Singer describes record label signing as 'dream'

Charlie Pittman will be back in the UK for a show in May

A singer-songwriter who was runner up on The Voice Australia has described signing a major label record deal as a "dream".

Charlie Pittman, from Holbrook, Suffolk, signed with Island Records following his success on the TV show.

Pittman has just released his debut single, ahead of returning to the UK for a show in London in May.

While he plans to continue to build his audience, the star said he would "love" to organise a home show in Suffolk.

'A chance to live'

"A lot of big artists [are signed with Island Records] so it's a bit of a dream," said Pittman, who lives in Australia.

"It's given me the chance to actually live and do music full-time for the first time in my life.

"I've been doing it for quite a few years now but I've always had to work two or three jobs to pay rent.

"Now I can put all of my focus into music which is amazing."

The singer-songwriter's debut single, I Don't Wanna Be Here, was released last week.

"It's about me moving home from university and losing my independence," Pittman said.

"There's a line in the first verse which says, 'I'm saving in rent but paying in patience' - it's that sort of thing where you're living with your parents and you're grateful you don't have to pay rent, but you do pay with questions like 'where are you going?'.

"I'm glad it's finally come out as I've been sat on it for a while."

Pittman wrote the song during the pandemic and will release an EP with several songs in June.

He hopes to visit Suffolk when he returns to the UK in May.

"I came back to Suffolk over Christmas and it was nice to be back but I'm not very well known in the UK yet," he said.

Asked if a Suffolk home show could take place in the future, Pittman said: "One hundred percent - that's definitely something I'd love to do in the future but for now it's about releasing the music and trying to build the audience."

He has, however, started to experience stardom in Australia.

"I wouldn't say [I'm a celebrity] but I do get recognised a little bit by mums and a few teenagers," Pittman said.

"It's really sweet but it doesn't happen too often, just once in a while usually when I'm with my friends and I get embarrassed."