Tickets for Myles Smith’s gig at St Peter’s Church to launch his debut album My Mess, My Heart, My Life (on June 19th) sold out so fast, a second performance was quickly added, which sold just as quickly. It meant that excitement levels were high waiting for the Stargazer singer to take to the stage for the 6pm show on Wednesday, and what treat was in store for a host of reasons. Myles is one of the hottest artists of the moment – last year’s BRIT Rising Star Award winner – so to see such talent in such a beautiful small venue is a privilege, not least because he’s setting off to the US soon for three months before an arena tour back home in November. His star presence was palpable as he sat down with his guitar, as was his down to earth nature and ability to connect with the audience – it was clear from the off it was going to be a special night.
“Today is not like a usual show,” he announced. “We’ll be playing a few songs, we’ll be answering a few questions. It’s a bit more intimate, so feel free to call out and sing along. I know you’re shy at the moment, but we’re going to get you singing!”
Which he certainly did. Accompanied by Julia on the violin and Isabella on acoustic bass, he started off with River from his debut EP released in 2024 – after which he said, “I’m beginning to realise that a lot of you have been dragged here by a partner or your children and you don’t know who the hell I am! So let me drop my ego for a second and play some songs you might know is that ok?” While it was evident everyone in the room knew who he was, he then launched in to a medley of Fireflies by Owl City, Fever Pitch by Adele and Ordinary by Alex Warren, which got the crowd going and proved he can turn his smooth powerhouse of a voice to anything.
He encouraged everyone to keep up the same level of singing as he launched in to his second hit single Nice To Meet You, which is on his debut album. “I’m glad you guys knew that one,” he laughed afterwards. “I couldn’t have taken it if you didn’t.”
Myles then answered a barrage of questions from the audience ranging from his most pinch himself moment since Stargazing blew up (drinking Guinness with Ed Sheeran, Lewis Capaldi and Bono) to the advice he’d give for a career in music (find out who you are first and what you want to say) to who he thinks is going to win the World Cup (“It’s coming home,” sang the Arsenal supporter).
In the middle of third song Drive Safe, he joked that another A-lister friend (and co-singer on the track) Niall Horan was going to join him on stage, which he didn’t (could security and Marlborough have handled that?) but it didn’t affect the impact of the song.
It’s fair to say Myles wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid of tackling raw emotions in his songs. His next track Grandma’s Place he explained is about his father’s mother who he had a very close relationship with as a child but died before he became an adult, and because of family drama wasn’t able to go to her funeral. He was inspired to write it by writer/producer Gabe Simon (who’d just finished the Noah Khan album) in Nashville who told him to speak from the heart, and it definitely moved a lot of people in the audience.
In his next Q&A session, he revealed how he has to compartmentalise to sing such personal songs, who he’d like to cook for on Come Dine With Me (a Tottenham player), the first song he sang on stage (He’s Got The Whole World in His Hands at school) and that he likes a Greggs sausage roll – amongst many confessions. His warmth and honesty clearly made the audience relaxed as questions kept coming from young and old alike.
In the middle of it all many danced and sang to Hold Me in the Dark, also on the new album – and before he finished with his mega hit Stargazing, he asked his team to find one of the unreleased tracks on their phones to tease the audience with. Called Heaven, it will undoubtedly be as big a hit as his others.
Stargazing became a global phenomenon in 2024, yet it’s taken Myles two years to release My Mess, My Heart, My Life. “It’s been such a crazy and chaotic start to my career,” he explained. “I think the reason I slowed down and took time to put together an album was because I wanted people to have the opportunity to meet me and the person that I am, the stories I have. Stargazing and Nice To Meet You are one third of who I am as a person but there’s so much more and hopefully through the album and these events, you guys get to know me a little better.”
That’s exactly what achieved by the end of the gig, and everyone joined in as he launched in to Stargazing. It was his first time performing in a church as an artist and Marlborough could not have been happier that it was in one of ours.
Damian Lewis at St Peter’s – presented by Sound Knowledge
