Banburyshire musician makes it through to final 16 of international emerging artist competition

A Banburyshire musician has made it through to the final 16 of an international emerging artist competition.
By Matt Elofson
Published 21st Jun 2021, 16:39 BST
Updated 22nd Jun 2021, 09:19 BST
Samhain, based in Culworth, has made it through to the final 16 of 100 in Bandzai’s emerging artist competition.Samhain, based in Culworth, has made it through to the final 16 of 100 in Bandzai’s emerging artist competition.
Samhain, based in Culworth, has made it through to the final 16 of 100 in Bandzai’s emerging artist competition.

The musician, Samhain, based in Culworth, has made it through to the final 16 of 100 in Bandzai’s emerging artist competition.

Bandzai 'The Ultimate Battle of the Bands' is a global competition aimed at finding the very best emerging artists. The purpose is to celebrate and give back to the artists who have found new and innovative ways to entertain over the course of the pandemic. For more information on the competition see their website here: https://guesthouselive.co.uk/bandzai/homeThe winner of the competition takes home a grand prize of £10,000, three days recording at Parr Street Studios (famous for recording the likes of Coldplay) and to have music featured in Scott's Menswear XMAS campaign.

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Samhain runs Forge Coffee ( https://www.forgecoffee.co.uk/ ) in Culworth, where he spends the majority of his time making coffee and writing.

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The competition so far has been based on live performance videos, which are posted to the Bandzai website at the time of voting.

Samhain's next round is tomorrow (Tuesday June 22) a head to head match-up against a musician called Lloren.

To vote use the following weblink here: https://guesthouselive.co.uk/bandzai/bandzai_round3

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Samhain, 30, who grew up on the North York Moors, has supported acts such as The Subways' Billy Lunn, Amy May Ellis, Jessie Reid and even collaborated with bassist Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna - live performances have taken him across the UK and Europe.

Samhain, based in Culworth, has made it through to the final 16 of 100 in Bandzai’s emerging artist competition.Samhain, based in Culworth, has made it through to the final 16 of 100 in Bandzai’s emerging artist competition.
Samhain, based in Culworth, has made it through to the final 16 of 100 in Bandzai’s emerging artist competition.

His first single 'Let The Horses Run' explores what it is to be run by your demons. It caught the attention of Warner Music, where he is now recording with Richard Woodcraft (Engineer to the likes of Neil Young, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys.)

He was called for in interview by BBC Introducing and made 'pick of the week' by Jorvik Radio, Samhain's cinematic yet folky sound sits in a niche neither seem able to place.

Ten years in the making, Samhain is set to release the culmination of his life so far as the self-defined "king of the losers".

Influenced by the likes of Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley, Leonard Cohen & Radiohead, Samhain creates a unique world of poetic folk and alternative rock.