Tom Walker

Tom Walker was born in Scotland and grew up in Manchester, where he began writing and performing before signing with a major label. His music sits between pop, soul and singer-songwriter territory, built around a rough-edged, husky voice and arrangements that build from sparse verses into full-throated choruses.

"Leave a Light On" became his breakthrough, a widely played single that established the template most listeners know him for: direct lyrics about people in difficulty, delivered with more force than polish. He has continued releasing music in a similar vein, favouring big, plainly stated melodies over production tricks, and his live sets lean on the same combination of volume and grain.