Emotional Myles Smith reveals he was physically abused by his dad when he was 13 in heartbreaking debut album
MYLES Smith reveals he was physically abused by his father in his heartbreaking debut album My Mess, My Heart, My Life.
The Luton-born star, who was raised by his mother Deborah, recalls his difficult childhood in emotional tracks My Mess and Grandma’s House.
Not since Lewis Capaldi’s astonishing 2019 album Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent have I heard a more impressive and honest debut record, with Myles pouring his truth into the 15-track album.
Created over the past three years, as Myles’ career went stellar thanks to his 2024 runaway hit Stargazing, the star takes his fans back to his beginnings.
Lead track My Mess reduced me to tears as Myles regaled his relationship with his father against a backdrop of an upbeat, acoustic guitar.
He sings, “I was born into a fractured family, where a word can start a war.
“Lost my tongue, when I spoke my peace, yeah he grabbed my shirt and he bruised my cheek.
“Sad a man had to go toe to toe with a boy thirteen.”
Emotion-packed Grandma’s House, where Myles, 28, recalls finding his safe space as his mum Deborah worked to make ends meet, is packed with emotion and reflection.
On the track he sings: “Take me back to my Grandma’s place.
“I was 7 years old when I learnt how to cook, and 10 when I started to sing.
“Oh she’d bring me to church, and she’d cover my ears, when my Dad would scream horrible things.”
Myles’ signature acoustic guitar underpins every track, with Hate You untangling the realities of navigating love and Sertraline seeing Myles exploring mental health and complexities surrounding it.
This is an album for the brokenhearted and the hopeful, with the beautifully worded Lifetime and the dreamy vocals on Heaven – which is my favourite song on the record – seemingly bringing Myles’ the happy ending he’s been searching for.
Over the past two years, Myles has grown in prominence – winning the Brit Awards Rising Star gong as well as earning an Ivor Novello Award for Stargazing.
To date Myles has amassed over 4.7billion streams worldwide and is one of our country’s most exciting new stars.
Opening up about the record, Myles said the album was born out of “therapy notes, old memories, relationships, insecurities, heartbreaks, mistakes and all the moments that shaped me.”
The latter half of the album moves towards a positive note, with Nice To Meet You and Gold showing Myles coming out on the other side.
Myles said: “It was important to end the album, and particularly this project on a high.
“I feel like I always try to mirror my music with my live shows and my live shows are always about taking people on an emotional journey and then sending you home happy.
“It is that sense of hope which lingers on as Gold closes the album.
“Even though I may appear miserable for a lot of this album, I genuinely always walk with hope and I walk with joy at the end of the day.”
Heaven, mark my words, will become a live show staple for Myles, who with My Mess, My Heart, My Life has more than proven he can hold up against the greats when it comes to writing songs about love and loss.
★★★★★
Lotts of stars at V&A
It was all-white on the night for Maya Jama and Pixie Lott as they stood out in these dresses at the V&A Museum’s summer party.
They were joined at the bash by model Leomie Anderson, in an open white suit with gold jewellery, Ellie Goulding sporting a blazer dress, and Sir Mick Jagger with his fiancee Melanie Hamrick.
Once inside the museum, in London’s South Kensington, guests got the chance to schmooze around the exhibits, while Jessie Ware sang live in a sequin gown.
With tickets flying for her autumn tour, they were lucky to see her.
But access to the fundraiser, for those who did pay, cost £3,999. That is one expensive night out.
KAISER CHIEFS frontman Ricky Wilson will play Teen Angel in Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical.
The show is being put on by Secret Cinema from July to September at Evolution London in Battersea Park.
Ricky, left, said: “At school I was in Grease. I was not yet the pop sensation I am today and I only really wanted to do it because I fancied the girl who played Frenchie,
“I was Doody, so this is my chance to show everyone I should’ve got a bigger part.
“I don’t believe anyone from that production is now a professional singer – so in short, I win.”
Sian’s up for toy techover
You will hear some surprisingly familiar voices in Toy Story 5 if you head to the cinema this weekend – as Capital Breakfast’s Jordan North and Sian Welby have landed roles.
They voice a garden gnome and inflatable flamingo in the long-awaited Pixar sequel, and mum-of-one Sian has high hopes for its impact.
Speaking about the film, which is about tech replacing toys, Sian, right, said: “I do think it’s going to start a massive conversation about screen time.
“It made me want to smash every bit of tech in my house and just get out in the grass and play all the games that I did growing up.
“I think a lot of us are going to watch it and feel guilt. It’s sad we have to grow up so fast because there’s so much magic when you’re younger.”
Best-selling novel One Day is coming to the West End as a musical.
The David Nicholls love story – which has previously been adapted for both the big and small screen – will premiere at London’s Garrick Theatre on November 17, following shows in Edinburgh earlier this year.
Tissues and jazz hands at the ready.
MNEK is back in reverse
MNEK is returning with his first album in eight years.
The singer has today released the single Reverse!!, which samples Lethal Bizzle’s Pow! (Forward) and will be on his Bulldozer record this autumn.
Also out now is Jax Jones’ Pulling Me Back, Tiny Habits’ Anything He Was featuring Matty Healy from The 1975 and Grow Down by Luca George.
Ahead of his opening night in Jesus Christ Super-star in London, Sam Ryder has released What’s The Buzz.
And to support England’s World Cup efforts, Kerry Katona has re-recorded Atomic Kitten’s Whole Again as Home Again to raise cash for kids in care.
She said: “Even if you think it’s s***, please download it so we can give back.”