Elliot James Reay

Elliot James Reay, a British singer-songwriter, channels the rock and pop sounds of the 1950s while adding fresh energy and youthful drive to those vintage forms. His path to recognition started overseas in Australia after he posted several social media clips that quickly drew widespread attention. With the July 2024 arrival of his first single, the original "I Think They Call This Love," he gained international notice for his assured vocals and sincere delivery, and the track gained strong traction on streaming platforms; a follow-up favorite, "Boy in Love," arrived later that year.

Born January 31, 2002, in Bury, Greater Manchester, England, Reay grew up immersed in first-era rock & roll thanks to his parents' affection for the era. This environment introduced him to the work of Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Eddie Cochran, and Billy Fury. Inspired, he began performing publicly and was already busking near his home by age 14. In 2019 he launched a TikTok account and started sharing clips of himself singing, mixing originals with covers in his smooth yet spirited manner. He joined the band LCKDWN and began collaborating with the production team SOAP in 2020, though his audience expanded sharply once he started traveling in 2022.

After stops in Asia and Europe, he reached Australia and, while based in Melbourne, filmed short videos of himself performing both older and newer songs inside his temporary apartment. The apartment clips spread rapidly on TikTok, leading him to release "I Think They Call This Love" as his debut official single in July 2024. Its quick impact was aided by a music video modeled on a vintage television variety-show appearance. "Boy in Love" followed as the second single in November 2024, again paired with a video that highlighted his retro aesthetic. In December 2024 he gave his first Manchester concert since his breakthrough, performing the two hits and previewing new songs he intended to record the following year.