Myles Smith, ‘The Lad from Luton Is The Real Deal’ & Rocking Stadiums With Ed Sheeran

Myles Smith says he’s in a good place right now, feeling “grateful, really. Things have moved quickly, but I’ve tried to stay grounded through it all. There’s still a lot I want to explore, but right now I’m just appreciating how far things have come.”

Far, indeed. At the time of writing, Smith had just embarked on the European stadium leg of Ed Sheeran’s “+−=÷× Tour” hitting massive venues like Cívitas Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain (70K capacity); the Velodrome in Marseille, France (67K cap); or Hamburg, Germany’s Volksparkstadion (57K). If it seems like only yesterday that Smith was sharing clips of himself performing on the piano, recording freestyles, covers and original songs in the studio, or simply contemplating and sharing bits of his life, it’s because in the bigger picture, he was.

Smith’s earliest TikTok clips are from 2020, but he really began getting traction on the platform in 2022, which is when his manager, Eric Parker, CEO of the Extended Play Music Group, first took notice. “He hadn’t been on the platform long, but there was something immediate and magnetic about his presence and voice,” Parker recalls. “I decided to reach out and connect. That initial message turned into a working relationship that’s grown into something incredibly special.”

Now, standing in front of tens of thousands of people in some of Europe’s biggest stadiums several nights of the week is “surreal,” according to Smith, who says, “Ed’s someone I’ve looked up to for a long time, so to be sharing a stage with him is a real honor. There are moments where it definitely hits me, but I’m just trying to stay present and soak it all in.”

So, how exactly does one come from the town of Luton, Bedfordshire, decide to get into music only because his former life as a business owner left him unfulfilled and then become one of Time Magazine’s most influential people in the world in 2025?

“For the first year, it was just Myles and me,” Parker says of their early days working together in the fall of 2022. “We kept things focused, building the foundation from the ground up, developing his sound, connecting with the right writers and producers, and shaping a clear creative direction. Once we started releasing music and gaining real traction, I brought on Paul Jeboda as Myles’ day-to-day manager and partnered with Ira Goldenring at Wasserman for live. Paul has been on the road with Myles for the past 18 months and has become not only a dedicated manager, but a grounding force for the operation. He’s played a crucial role in making sure Myles and the touring crew move seamlessly, while also helping management execute what’s needed behind the scenes during such an intense run of touring.”

Wasserman Music’s Goldenring, and James Rubin rep Myles Smith everywhere outside of the UK and Europe, where WME’s Craig D’Souza, Josh Javor, and Belle Wade are his agents. Goldenring recalls starting to work with Myles in October 2023, “We first heard him via an Instagram post. He had put out two songs, one of which was a cover of (The Neighbourhood’s) ‘Sweater Weather’, and the other was ‘Solo’. It was an immediate reaction for us. If you’ve seen him, you’ve heard him, you know that he’s a unicorn, he’s the total package. The lad from Luton, as I like to call him, is the real deal in every sense. What was big for us was that from that very first conversation we had with Eric, and then subsequently with Myles, it became abundantly clear that we were in alignment on all the important things: strategy, objective, etc. And that’s really important for us: making sure that, as a cohesive team, we’re going to be rowing the boat in the right direction. So, not only is Myles unbelievable in every sense, but we align on all the important things. That’s key.”

Parker confirms, “Ira’s belief in the vision was immediate. He’s proactive, detail-driven, and his commitment to the project mirrored mine, so the alignment was natural.”

A couple of months later, Myles Smith signed with RCA, whose interest was also sparked by the release of “Solo” in September 2023. “The song quickly gained traction in Europe and the U.S., making its way into Spotify’s top 200 charts in 12 different territories,” Stacey Tang, co-president of RCA UK, recalls, adding, “However, it wasn’t just the momentum that pulled us in; it was our first encounter with him that sealed the deal. Myles shared his incredible vision for the future and gave us a sneak peek of his unreleased songs—each one more electrifying than the last. We knew we had to be a part of his remarkable journey!”

According to Parker, RCA “understood the bigger picture. It wasn’t just about the songs, they understood Myles as a person, they understood me, and they wanted to build something long-term and culturally grounded. That mattered more to us than a quick win.”

RCA UK co-president Glyn Aikins describes Smith as “a brilliant songwriter” with “the voice to deliver those stories and the EQ to connect them with a global fanbase, finding and fortifying his tribe. He’s serious, he’s somber, he fun and he’s funny. He’s a team player as well as a solo star. He has that ‘not what I was expecting’ element that many of brightest lights have. Plus, the ambition and the smarts to make a very successful long-term career.”

When Myles Smith himself discusses his creative process it’s crystal clear why so many in the industry take an immediate shine to him. “Writing’s always been a way for me to process what I’m feeling,” he says. “If someone else hears a lyric and feels seen or understood because of it, that’s the real win. At the end of the day, it’s about connection.”

Beyond songwriting Smith intuitively knows that it’s the live shows “where the connection really happens. You write these songs in your own little world, and then you step on stage and see how they’ve landed with people. That feeling is hard to describe, but it’s powerful. Touring can be full-on, but it’s also one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.”

