pop Awards | Emerging Artist of the Year | Nominated | [27] | |
| 2022 | Brit Awards | Song of the Year | "Little Bit of Love" | Nominated | [28] |
| Best Rock/Alternative Act | Himself | Nominated | |||
| 2023 | Nominated | [29] | |||
| MTV EMAs | Best UK Act | Won | [30] | ||
| Electronic Dance Music Awards | Music Video of The Year | "Lionheart (Fearless)" (with Joel Corry) | Nominated | [31] | |
| 2024 | Global | Best Song | "How Does It Feel" | Pending | [32] |
| Best Male | Himself | Pending | |||
| Best British Act | Pending |
References edit
- ^ a b "Tom Grennan | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ "Oxfordshire Magazine for What's on, Culture & Lifestyle in Oxford – OX Mag". Oxmag.co.uk.
- ^ a b c d Davies, Hannah J. (28 December 2017). "Tom Grennan: the pop wideboy putting dark days behind him". Theguardian.com.
- ^ "Tom Grennan My United". ManUtd.
- ^ "BBC Music – BBC Music Sound Of, 2017 – Tom Grennan". BBC.
- ^ a b c Baillie, Katie (12 November 2017). "Tom Grennan got discovered doing drunk karaoke, now he's a favourite of Elton". Metro.co.uk.
- ^ "Tom Grennan finds what he's been looking for". Campaign Against Living Miserably. 21 September 2017.
- ^ "CHASE & STATUS FT TOM GRENNAN | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Tom Grennan teased about singing by football – Toggle". 27 May 2018. Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
- ^ "OK this is MAD. My tune 'Found What I've Been Looking For' is the new title track for Sky Sports' Premier League starting TONIGHT on Arsenal v Leicester City Football Club on the Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event channels COME ONNNN". Facebook.
- ^ Ainsley, Helen (19 March 2021). "Tom Grennan's Evering Road claims Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart: 'Thank you from the bottom of my heart'". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
- ^ "Calvin Harris releases new summer single 'By Your Side' feat. Tom Grennan". Sony Music. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- ^ "Brit Awards 2022: Full list of nominees". BBC News. 18 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "Remind Me – Single by Tom Grennan". Apple Music. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ^ "Tom Grennan recovering after NYC attack". BBC News. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ^ "All These Nights". Gist Gallery. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ^ "KSI & Tom Grennan vs LF SYSTEM: Who's nabbed the UK's Number 1 single?". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "KSI & Tom Grennan Score A Number 1 With 'Not Over It'". BigTop40. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Holden, Finlay (28 September 2022). "Tom Grennan has announced his third album, 'What Ifs & Maybes', alongside his biggest UK tour yet". Dork. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ "introducing our mtv brand new for 2017 shortlist..." MTV. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Sound Of, 2017 - The Longlist". BBC Radio 1. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ "TicketWeb unveil Ones to Watch list for 2017 - Ticketmaster UK Business". Ticketmaster. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ "The Killers Claim Annie Mac's Hottest Record of 2017". BBC Radio 1. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "Q AWARDS 2018 SHORTLIST NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED". Bauer Media Group. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ "Radio X's Best Songs Of 2018". Radio X. 16 December 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "The Global Awards 2019: Full Nominations And How To Vote!". Capital. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
- ^ "POP AWARDS - Pop Awards 2019, the second annual Pop Awards". pop-awards.com.
- ^ "BRIT Awards 2022 nominations in full". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ Richards, Will (10 January 2023). "Mo Gilligan returning to host 2023 BRIT Awards". NME. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "Taylor Swift Is Top Winner of 2023 MTV EMA Awards, the Show That Didn't Go On (Full List)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- ^ "Tiësto, Rezz, Afrojack, David Guetta and More Nab 2023 EDMA Nominations: See the Full List - EDM.com - The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists". 3 March 2023. Archived from the original on 3 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ Tabor-King, Ashley (4 March 2024). "RAYE, Taylor Swift, Calvin Harris, Dave, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, and More Nominated for The Global Awards 2024". Global. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
External links edit
- SoundCloud