Gran of Scots award winner Tom Walker on meteoric rise to fame

HE is one of Scotland’s hottest new acts, having notched up 500 million online streams and three million sales of his songs.

Last week, he won the Best British Breakthrough artist awards at The Brits.

But Tom Walker’s 81-year-old gran, Sadie, is just as impressed he remembered to give her a shout-out as he accepted his Brit award.

Sadie, who watched the ceremony on TV in Glasgow, said: “I live in sheltered housing and the warden suggested we could watch the Brits in the communal lounge.

“I thought the neighbours might not come because they might all be in bed but lots of them came along with my grand-daughters and my niece, friends and neighbours.

“To be honest, when they announced Tom had won I couldn’t speak I was so shocked. And the fact he gave me a shout-out was lovely.

“He must have been so overwhelmed at that moment, I thought his mind would have gone blank. And he thanked all the Scots who voted for him as well – that was lovely.”

Tom said: “Winning a Brit is nice. It was a wicked night and quite exciting.

“I have fond memories of watching The Brits at home with my mates. I went last year for the first time as a punter, which was amazing. It was so much fun.

“It’s a long ceremony so you need a beer or two!

“I tried to take my gran to the awards – she has been to all my Scottish shows – but she is 81 and I’m not sure she could have coped.”

Sadie has been supporting Tom’s talent since he was a child.

She recalled: “He did the music for a school performance of We Will Rock You, the musical – he wasn’t on stage but behind the scenes playing guitar.

“The next time was his first gig in Glasgow a few years ago, at the I Café on Sauchiehall Street.”

Sadie also joined him at last year’s TRNSMT festival, after which Tom penned a song for her called All That Matters.

She said: “I’ve been to all his shows in Glasgow, including TRNSMT. After he played there last year, he came and stayed at mine. We had a wee drink and chatted for ages.

“A couple of weeks later he called and said he’d written a song about me. I couldn’t believe it – he’d stored it all up and turned it into this lovely song, and it’s all true. That was lovely.”

Tom’s debut album, What A Time To Be Alive, is released on Friday, and features hit singles Leave A Light On and Just You And I.

The singer-songwriter has already added Sadie to the guest list for his next Scottish date, a headliner at Glasgow Barrowlands on April 26.

And he is also hoping TRNSMT festival bosses will ask him to return to play the Glasgow weekender.

Tom said: “If they ask me back I will 100% play TRNSMT but I don’t know yet what’s going on.

“My gran came to every gig I did in Scotland last year and she came to TRNSMT as her first ever festival – she was 80, which is incredible.”

Reacting to his meteoric success, Tom said: “I crossed half-a-billion streams the other day. What’s that about? It’s totally nuts.

“It stresses me out sometimes looking at the statistics. The half-a-billion thing really knocked me. That just didn’t seem like a real number.

“We released Leave A Light On and it went platinum in eight countries.

“I’ve toured America and Europe and my album hasn’t even come out, so I feel it is easier now, with everyone a lot more connected.

“I wasn’t in the music industry when it was all physical records and CDs. When I got into the industry Spotify and Apple Music were already a big thing.

“The technology has evolved but there is still some amazing music out there.”

Sadie added: “I hope his album goes platinum all over the world. He’s worked so hard, he’s a lovely person and he deserves all the success he’s having.”

Tom Walker’s What A Time To Be Alive is out on Friday, March 1