Luton pop sensation Myles Smith has been named BBC Introducing’s Artist of the Year after a 2024 in which he topped the charts with a worldwide smash hit single, played at Glastonbury and amassed over a billion streams.
The 26-year-old from Leagrave last week released his already viral new single ‘Nice To Meet You’ having just completed a sold-out tour of America and is due to return in the new year, alongside some British and European dates, plus taking a support slot on his music hero Ed Sheeran’s European tour.
“I literally cannot believe I’m BBC Introducing Artist Of The Year,” Smith said. “It means so much to me to be awarded this award. All of the hard work and all of the sacrifices feel so worth it. BBC Introducing to me is more than just this small family. It’s a real culture.
“It’s a real thing that moves people’s lives and changes people’s lives in so many different ways, and going from the uploader to this award and now touring the world shows its impact.”
It’s been a quite a journey from being a music-loving 11-year-old to an internationally recognised artist. Before playing the world famous Glastonbury in the summer, his first-ever festival appearance was on home soil when Luton hosted Radio 1’s Big Weekend. Wearing a Luton Town Football Club shirt, he packed the BBC Introducing stage in Stockwood Park with adoring fans.
Reflecting on his accomplishments, Smith told the BBC: “My expectations when I started 2024 was not… to have played over 100 shows or [to reach] a billion streams.”
One of his major hits, the platinum-certified ‘Stargazing‘, a song he created in just 15 minutes, featured on former US President Barack Obama’s summer playlist and quickly gained traction on TikTok—a platform he recognises as essential for artists trying to break through.
Smith said: “For me it was just about prioritising writing music that comes straight from the heart and trying not to filter too much of that brain to mouth barrier.
“I just wanted to write something that was simple, but something that we all experience and feel at some point in life.
“I feel like doing that, it resonated with so many more people around the world.”
“Social media in general is so significant to an artist’s journey,” he said, adding: “We have the autonomy and control to be able to market ourselves how we desire and in ways which are most authentic to us.
“For me, it’s a myth that TikTok somehow diminishes the quality of music. It’s given me more freedom than ever to do what I want. And how I want to do it. Times change all the time. One time you were cutting records on vinyl next it was on CD, then MP3 and digital… it’s about moving with the times”
In a year marked by extensive touring, Myles reflected on how his career has grown beyond what he imagined, crediting his worldwide reach as both a privilege and a responsibility. He sees touring as essential, even as he acknowledges its financial challenges—especially for up-and-coming artists.
“It is super expensive,” he said, pointing out how the UK’s grassroots venues, which nurtured talents like Adele and Sheeran, have struggled post-pandemic. “I think that, moving forward, thinking about support for musicians and thinking about how we can move forward and value the arts is an important conversation.
For Smith, the focus remains on creating music that connects, resonates, and expresses universal feelings—an approach that has won him fans around the world.
Looking forward, his main goals are simple yet heartfelt: “I just want to have the most fun and the best year that I can… Spend it with the people that I love the most.”
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