Big Weekend will help local scene - Alfie Templeman

Alfie Templeman is playing the Radio 1 New Music Stage at Big Weekend

Musician Alfie Templeman has said Radio 1's Big Weekend will boost the music scene in his home county.

The 21-year-old, from Chalton in Bedfordshire, is playing on the New Music Stage at the Luton festival on Saturday, ahead of pop star Charlie XCX.

He explained: "A whole lot of people are going to see Luton for the first time which will be great.

"Luton's got a really good music scene that's still coming up, so people will come from London and it will get a spotlight."

Alfie Templeman's second album, which features Chic's Nile Rodgers, is released in June

The musician, who has moved to London but still regularly visits the county to rehearse with his band, praised the talent from the area.

Templeman was pleased to see acts he knows from the surrounding area on the main stage such as Hertfordshire artists Declan McKenna, from Cheshunt, and Griff, from Kings Langley.

He also praised artists he knew on the BBC Introducing stage, such as Low Girl, who like him played some of their earliest gigs at Bedford Esquires.

The multi-instrumentalist said: "Esquires was where I started off as a kid as they let me and my mates make a load of noise.

"It's a really nice community, it's nice to show off those musicians as there's a load of us from Bedford playing Big Weekend."

He joked: "I was saying to my dad we haven't got far to drive."

Alfie Templeman said he was most excited to see Charlie XCX, who he is sharing a stage with

Those local artists are joined at the Stockwood Park event by some of the biggest names in music from across the world.

Coldplay, Chase & Status and Raye will headline the main stage during the three-day festival.

Performers on the weekend also include Beabadoobee, Diplo and Vampire Weekend.

Templeman is most excited to see Charlie XCX.

He said: "I'm very excited to see Charlie XCX, I think it's really cool we're playing the same stage, if I meet her I will freak out."