What’s On: Harry Kemish, 6 Barrels Bar, Totton

TOTTON singer-songwriter Harry Kemish will play a charity gig tomorrow (Saturday) to mark the release of his latest single Nights Like These.

A lifelong Totton resident, Harry (21) is set to play at 6 Barrels Bar on Salisbury Road to support Tanya’s Community Fundraising for Heartbeat campaign.

Nights Like These, the first release from his forthcoming LP, is one of three tracks recorded with Elbow drummer Alex Reeves. The soulful track is described as a “heart-on-your-sleeve ode to distance, showcasing reflective lyrics, with gorgeous backing vocals”.

Penned during a holiday to Greece, Harry found himself gripped by anxiety and a surprising bout of homesickness.

He recalls: “I wasn’t having the best of time and was very anxious and very homesick and wasn’t sleeping very well. I had my laptop with me and I opened up Logic, and this tune sort of fell out of me.”

Harry continued: “Music helps me egulate myself. I’m a very anxious person naturally but I find when I pick up the guitar or write a tune, I can just kind of relax. Some people get that feeling from going for a run or hitting the gym. For me, it’s music.”

Despite coming from a musical family, Harry remembers that music never really clicked for him until he watch a friend play.

He said: “I didn’t really get the whole music thing, until I was about 15. I’d had lessons on the guitar and piano but it hadn’t stuck and I was kind of the only one in the family not to be into it.

“Then a really good friend of mine picked up my acoustic guitar and just started playing Seven Nation Army over and over again. As he played it, it’s hard to explain, but seeing him do it, it was like my first proper hit, and I was addicted.”

Harry developed a passion for The Beatles, David Bowie and Muse, and as his singing developed, his songwriting flowed.

To find out more visit @HarryKemishMusic on Facebook.