Ewan Whyte, a Birmingham-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, is making waves with his unique pop sound influenced by icons such as Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, and Paul Simon.
Formerly a session trumpeter for acts like Easy Life and Naughty Boy, Ewan has stepped into the solo spotlight. His debut single, "Can't Get Close," earned him Artist of the Week on BBC WM and strong support from BBC Music. With a dynamic live band, Ewan delivers high-energy performances and stripped-back ballads. Fresh off the BBC Introducing stage, he’s excited to announce his UK tour dates.
Photographer: -
Ethnicity: Irish-Scottish-Indian
Location: Birmingham, UK
Instagram: @ewanwhytemusic
Website:
GET TO KNOW - completed July 2024
3 words to describe you:
Open, vulnerable and positive.
3 words to describe your music:
Emotive, therapeutic and vulnerable.
Describe the moment you knew that you wanted to pursue music:
I remember playing my first gigs in my first band at local club nights around Birmingham and feeling the energy from the crowd. That feeling of being a mixture of nervous but also perfectly comfortable and a sense of belonging.
How does your heritage impact your art?
My heritage has always been something of a mystery to me. I was adopted into a loving white Scottish family as a baby. Although I cherish them dearly, my roots remained unknown for a long time due to the lack of information provided by social services. I later met my birth mother, who is of Irish/Scottish descent, but sadly, due to her mental health, she couldn't provide any information about my birth father's ethnicity. This lack of knowledge often inspires me to write about themes such as belonging and identity in my music.
Everything changed when my incredible wife, Eleanor, bought me a DNA kit a few years ago. Through this, I discovered that my paternal DNA is South Asian, with a large percentage from northern India. This revelation was a significant moment for me because I had grown up not knowing my origins. It added a new layer to my personal journey as I struggled with my identity. At school, I would often get asked where I was from, and not knowing the answer, I would end up making something up. When I was honest and said I was adopted, it was sometimes used against me by bullies, especially since my school was in a strong BNP area at the time.
Recently, I connected with a distant cousin on my paternal side through Ancestry.com, who also happens to be from Birmingham. This incredible connection marks the beginning of my journey to understand more about my heritage. I never thought this would happen due to the little information I had, making this a nerve-racking but exciting time.
I write this with some hesitation, as opening up about being adopted in the past has often resulted in me being hurt, causing me to close up about the topic. From my experience, family isn't about blood or DNA. Family is about those who show up, support, nurture, love, and care. I've been incredibly lucky with the family I have, and although I look nothing like them, I'm proud to be their son. They also understand and support me 100% in my curiosity and exploration of my South Asian heritage and how important it is to me.
I've always felt a strong connection to Scotland and Ireland, but not having a connection to my paternal side has been challenging. I am very excited to learn more about South Asian culture, especially the music! I'm planning a trip to explore the region and hope to gain a deeper understanding of myself in the process.
Ewan
x
What moment are you most proud of in your music journey so far?
Releasing my first single Can't Get Close as a solo artist. I was absolutely terrified of how it would be received because it was so knew to me. My confidence since has grown massively and now I look forward to releasing new songs and ultimately care less about likes/streams etc and just enjoy the expression!
Your next music/career goal:
Perform on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury!
If you could collaborate with anyone, who and why?
Jack Antonoff because I have similar influences to him and I love the music he creates!
Top 3 go to songs/artists:
Down Swinging - Holly Humberstone
This Life - Vampire Weekend
Bleachers - Tiny Moves
Words you live by:
Tell your parents you love them, everyday!
Anything else you'd like to share:
My latest single Reminders is out now! Song Description: Introducing Ewan Whyte's new single "Reminders," a poignant blend of folk, country and huge singalong chants, resulting in the ultimate heartbreak anthem! Ewan's emotive storytelling, supported by collaborators Sarah Blanchard (Tom Grennan) and James Attwood (Bradley Simpson), captures the essence of both heartbreak and healing. With BBC WM and BBC Introducing strongly backing, "Reminders" promises to strike a chord with listeners.
