A North East singer who has been praised by Elton John will perform at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend.
Tom A Smith is on the line up for the popular music festival, which will take place in Dundee, Scotland, between May 26 and May 28. The 18-year-old will play on the BBC Music Introducing stage on Saturday, May 27.
The rising star, who lives in Houghton-le-Spring, has previously supported Elton John at the British Summer Time concert in Hyde Park and performed on stage at Glastonbury Festival twice.
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Tom said: "It's a festival I have been wanting to do for quite a while. I'm buzzing for it. We have got the set ready, it's going to be bangers after bangers. Another top festival for the summer."
Tom has previously had his tunes played on the radio station by presenters such as Jordon North, who previously graduated from the University of Sunderland, and Jack Saunders. He said: "To have these DJs behind you is great. It's a bit of an honour really."
Tom said he has been playing the guitar since he was around five years old and performing from the age of eight.
When he was just 10 years old, he sang on a stage at Glastonbury for the first time. He said he approached one of the stages where you could nominate yourself and was given a slot after showing staff previous footage of him.
He said: "I played at Glastonbury again last year with Billy Bragg, he invited three songwriters on stage with him. I performed a song on stage with Billy Bragg and it was pretty special. He's an absolute legend, he's definitely a hero of mine."
Tom joined Billy Bragg on the Left Field stage at Glastonbury in June last year, the day after performing at the British Summer Time concert in Hyde Park, London. He had been invited to perform there by Elton John.
He said: "Elton John gave me a couple of plays on his Apple Music show Rocket Hour. He said he thinks I'm going to be a big star. I was on tour with Miles Kane and I got an email. It pretty much said 'Elton John has invited you to join him at his British Summer Time Hyde Park show in London'.
"He could have picked anyone to be part of that line up. To be asked to do that was unbelievable. I managed to get a Facetime call with him as well. It was really good."
Tom, who performed his first ever gig at The Cluny in Newcastle, has previously supported Catfish and the Bottlemen, during
their gig at Times Squarein Newcastle, and James Bay at Tynemouth Priory in Tynemouth.
This week, he will join The Cat Empire during their European tour and will perform to crowds in Germany and Switzerland.
Tom is also on the line up at a number of other festivals this summer including Sunlun Calling in Sunderland and Hardwick Festival at Hardwick Hall in County Durham.
He chose to film the official video for his recent single "Little Bits" at Independent and The Fire Station in Sunderland.
Tom said: "I have always been pretty comfortable playing in front of quite a few people.
"I'm buzzing for this year, it's going to be great. I have got lots of music ready to go. I released my recent single 'Little Bits' in March, the reception for that has been unbelievable.
"The support from people in the North East has been brilliant. Our North East shows always sell our the quickest!"
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