Featured Artist: Connor B

Available for 31 days

Caution: This show may contain future stars! Andrew Marston introduces the best new music from our area, including: • Stoke-on-Trent’s footballing legacy is woven into this year’s World Cup soundtrack, as a revived England anthem returns with fresh energy, local ties and a charity focus at its heart. Chris Kamara is here with the story behind the song! • From a lockdown live stream in his back garden in Crewe, to a chat show on Sky TV featuring global names including Jools Holland, Gregory Porter and Jamie Cullum, Tom Seals is now stepping forward with a brand-new album co-written with Slade legend Noddy Holder, marking the latest chapter in his remarkable rise. • In our Music News: Announcing who'll be playing our BBC Introducing takeover of the Royal Three Counties Show this weekend, as around 90,000 visitors are expected to pass through the gates. • As couples lock in their first dance songs, one wedding performer from Telford is rewriting the rulebook by performing inappropriate songs and finding a new kind of fame in the process! • Festival season might be in full swing, but behind the stages there’s a tougher tune playing out as organisers battle soaring costs from fuel to food. We head to Herefordshire where one of the biggest summer gatherings is feeling the squeeze. • Got a music project you've always wanted to launch? In our Musicians’ Masterclass, we hear how bands, artists and organisers could access up to £30,000 in National Lottery funding to help make it happen. • From packed-out dancefloors in Stoke-on-Trent to all-nighters at the Chateau Impney near Droitwich, Northern Soul has never really gone away. Now a new film is keeping the flame alive and shining a light on the scene’s untold stories. • This month’s sessions come from StourJam, a brand-new event that’s already the biggest UK charity music festival based on the number of live music performances, bringing 344 artists across 15 venues and 20 stages over three days. This week we hear from Connor B, recorded live on our BBC Introducing stage outside the Port House, where a surprise karaoke performance at a bar in Spain aged 11 sparked a journey that led to vocal training and now a signing with a prominent local record label. Upload your tracks now: bbc.co.uk/introducing