Written by Hannah Peebles
A voice beyond their years. A statement that describes what George Ezra has; without being patronising or cliche. Sometimes it takes a while to realise what an artists' unique points are but that is certainly not the case with Ezra - listening for only a few seconds is enough to let you know he is a force to be reckoned with.Equipped with a voice so soulful and energetic, he has been on people's radar for a few years - from studying at BIMM in Bristol, playing open mic nights around Bristol which lead onto support slots and ultimately to where he is now.
When his debut EP 'Did You Hear The Rain?' was released, it peaked at number 6 in the iTunes chart and since then the nineteen year old Bristolian has had a whirlwind of a few years, with constant touring and the release of massive singles such as Budapest.
Did You Hear The Rain? was actually the track that introduced the world to George with his debut EP. Now, on a slightly different context of a number one album. Wanted On Voyage, the singer-songwriter has managed to stick around since it debuted. Long-term fans of George would have recognised a collection of songs on his debut album such as, Budapest, Cassy O and of course Did You Hear The Rain?
Did You Hear The Rain? is a track that is layered with dark, vengeful lyrics that name-checks Lucifer himself with Ezra's deep bluesy voice showing how much depth he has. The stunning cappella introduction paired with the dark, delta blues atmosphere makes for an incredibly special listen.
There is no denying that Ezra brings something different to the table, albeit with his authentically gassy sound, booming out of his youthful chest with no disputing the passion in every performance he does.
Ezra is currently still touring the UK, with his next gig 23rd May at the O2 Oxford Academy.
Since Did You Hear The Rain? is an older single that has been re-released and the video filmed a few years ago, watch a live performance at Glastonbury where Ezra creates a euphoric rendition of the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dd37vHMaN8