ILKLEY singer Rupert Stroud is releasing a new EP featuring four tracks of gritty, Northern passion.

The EP, is said to feature “the kind of big-sky choruses that Richard Ashcroft or Elbow would be proud of”.

It is being released on the Ilkley artist’s own Xidus label – a product of his musical partnership with producer Will Jackson, who has worked with the Kaiser Chiefs, The Cribs and Pigeon Detectives.

Rupert, who says the title track and lead single is “about a girl”, adds: “I had been seeing her for a few months but I broke it off as I thought the time wasn’t right to have a girlfriend.

“Of course, when it came down to it, all I could think about was her.”

The singer already has an impressive track record. In 2014 he played live to more than 140,000 people. His videos have had more than 160,000 views on YouTube, XFM, BBC 6 Music and Radio 2 have all played his previous singles.

He has played gigs supporting The Hoosiers, Gabrielle Aplin, Benjamin Francis Leftwich and James Blunt amongst many others.

His work for the charity Alzheimer’s Research UK has taken him to Parliament, the pages of The Guardian and various TV shows and speaking engagements.

He has been invited to play at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium in the coveted pre-match spot twice, in front of 40,000 fans each time.

Rupert got the bug for performing at 16 when his band played at a school concert.

He started playing open mic nights at university and found that his own songs seemed to get as good a reaction as the covers.

“That was incredibly inspiring and it’s still what drives me,” he said.

“Connecting with people who’ve come to the gig, or who’ve found me on social media. I’ve had messages from people I’ve never met telling me that a particular song has helped them through a rough patch.

“It’s not always easy doing this as an unsigned singer, but when you have a bad day, that kind of thing keeps you going.”

Last summer he was invited to support James Blunt at Dalby Forest.

“That was incredible,” he said.

“I knew I had to step up to the plate so I just decided to go out and act like I belonged on the big stage. The response was amazing.

“I only knew my twenty family and friends in a crowd of 5000, but I ended up with hundreds of people queuing to get a CD signed at the merchandise stall afterwards. You try and make the most of those gigs, because you could be playing in a pub with 80 people the next week.”

Rupert will launch his EP when he performs at the Wardrobe in Leeds on Friday, April 17. He will be supported by artist Anna Pancaldi a regular on the open mic scene in London and beyond.

Rupert’s career has gone from strength to strength and his most recent releases Never Back Down and Morning Light have caught the ears of national radio, receiving radio play and plaudits from the likes of BBC Radio 2’s Dermot O’Leary, Whispering Bob Harris, BBC introducing and 6 Music’s Tom Robinson, XFM and BFBS Radio. This led to Rupert and the band being invited by BBC Radio London for a live session and interview. Also following the addition of Morning Light to the A Playlist at BFBS Radio, Rupert was invited down to BFBS Radio studios for a special feature interview and session. Rupert also received his first US radio airplays on KX 93.5FM Laguna Beach California. His music video for Never Back Down won People’s Choice Award 2013 at The 27th Leeds International Film Festival.

As a Champion Spokesperson for Alzheimer’s Research UK, a cause close to his heart, Rupert has raised over £6000 to date through various campaigns and events including his charity single Always.

The single was written in memory of his grandmother who suffered with Alzheimer’s.

Visit seetickets.com/event/rupert-stroud/the-wardrobe/854192 to book tickets.

For further information about Rupert, visit rupertstroudmusic.com/index.html.