The Lego-haired man whose name’s on everyone’s lips right now is Daley, a bluesy, octave-scaling singer/songwriter from Manchester, prized by Polydor and destined for dizzying, chart-topping heights.
A dedicated, full-blown lover of soul music, 22-year-old Northern star Gareth Daley first got signed to major label Polydor a little over a year ago. Abandoning the idea of working a 9 to 5 way back in favour of taking the road less travelled and investing every penny in making his own dreams come true, Daley’s career began in bars, singing on stage to anyone who would listen. The crowds grew and the risks paid off.
Releasing a viral mixtape via daley.tv entitled Those Who Wait a few months back, he has been under lock and key since, working on his hugely hyped debut, self-written and co-produced album. Picked up on and championed by taste-making, superstar DJs Mistajam and Ras Kwame, he’s been domino-ing his way through the industry, knocking them down one by one with his sound. Impressing music’s most revered, currently collaborating with Wretch 32, Bernard Butler, Dre and Damon Albarn, this seed is soon to blossom.
Distinctly likeable in character and emotionally honest with his music, Daley remains all about the here and now. Discussing his relevance to the new music scene he explained, “We’ve had great female artists like Amy Winehouse, Adele and Jessie J. But the men have been slacking. There hasn’t been a great male soul artist for ages. I want to make it up there.
A performance on Jools Holland in his back pocket and the download count on his mixtape topping 20,000 this charming chap has made a promising start for someone who doesn’t even have an officially released single to his name! i-D online popped i-N session to catch Daley’s dulcet tones in action – prepare for one soothing criminal.
Text: Milly McMahon
Film and photography: Dexter Navy
Head here to see more from i-D online’s i-N Session series.
