Vince returning to his roots for gig that kick-starts tour

PLYMOUTH-BORN singer/ songwriter Vince Freeman returns to his roots for a rare city gig that kick-starts a tour to promote his new album. 

- CLARE ROBINSON

On March 22, the former Plymstock school pupil releases his long-awaited debut Scars, Ghosts & Glory, an offering that encapsulates his rollercoaster life thus far. Having first come to national attention when he appeared on TV show The Voice under the mentorship of The Script's Danny O'Donoghue in 2007, he worked out that chasing fame is definitely not what it's about.

He said: "I started out writing and performing somewhere along the line chasing trends but after a while asked myself 'why? Why do songwriters write songs, why do artists paint? They do it to communicate - and I just thought if I'm not telling my own story then it's all just fluff!"

Vince's career is one to be admired, and one always centred around hard work.

For the first few years he played around 300 shows per year, inspiring a young Ed Sheeran to do the same. As a regular performer at West London club, Ginglik, he founded their popular night Shush, performing alongside and helping to give early opportunities to the likes, Paolo Nutini, Newton Faulkner, Nizlopi and even Ed Sheeran himself who gave Vince a 'thank you' on his debut album.