Smith has been touring non-stop. Pollstar Boxoffice Reports from his most recent North American run in April include a sold-out large clubs, including The Anthem in Washington, D.C., April 28, where he moved 3,767 tickets at a $154,565 gross; a sold-out Salt Shed in Chicago, Illinois, April 12, (3,375 tickets, $198,720 grossed; or two sold-out nights at MTELUS in Montreal, Quebec, April 18-20 (4,206, $134,931).

In March, he closed out a run of Europe and the UK with a sold-out show at London’s Eventim Apollo (5,140, $155,290) – a career highlight for his UK/Euro agent Craig D’Souza at WME, who recalls many more, including “performing at the Brits, and we have no doubt his upcoming Glastonbury festival show will be the next milestone!”

Parker says the team’s live strategy is “simple: go to where the fans are. In a world that’s increasingly digital, we didn’t want to wait for fans to come to us. We wanted to travel, meet them where they live, and let them experience the emotion and connection of the music in person. That grassroots approach turned everything from online buzz into something real. It created depth, not just scale.”

“Myles has created a culture of openness among his fan base,” Wasserman’s Goldenring adds. “He’s created a real world unto himself, where it’s okay to feel. Outside of being an incredible musician, Myles is making the world a better place.”

Goldenring recalls Smith’s first show on U.S. soil, at the sold-out 250-capacity Moroccan Lounge in Los Angeles in early 2024, when his uncanny ability to capture the audience first became apparent.

“L.A. crowds can be fairly unforgiving,” Goldenring says, “people are usually on their phones, they’re chatting, it can be difficult, especially in a smaller club like that. About midway through the show, Myles stopped and started talking about what ended up being a prelude into a song called ‘My First Heartbreak’. It’s on the most recent EP [‘A Minute, A Moment’], and it’s about a very difficult time Myles had in his life. During that speech, and subsequent song, you could hear a pin drop. He had everyone listening to every word.”

Smith continues to engage his fanbase off-stage, using social media to create “a cohesive narrative around his releases that not only highlights the depths of his story but also strengthens his connection with an ever-growing fanbase,” RCA’s Tang explains. “As Myles continues his extensive global touring run, he engages his audience both online and offline, ensuring that every track feels like a personal chapter in his evolving saga. It’s all about creating a shared experience that resonates with fans, making each release an event to remember.”

As Smith’s audiences grew, so did his team. In the last few months, Parker brought on board Paul McDonald and Ryan Lofthouse at Closer Artists to support the management structure. “They’ve brought real strategic value and helped absorb some of the growing weight of what we’re building. They’ve been incredible partners, and I’ve learned a lot from working alongside them,”

Parker also says the addition of James Rubin from Wasserman, alongside Goldenring, “has been at the tip of the spear in shaping our global touring strategy. Wasserman as a whole has been fantastic. Their global approach and leadership helped elevate our strategy at a critical time, and having their support has meant a great deal as we look to scale internationally.”

In the UK and Europe, WME’s relationships and expertise have been “a major asset as we move into larger stages worldwide,” says Parker, and “to see Wasserman and WME come together and work so seamlessly has been incredible, and I think it’s a testament to how good these agents really are. What can I say, it takes a village.”

None of this, of course, is possible without good songs. Releasing “My Home” and “Solo” in 2023 was “foundational,” says Parker, “they were the first real signals to the world of who Myles is through songwriting, and they connected instantly. It was clear that he understood his audience, and more importantly, that they understood him.”

“Then came ‘Stargazing’ in May 2024, which changed everything,” he continues. “That song made the jump from momentum to global impact. It stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for 52 weeks and hit number one on four different U.S radio formats, an incredibly rare achievement for any artist, let alone a new British artist.”

“Stargazing” becoming a worldwide smash was “a bonus,” says Wasserman’s Rubin, “but Myles as an artist would continue to grow and grow, regardless of whether he’s had a hit or not. He’s a unicorn: he writes incredible music, is an incredible live performer, and has a real connection with his fans.” And WME’s Craig D’Souza agrees, “there is absolutely no ceiling to what Myles can achieve.”

That is a fact. From playing to 80 people in Manchester to performing at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico (72.6K-cap) supporting Ed Sheeran or holding his own at London’s Wembley Stadium for his performance at this year’s Summertime Ball by Capital Radio as 80,000 chanted the lyrics to “Stargazing” and his current hit, “Nice To Meet You”— both of which he also performed on “American Idol” in May – it all happened in just over a year. Parker says, “watching his confidence onstage grow while still keeping the intimacy and emotional weight of his music has been incredible. The scale has changed, but the spirit has stayed the same.”

Smith, while enjoying the fruits of his unique combination of talent and an entrepreneurial work ethic supported by a passionate team, remains humble. Speaking about the “Time Magazine” accolade, he says, “I try not to focus too much on the title – I just hope whatever platform I’ve got can be used in a meaningful way. If the music or the message can help someone feel understood or inspired, then that’s what matters to me.”

And what about receiving this year’s BRITs Rising Star Award (and his nomination for this year’s Mercury Prize)? “It’s a huge honor,” he says, “I never got into this for awards, but something like that is a real encouragement to keep going. It’s a moment to pause and take in what’s been building. Right now, I’m finishing the tour with Ed Sheeran, and spending some time writing more music. There’s more ahead, but for now I’m just staying creative and taking things step by step.”