Tom Speight will release his debut album ‘Collide’ on April 12, 2019 via Kobalt. The album was recorded in Jam Hut, Devon and Abbey Road. Chris Bond (Ben Howard’s drummer and producer) produced all the tracks on the album apart from ‘Lost Me’ which was produced by Guy Massey.

The album includes the Radio 2 playlisted singles ‘Want You’ and ‘Waiting’, plus new single ‘Strangers Now’. Artists involved with the album include Lydia Clowes, Lisa Hannigan, Jessica Stavely-Taylor (The Staves), Turin Brakes, Carey Willets (Athlete) and Benjamin Francis Leftwich.

Tom says of ‘Collide’: ”After releasing six EP’s over the last two years, I felt like it was time for me to start work on my debut album! I wrote the bulk of the record in Belfast from October 2017-February 2018, then the recording process started in Devon in March with Chris Bond, and then three weeks into the session I had a major Crohn’s flare-up and perforated my bowel. I ended up spending two months in hospital, and during this time my relationship broke down. It was probably my lowest period ever. I had a week in the hospital where I had my own room, so I started writing again. Its only way I know how to deal with things! I managed to write two songs that week about my experience and what I was feeling at the time.

Although it was an incredibly hard time for me and my loved ones, I’m thankful for it in some ways because the moment I left that hospital I just wanted to make the best possible record. It made me focus everything I had the thirteen songs that would make up ‘Collide’. I feel musically it’s my most confident and ambitious work; I pushed myself as a writer, singer and musician. The record draws from many different musical genres like Americana, Indie/Rock, Folk and Pop.

I was incredibly lucky to with Chris Bond, he completely understands the project and direction I want for the songs. We loved trying out different synths, string parts, vocal harmonies – nothing was off limits. I’m an independent artist in 2018, which is a beautiful thing because It meant I could make the record I wanted without any compromises. ‘Collide’ is the album I’ve always wanted to make and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.”

Tom Speight began his music career supporting acts such as Ed Sheeran, Ben Howard, Travis and Keane with record labels circling around eager to sign him until, in 2014, he discovered he had Crohn’s Disease and nearly died. After a major operation and months in hospital he spent two years in recovery, and almost gave up on his dream of becoming a musician as the music industry moved on.

Eventually though, Tom felt ready to try again. He borrowed £2,000 to make his first record, and since then he has released 6 EPs over 24 months. Radio 2 have taken him under their wing, playlisting five of his singles. Graham Norton, Dermot O’Leary, Zoe Ball and Jo Whiley have all been strong supporters of Tom’s music. He went to No.1 in Brazil with ‘Little Love’ and Tom’s songs have now been streamed 60m times.

As a kid, Tom Speight listened endlessly to those early Leonard Cohen albums, borrowing his older sister’s classical guitar to work out the chords. That element of simplicity remains in his music, but his recent work feels more inclined towards Ryan Adams’ Autumnal romanticism, or even the simple yet affecting Celtic soul of Damian Rice, where each note has its own place driven by a deeply personal connection to the music.

Tom always knew he would pursue a career in musician, an ambition that took him to Liverpool to study at LIPA, where he won the prize as best songwriter of the year and was lucky enough to perform in front of Paul McCartney.

He started work ‘Collide’ in Belfast at the beginning of 2018. However, during this period he suffered a second bout of Crohn’s, which nearly killed him and forced him into hospital for over two months, narrowly missing out on further surgery.

However, with every negative setback Tom finds a positive. Whilst in hospital, heartbroken after breaking up with his girlfriend, and with a cannula in his hand, he put pen to paper. He finished writing that song (‘Strangers Now’) with Lisa Hannigan as soon as he got out of hospital, and recorded the track in Abbey Road Studios.

And despite his illness, Tom has continues to gig relentlessly; within a week of leaving hospital in May he was on the road with Snow Patrol, and he has also recently supported Kooks and Tom Odell, as well as performing his own, sold-out headline dates.

Tom Speight ‘Collide’ track list:
1.Waiting
2.Little Love
3.Strangers Now
4.Collide
5.Heartshaker
6.Lost To Me
7.Want You
8.Willow Tree
9.Closer
10.Alice
11.My Name
12.Into The Night
13.Evermore

Pre order album here

Praise for Tom Speight:
Speight’s music takes the best elements of folk and pop music and puts them together to create a raw and infectious sound – The Telegraph

Gorgeous acoustic flecked hymns, trenchant rockers, off-the-cuff folk pieces, Tom Speight can draw his muse anywhere – Clash Music

‘Want You’ screams happiness in all aspects; the bubbly, bright, uplifting
beat has us excited for the album release in Spring 2019 – National Student

“Want You” radiates a warm, effervescent glow through wily melodies and undulating rhythms that are sure to get stuck on repeat. Rich, intoxicating, and endlessly joyful, “Want You” is a hit single in waiting, and the perfect introduction to this new chapter in Tom Speight’s already-impressive career – Atwood Magazine