IT has been a whirlwind few days for Nathan Evans. No sooner was he signed to a record label when the shanty singing postman then found himself at the top of the charts.
With a string of TV appearances and a few celebrity shout outs, including a mention on social media from legendary Queen guitarist Brian May, the 26-year-old’s feet have barely touched the ground.
His version of The Longest Johns' 2018 song Wellerman became a TikTok sensation and within weeks of it going viral he handed in his notice at the Royal Mail and signed a record deal with Polydor Records.
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“It has been the craziest two or three weeks of my life. It has just been amazing and I have loved every minute of it,” said Mr Evans, from Airdrie, in North Lanarkshire. “I don’t know if any of it has really sunk in as it is all a bit surreal.”
On Sunday afternoon Mr Evans went through what he describes as one of the most nervous times in his life. He had made it into the Top 40 of the Official Singles Chart the previous week entering the charts at number 32, and was hopeful that he might have edged up a little bit.
“It was just incredible on Sunday,” added Mr Evans. “I had been sitting about keeping my fingers crossed. All afternoon I was very nervous and sweating and then I got the call about 45 minutes before the chart would be announced. I was hoping I might have made it into the top five, but when I was told I was number one I was just speechless. It is all very baffling to me, but at the same time it is all completely life-changing.
“I phoned up my family to tell them to listen in to the charts, but couldn’t tell them what position I was in. When we did get chance to speak it was very emotional and my parents were left speechless as well.”
He topped the charts knocking Olivia Rodrigo’s Drivers License down and a remix of Wellerman by 220 KID x Billen Ted also placed at No3 to give Mr Evans two hits in the Top 3.
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Mr Evans has always tried to concentrate on his music when he could and would rush home from an early shift delivering mail to record or go live on TikTok.
"A lot of people on my rounds would stop me and say they knew me from somewhere and then they realised I was that guy from TikTok and they were delighted. People seemed to love the Wellerman because it it just such a catchy tune,"he added.
His appearance on the BBC’s One Show led to him singing alongside presenter and musicals star Michael Ball and he was also a guest on Lorraine Kelly’s morning ITV show. News of this singing postman’s sudden success even reached stateside and he appeared on Good Morning America.
He picked up a guitar at the age eight and had been singing even before that and it seems that his love of singing and music is in the genes. His parents David and Paula, both 53, are no strangers to picking up a microphone and belting out a tune.
Nathan Evans, the former postman behind the viral sea shanty trend on the platform.
“My family are really buzzing for me and have been so supportive," he added. “I have been singing since I was a child and played guitar since I was eight. Music has always been a big part of family life. My parents love to sing and performed at karaoke for years and at parties.
“I would be given a little stint at parties with my guitar and when I was old enough would be given the chance to play a few songs in pubs at the end of the night. I suppose we are quite a musical family.”
Traditionally sung at sea to keep sailors’ spirits up, Mr Evans, who graduated from college with a degree in web design, feels shanties have a place in today’s world and says what people have been through during the pandemic may feature in his future songs.
He added: “I tend to write about life and what people are going through and these past 10 months will undoubtedly be part of what I write. I'm never off my Notes app on my phone as when I see or think of anything I always write it down to form parts of new ideas."
While restrictions on live performances are still in place it hasn't stopped Mr Evans of thinking about some of the dream events or venues he would relish the chance to play.
"I would love to play at the likes of Trnsmt, or the Leeds or Reading festivals, but I also like smaller venues as well and it would be great to play closer to home at the Barrowlands or King Tuts in Glasgow. It has always been my dream to be able to play music in front of people and to be able to say this was my job."
In terms of his own music tastes, Mr Evans enjoys listening to Ed Sheerin, and also his fellow countrymen Lewis Capaldi.
Asked if he'd heard from Capaldi after bursting into the limelight, he said: "I've not heard anything yet, but, Lewis, I will be keeping my eye on my DMs."
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