Music has always been the place I return to — even when life has tried its hardest to pull me away from it. Here is my story...

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I began writing songs at 18 with my best friend, Russell Aylett. By our mid-twenties, we were touring with 80s pop favourites Brother Beyond under the name TARA 2, signed a management deal and were chasing what felt like the edge of something real. For reasons that never fully make sense in hindsight, that moment passed. The band dissolved a year later, and with it, my first brush with the industry.

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In 2006, I tried again — this time solo. Russell agreed to produce some new songs, but everything stopped abruptly when he was tragically murdered in April of that year. Losing my best friend was devastating. Music suddenly felt trivial, and for a long time, I stepped away from it entirely.

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Years later, in late 2010, I returned to music casually, joining a covers band purely as a hobby — with no long-term plan and no expectations beyond just enjoying playing again.

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2011 was without doubt the hardest year of my life.
I separated from my wife and became a part-time dad to three children — an emotional shift that reshaped everything I thought I knew about myself. Songwriting gradually became more important again, and I began persuading members of the band to experiment with my ideas for original material. That spark became ADPROJECT.

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The early years were exhilarating. We recorded two albums and played some of the most rewarding shows of my career. But momentum faded, frustrations grew, and commitment fractured. By March 2017, ADPROJECT played its final gig.

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What followed changed everything...

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While the band was still winding down, I’d already begun quietly writing alone again. In 2016, I recorded a solo single — We Have Come A Long Way. The experience was revelatory. For the first time, I felt creatively fulfilled without compromise. I knew I’d found my way back.

Between 2017 and 2019, I released a run of solo singles and my debut album London E12, alongside music videos shot in the UK and Spain. I played my first live shows as a solo artist and began collaborating more widely than ever — not just musically, but by mentoring other artists navigating the independent music landscape.

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In 2019, I released the first track from my second album H E A L E D, accompanied by a short film shot in Málaga. It marked a turning point — emotionally and artistically.

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By early 2020, I faced a hard truth: the standard I now demanded from my music required serious investment. My single BUT IT DOES became a moment of reckoning. Was this still viable — or just an expensive passion?
The answer came quickly.

Within eight weeks, BUT IT DOES surpassed 10,000 streams and earned me a Best Solo Artist nomination at the Essex Panic Awards. I didn’t need to decide anymore — the music had spoken.

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H E A L E D was released in September 2021, receiving strong reviews and over 40,000 streams in its first month. Momentum continued to build.

In 2022, BUTTERFLY was voted Best Pop Song of the Year by readers of Indie Boulevard Magazine.

In 2023, TAKE ME BACK spent three weeks at number one on the South Devon Sound request chart and earned a Song of the Year nomination at the Orpheus Global Independent Music Awards.

In 2024, LOVE DIDN'T HURT ME (It Was You) went one step further — topping the same chart and this time winning Song of the Year at the Orpheus Global Music Awards.

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In May 2025, I released APART — a song that marked a new chapter in my sound, blending emotional honesty with cinematic production. It was featured as Song of the Week by New Lease Music and received airplay across UK and international independent radio.

Later that year, APART was nominated for Song of the Year at the Orpheus Global Independent Music Awards — my third consecutive nomination in that category. The same year, I was also nominated for Songwriter of the Year, a career-defining moment that recognised not just a single release, but the body of work behind it.

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Later that year, I began completing work on my third studio album, NOTHING CHANGES IF NOTHING CHANGES, once again collaborating with producer Elliot Richardson at Highfield Studio in Essex. The album explores resilience, connection, and self-reflection — themes shaped by loss, rebuilding, and the quiet determination it takes to keep going. The album is due for release on June 2nd 2026.

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Alongside my own releases, I was invited to join the Fresh On The Net moderation team — supporting and spotlighting emerging independent artists. After everything, it feels like coming full circle.

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This isn’t a story about overnight success.

It’s about persistence.

About healing.

And about choosing music — again and again — even when walking away would have been easier.

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Thank you for being here!