Ian Britt is a UK singer-songwriter and acoustic artist who works across folk and rock, with music that moves beyond a straightforward Americana approach. He studies music in Manchester and later develops a style built around portable songwriting and solo performance, using acoustic guitar as the main foundation for his songs.

Career

Britt signs to London-based Jalapeño Records after his studies and releases his debut album, One Day I, in 2005. The album reaches number 2 in the iTunes folk charts, and its lead single places second in BBC Radio 2’s record of the week voting behind Damien Rice. He also performs showcases at BBC Radio 1 Live Weekend and at SXSW in Texas.

After the album cycle, he and the label part ways and he continues as a solo artist, touring and developing his material independently. He gains a following in the Netherlands, where he tours extensively for around three years and appears on radio, including national radio, while supporting a number of Dutch artists. During this period he records the EP Big Light in a small room on a single bed, and in 2009 he begins self-producing a new album at home in Sheffield to meet demand in the Netherlands.

In 2010 a Dutch label becomes involved in releasing the album, but the label later collapses and Britt decides to release BOX independently in 2011. Before its official release, tracks from the album appear on television, including a Channel 5 ident for Grey’s Anatomy, several uses in Hollyoaks, and a placement in a major mobile phone advert in Russia.

Style and work

Britt describes his work as difficult to place in a single genre. His songs are rooted in singer-songwriter and acoustic traditions, but he also pushes them into less conventional areas. Tracks such as “Instincts” and “In the Middle” show this wider approach. He is compared with a range of styles and artists, but his output remains centred on his own songwriting and performance.

Later direction

After more than six years performing as a solo artist, Britt begins work on a new band project with a louder and heavier sound, while keeping a focus on strong songwriting, lyrics and musicianship. He also continues to write and perform acoustic material.