A Balham-based musician is celebrating his band’s inclusion on the BBC Introducing playlist which gives up-and-coming acts the chance to have their tracks played to a wider audience.
Connor Sturt, 26, said despite being in its first year, his band My Everest has big ambitions and is looking to 2020 as an important year.
The vocalist said boxing brought him out of his shell as a ten-year-old and gave him the confidence to to follow his dreams.
He said: “I credit the rise in my self-confidence to the, often denounced, sport of boxing. I first went along to a club aged ten, I learnt to deal with all types of people and accept myself.
“It gave me a self-confidence to do the things I wanted to do, which at the time included joining a local amateur dramatics club. That’s where I caught the ‘look at me’ bug.”
The band played its first gig in January of this year, and Connor said the members are still putting down the building blocks for their future.
“Slowly and surely things are beginning to fall in place,” he said.
“Our live shows are where we are at our best, and we are beginning to build a reputation that our energy and charisma will never let our fans down. Promoters are noticing this, paired with the fact that we finally have a single out, it means we can begin to position ourselves for big things next year.”
The band includes Connor on vocals, guitarists Sam South and Jack Stone-Morgan, bassist Andy Spickett, drummer Joe Corderoy and James Pirot on keys.
Connor said: “I find myself with 5 new brothers, sharing the stage and the buzz of a live show with the others is extremely important.
“Seeing people scream back the words of the songs we have worked on collectively is incredible and ultimately the reason we do this.”
As a Balham resident, Connor said some of his favourite places to be are the newly-refurbished Bedford Arms as a place to catch comedy and live music throughout the week, and Balham Boxing & Community Club, found inside shipping containers on Tooting Common.
He said: “Whether you plan on competing or just want to keep fit, everyone at the club is only interested in bettering themselves.
“They have really taken me into the heart of the club and head coach Winston Fuller might just be the most famous man in Balham. He knows everyone!”
Of the band’s inclusion on the BBC Introducing playlist, Connor said: “It means the world. BBC Introducing is such a brilliant service for new artists. The DJ having selected our song from the thousands of weekly uploads adds a legitimacy to the track and gives us the impetus to keep on going!”
He said the band counts Biffy Clyro, Muse, Foals, Kasabian and Artic Monkeys among its influences. He added: “I must personally give a shout-out to the bombastic frontmen who influence me, people who can hold the crowd in the palm of their hand in a relatable way. Dave Grohl for example. What a guy!”
My Everest’s debut single is called Down With The Pressure and is out now. Follow @MyEverestMusic on Twitter.
