Rag’n’Bone Man’s life changed when his producer said he’d pay his rent for three months to allow him to work with him.
The 32-year-old singer/songwriter was making ends meet by working long hours as a carer in Brighton, East Sussex and got a phone call one day from Mark Crew – a longtime friend, who worked on Bastille’s debut LP ‘Bad Blood’ – who offered him the chance to make his own record at his London studios.
The ‘Human’ singer – whose real name is Rory Graham – was reluctant to accept his offer as he knew he wouldn’t be able to afford to travel up to the capital, but it was too kind a gesture to turn down.
In an interview with The Sun newspaper, the ‘Skin’ hitmaker shared: "I’d started recording with a producer friend of mine called Mark Crew who believed in me so much that he paid my rent for three months.
"I was working as a care worker at the time and the people there were great but it was long hours and I couldn’t go to play a festival in Cornwall then get back in time.
"Something had to give and then I got a publishing deal, which helped me."
Now Rory is this year’s recipient of the BRITs Critics’ Choice Award and has also been nominated for British Breakthrough Act, which is mind-blowing for the former care worker, who is "still in shock" about it all.
He said: "This is my first time ever doing the BRITs thing, even though I’ve been invited in the past.
"I said I wouldn’t do it unless I was nominated as I felt like I would jinx it."
However, Rory remains very humble and would be happy for another "deserving" musician to win the Breakthrough prize.
He added: "I was very happy to be nominated, but at the same time I kind of put it to the back of my mind at the moment because there is so much more to concentrate on.
"I didn’t think I’d win the first one so I’ve no idea what will happen on the night.
"If I win, it will be amazing and if I don’t, hopefully someone else deserving gets it.
"But whatever happens I’m going to make the most of the night as I’m still in shock about winning, If I’m honest."
Rag’n’Bone Man’s life changed by rent-paying producer
