A master collaborator and musical chameleon- Tom Read has a depth of songwriting and production craft honed through his constant search for something better. For something more creative, with more depth- more meaning. His unwillingness to settle has led him on a courageous (and continent hopping) journey pursuing creativity- and allowing a wealth of influences to evolve, shape and inform his musical journey.

NAVIGATING THE GLOBE
Hailing from the UK originally, Tom was raised in Hong Kong- releasing albums and travelling extensively in the region with The Vine Band. Connecting on a global scale with the likes of Worship Central and record label Integrity Music (both in the UK) gave Tom’s songs a wider audience and platform, setting the scene for his first solo record. Compass (2013) topped the iTunes chart in Hong Kong, staying in the top 20 for 2 weeks alongside chart positions in the UK and US. Not one to settle with such success, at the same time Tom was exploring other genres- including collaborating with multi-platinum Asian pop star Sammi Cheng on her album Love is Love in the same year before moving back to the UK in 2014 and settling in Oxford.

LEADING THE CHARGE
A desire to deepen his own education and fuel this creativity led him to release one song in a month in 2015, curated into an indie/pop EP under a new artist brand- CHARIOTS. Indie pop for dreamers. The same depth of lyrical content and questioning were present, but this time framed for a different audience than the Christian following he’d mustered in previous years. Single Dreaming As We Go received national UK airplay and the project garnered a nomination for ‘Best album/EP of the Year’ at the Unsigned Music Awards. Another year, another genre conquered in another continent. Though another weapon in his arsenal you’ll have realised this didn’t lead Tom to settle- only informing his future work.

Now an in-demand producer and song-writer- Tom’s co-conspirating nature has brought him back full-circle to releasing music for the Christian market, now backed with years of lyrical searching (and not settling), melody/topline writing and honed production skills. From his Oxforshire based studio The Lion’s Den Tom’s wrestle for honest songs continues. Authentic and real lyricism are his staple- you won’t find the usual tired platitudes here, and it’s that raw and naturally heartfelt expression that draws people to his music. “After struggling for years with anxiety, and dealing with the grief of losing a loved one, I began to write songs to help me process how I was feeling.” explains Tom, “the more honest I was with my songs, the more I felt I was able to worship authentically.”

Every human is looking for authenticity- in relationships, in love, work and life (nowadays more than ever before in the face of social media). Tom’s songs continue to provide a soundtrack to this search- an honest and compelling outpouring of a man simply looking for more.