Biography
I am an English songwriter born and based in London. I spent my teenage years living in France, where my passion for music led me to enter the IMFP (professional music training college) in 2007. Then in 2013, after completing an English master’s degree and working as a full-time language teacher for two years, I decided to move back to London to make music and performing a central part of my life.
Drawn to the alternative music scenes of the 60s and the independent music scenes from a young age, I've had a life-long passion for writing original music. I like focusing on introspection and internal conflicts when I write, inviting the audience to delve into my own musical world.
I've been a full-time musician, recording artist and performer in London since 2015. I started off with very little, making ends meet by busking on the streets of London for the first few years. This humbling experience helped me build the confidence needed to gradually carve a career out of my passion, and it ultimately led to some exciting collaborations.
I've been involved in various projects throughout my busking years. In July 2017 I was invited to perform a live filmed performance of one of my earliest songs, entitled “London Lights” in the TV Studio for the program Going Underground in July 2017. The following October, I was involved in The Adoration Trilogy supporting The Teenage Cancer Trust, a noble cause organised by photographer and now friend Alistair Morrison and The Who frontman Roger Daltrey, which gave me the exceptional opportunity to perform with Rod Stewart in Piccadilly Circus in 2017 (see the YouTube video here). Thereafter, I was invited to perform in the presence of musical legends such as John Paul Jones, Tom Jones and Ray Davies amongst others at the V&A museum in London for The Adoration Trilogy unveiling. I also performed at the live-streamed set for Aspire 2 Mental Health in York in October 2021, who are a media and event services who strive to have a positive impact within society and get mental health the recognition it needs. More recently I have been involved with the BBC performing two songs for the show Songs of Praise that will air early November and early December (see Blog section for more information).
In addition to charity work, I've been invited to play at various festivals in the UK and Europe to sustain my living costs and creative journey for the past 11 years ( the Veszprem Utcazene Festival in Hungary and the Goat Fest in Hertfordshire amongst others).
I finally took the leap in 2022 and released my debut original full-length album Ocean Sky (13 tracks). It was mixed by Tobias May at Metway Studios in Brighton and mastered by Paul Winstanley at Paul Win Audio Ltd.I am currently hard at work planning the release of my second full-length EP entitled Urban Tales, special thanks to all who have been involved in the recording at Metway Studios in Brighton and in my own personal studio here in London. Much more news to come on that front...
The debut album Ocean Sky
...It comprises 13 songs that I worked hard on producing over the past few years, and despite drawbacks related to the pandemic, it came out on 28th February 2022 and was made available to buy/stream on all online platforms.
It comes after the release of three singles from mid-September to late November that were all accompanied by launch concerts in London.
The first single, 'Heart In The Sand', came out on 15th September and received many positive reviews from curators and fans alike: "I really like what I hear and the mix between the piano, the drum and the voice is totally hooking me up! Maybe a bit of Coldplay with the voice of Brian Molko but I especially like how the piano stands out!" (Tanya, Spotify curator). ‘The voice is very interesting and reminds me of David Bowie…’ (Jamie Anderson, Spotify curator). Hear an interview on Hoxton Radio where Henry chats about the release of 'Heart In The Sand' and performs an acoustic live version of Shackles with James Sayer here (from 58.20s). A music video soon followed, expertly filmed by Voichita Judele at the beautiful venue Piano Smithfield in Barbican - London, watch it here.
The second single, 'Shackles', dropped on 29th October 2021. The emotionally-driven, acoustic track features performances by violinist Miles Huglin, cellist Andrew Young and dream-like backing vocals supplied by Leanne Foster, all combining to add a thick warm and melodic texture to the song. The accompanying music video was shot on location at BBC Elstree Studios. It was directed by Joe Rees and Marco De Rosso who worked together to produce a dark and cinematic atmosphere to compliment the project, watch it here.
Finally, the third single 'Sleepy Heads' came out on 26th November. This more rhythmically driven single was released to many positive reviews and is a favourite amongst followers and fans alike. The accompanying music video is available to watch here. A special thanks to videographers Mihai and Sourav over at Storeel Pictures (@storeelpictures) and actors Lauren Parr, Rebecca Willis and Lee Backhouse for their amazing work and dedication.