A vintage touch in new single 'Somebody' from UK singer-songwriter The Gleeman - out 15th September

THE GLEEMAN

‘SOMEBODY’

NEW SINGLE OUT 15TH SEPTEMBER

Hot on the heels of the recent success of ‘Marie’, The Gleeman returns on September 15th with the toe tapping infectious groove of ‘Somebody’ – the second single taken from his upcoming debut album ‘Something To Say’ out next year.

Somebody’s catchy chorus juxtaposes its conflicted tale of loss, loneliness and craving for companionship versus feelings of guilt and betrayal. Steadily gathering pace and building with impressive harmonies and bouncing brass, the song ends with an unexpected but welcome contemplative and poignant denouement.

The storytelling credentials of this rising artist are enriched further by the accompanying video made by BAFTA winning and EMMY nominated TV & Feature Film Director, Martin Gooch, whom amplifies the song’s narrative. The video features ‘Harry Potter’, ‘The Royals’ and impending Sky Original film ‘Arthur’s Whisky’ actress Genevieve Gaunt and former ‘Neighbours’ actress Emily Milburn.

“Somebody forms part of a collection of songs which come under the banner of ‘The Ballad Of Aaron & Amy’ that feature the same protagonists and weave a single narrative across them,” says The Gleeman. “After losing the love of his life 10 years prior, Aaron is conflicted and torn. On one hand he continues to feel lonely and desires to share his life with ‘Somebody’. On the other he is trepidatious that he will be betraying his former partner if he moves on. In his desperation for a resolve, he beseeches through the ether for a sign from her that it’s OK.” 

Whilst showing off some considerable piano chops, The Gleeman is joined by an impressive array of musicians including Fred Abbott (Noah and the Whale) on electric guitar, Ash Soan (Tori Amos, Adele) on drums and David Grant (Fame Academy, broadcaster and singer) on backing vocals, with new Radio and Dolby Atmos mixes courtesy of Ash Howes (Ellie Goulding, One Direction). The track is again produced by Grammy nominated Will Hicks (Ed Sheeran, James Blunt) who also contributes electric guitar.

Having always written songs and reaching a point in his life when his children were grown up, The Gleeman embarked on his musical journey after gaining confidence in his battle with self-belief and deciding he'd been sitting on this passion for long enough. It was time to do something with his songs, no matter how onerous a journey it would be.

‘Putting yourself out there, exposing yourself artistically and starting to perform for the first time without the armour and bravery of youth is a pretty tough gig on its own,” he says. “Add into that an inauguration into the machinations of the music industry as an independent artist and trying to figure how best to navigate its murky waters, well, it’s certainly a challenge even after a 25 year commercial background professionally.’ 

After losing both his parents to dementia within a few months of each other in 2020, the artist saw first-hand the positive effects of music on sufferers of the condition. “It really is quite profound, and this definitely helps drive my ambition and keep my will up to continue to push against the walls and barriers of the music industry.” It’s this personal experience of dementia that inspired him to poignantly collaborate with Music For Dementia earlier this year, a charity he continues to work with to help raise awareness. 

Determined to follow this endeavour and hopefully inspire new artists who are more advanced in age, The Gleeman’s path is proof that you are never too old to pursue your dreams, and there is an advantage in doing so, conveying the life experiences of your years through song and the power of music with the added health, wellbeing and cognitive benefits that playing an instrument as we age can bring.

With anticipation building for The Gleeman’s debut album ‘Something To Say’, expect to hear honest, well-crafted and thought-provoking songs inspired by his upbringing in the West Cornish town of Helston, personal loss, inspirational figures and takes on mental health balanced with some uplifting fictional storytelling. The Gleeman is already racking up 1000+ radio plays including recent support from Radio Caroline, BBC Music Introducing, BBC Radio London, BBC Cornwall and being play-listed nationally on the UK’s fastest growing independent commercial radio station Boom Radio.

Previous press support has come from titles such as CelebMix, EARMILK, Songwriting Magazine, The Hype Magazine and Backseat Mafia among a multitude more. Following his recent cover of “Thank You for Being a Friend” and his work with the Music For Dementia campaign and Thank You Day, The Gleeman received public support and recognition from the likes of Rick McNamara from Embrace, James Walsh from Starsailor and many others. 

The Gleeman is confirmed as special guest to Merseyside musician Ian Prowse (Pele/Amsterdam) at his 30th Anniversary shows for his seminal Pele album ‘Fireworks’ and also to Starsailor on the final night of their 20th Anniversary ‘Silence Is Easy’ UK tour. Catch them live at:

As special guest to Ian Prowse

03.11 - WOLVERHAMPTON - NEWHAMPTON ARTS CENTRE

04.11 - LONDON - HALF MOON (PUTNEY)

As special guest to Starsailor

03.12 - SOUTHAMPTON – THE BROOK

Stay tuned for more releases and news of the upcoming album…coming soon.

The new single ‘Somebody’ is available 15th September.