A TEENAGE singer-songwriter is preparing to play his biggest gig to date as he amps up the release of his debut record.

Eddie George, 17, of Church Street, Whitchurch, will headline Guildford’s Boileroom on Monday, April 15, to mark the release of his new EP, Sky’s the Limit.

The single Magic was released last week on Spotify and iTunes, and physical copies will be available at the Boileroom show.

“The EP has got a lot of different things on it – slow songs, up tempo songs, and Magic is the song that rounds it off,” said Eddie.

“It’s a good representation of what the EP is going to sound like.”

Eddie is currently studying at Guildford’s Academy of Contemporary Music, but he only began learning his craft a few years ago.

“I was about 13 or 14 and I started playing guitar at a guitar club at my school. I wasn’t very good at all.

“I saw guys next to me and thought I am never going to get there.”

Shortly after, he found himself lining up his very first gig, although initially he was not too keen.

“My aunt asked if I wanted to play at her wedding, so I thought I’d just played some covers. She said, ‘I think you should sing.’

“I thought ‘no way, I’ll get ripped to shreds at school.’”

Eddie has since racked up more than 150 gigs, and in doing championed the grassroots music scene.

He has worked his way up at smaller venues such as the Star, in Guildford, and the Railway, in Winchester, and he still returns to old haunts when he can.

“My first proper show was at the Railway. That’s the venue that’s helped me the most.

“There’s an open mic night every Monday. I went along one Monday and I just got hooked on it. If we ever have a Monday free we all go back.”

Grassroots music venues have struggled in recent years – UK Music, a campaigning and lobbying group, says 35 per cent of venues have closed in the last decade – yet Eddie says they are among his favourites.

“It would be really amazing to see more people coming down to grassroots venues. There’s so many amazing bands doing things at the Railway and the Boileroom.

“I would choose a grassroots show over any other show.”

Eddie’s passion for live music is matched only by his love of the studio. His new EP was recorded at Sunrise Sound Studio, in Middle Wallop, and the experience is one he is hoping to repeat.

“I love the performance side so I always want to be doing that somewhere, whether it’s an open mic or a stadium.”

“But in the future I would love to write songs for people,” he added.

“If I could sit in the studio and make music for an artist that would be amazing. That would be an unbelievable dream.”