Dominic Wright

Already boasting a significant social following, Brighton based artist Dominic Wright is set to pull listeners even deeper under his spell with a debut EP that confirms his status as one of the UK's most exciting up-and-coming songwriters.

With its supple, sun-dappled guitars and lithe vocal melody, 'Let You Go' is heartfelt bedroom-pop in the tradition of Alex G, Beabadoobee and 'Bags'-era Clairo. "So call up your friends, tell them I'm just no good," Dominic entreats in the chorus, as he moves through the grief cycle of a dying relationship. Melodically, the Rex Orange County-esque 'Picking at the Bones' is breezier still, but beneath its lissom groove we hear Dominic wrestling with existential angst, wondering, "What am I meant to become?" before pleading, "This can't be all of me?"

Music has always provided an important emotional release for Dominic. Raised in London until his parents' divorce, guitar quickly became a lifeline. Building on the vast musical education instilled in him by his father — and which encompassed everything from country singer Lyle Lovett to Passenger — Dominic spent every spare moment seeking out new music, falling for the delicate indie-folk of Elliott Smith. Indeed, painstakingly figuring out his heroes' songs on guitar proved a crucial outlet for much of his nervous energy, though at 16 he was expelled and opted to move to Brighton where he studied at BIMM.

It was in 2020 during lockdown that he found a platform for his music. Having moved back home, he began self-recording sessions in his bedroom and posting intimately framed videos to TikTok. Sharing one post per week, he soon built a loyal fanbase for his interpretations of songs by artists as diverse as Billie Eilish and Bloc Party and The xx.

For his debut EP, Ghosts, Dominic spent most of 2023 in the studio with his principal creative partner Ewan Merritt of Bad Sounds (Arlo Parks, Rose Gray). Together they brought Dominic's music to life as evidenced on lead single 'I'll Be Alright,' a hauntingly atmospheric acoustic ballad with shades of Alex G and Big Thief.

Other collaborators so far have included Ben Matravers (Easy Life), Joseph Rodgers (Beabadoobee, Rina Sawayama) and Benjamin Francis Leftwich (Holly Humberstone, Nick Mulvey, CMAT).

Lyrically, Dominic is unafraid to delve into difficult experiences or painful emotions, be that relationship break-ups ('I'll Be Alright') or identity crises ('Picking at the Bones'). He explains: "All of my music is a reflection of moments in my life and the emotions that stand out to me. It's a good opportunity to reflect on tough things."

And he has no qualms about sharing his struggles. "Making people feel safe is a huge part of my music," he nods. "It doesn't matter if people take something away from my music that's different to what I put into it. All that matters is that my playing evokes some kind of emotion for listeners."

If the last four years have proved anything, it's that Dominic does just that, resonating with listeners as far away as the US and South Korea. And with an EP of exceptional self-penned material ready to go, this is just the beginning for one of the UK's most promising young voices.