Connor Selby

Meet the latest young blueser finding a future from digging into the genre's rich past. Conner Selby has the hallmarks of a 'blues guitar prodigy'; with his self-titled debut, a startlingly mature collection of bluesy rock 'n' soul, flecked with countrified yearning and jazzy undertones. There are at least as many nods here to storytellers like Ray Charles, Hank Williams and Patsy Cline as to the Claptons, Kings and Bonamassas of this world. You'd never think this was the work of a 25 year old Essex guy – an impression boosted by lovelorn lyrics, which portray a battered old heart that's been around the block. He found a meditative head-space on stage, moving from jam nights and pubs to small clubs and upward through the blues circuit. "I can appreciate virtuosity like anyone can" says Selby. "But if you want to connect with people, songs are the way to do that."