Meet Durban, South Africa-born UK Open Mic performer Burlington:

Hi Burlington, thanks for joining us! Let’s get into it:

Do you play solo only, or also in a group?

Solo

How old are you?

31

Where were you born?

Durban, South Africa

Where did you grow up?

Durban, South Africa

How did that place influence your music? (if at all!)

The sunshine, outdoor lifestyle and vibe all play a big part in my music. Most of my songs are made with the idea of cruising along the coastline with the music playing through your car speakers.

Where are you based now, and why?

Wandsworth, London. Because of opportunity and the big city life.

What got you into making music in the first place?

My father and grandfather. My grandfather was an amazing poet and my dad taught me how to play guitar and got me into all his music like The Eagles, Crowded House, Bob Dylan etc.

What instrument/s do you play?

Singing
Piano
Piano
Guitar
Music Producer

Who would be in your top 10 musical influences, and why?

Crowded House, John Mayer, Sam Fender, The 1975, The Eagles, Mike and the Mechanics, Bob Dylan, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Phil Collins, Elton John.
These are all artists that create music that will stand the test of time I believe, I like to take parts of their music and create my own sound.

Do you write your own songs?

Yes

How many years have you been writing songs for?

7

What process, or processes, do you often find yourself using when you write songs?

I normally start with a guitar or piano chord progression and go from there with adding lyrics and the rest of the instruments.

How long have you been playing open mic nights?

4

Why did you get into playing them in the first place?

I wanted to get more confident with playing live and now I love it,

What advice would you give new performers who are just starting out playing their first open mics?

It’s hard to get the confidence to do your first one but you will never know what you are missing until you try.

If it’s not already, are you hoping to make music your full-time career?

Yes

What do you currently find the hardest and biggest obstacles to moving your music career forward?

The saturation of the industry and the how much focus and support there is on the bigger artists.

Do you have your own music video, channel or playlist you’d like to share?

https://www.youtube.com/@Burlingtonsound

Do you have music on streaming? What’s you main streaming channel to send people to?

Where is the main place should people go to find out more about you?

https://www.instagram.com/burlington_sound/#

What other sites/profiles should people go to to find out more about you?

www.burlingtonsound.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.burlingtonsound.com
www.instagram.com/burlington_sound/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.instagram.com/burlington_sound/
www.tiktok.com/@burlingtonsound" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.tiktok.com/@burlingtonsound
www.facebook.com/burlingtonsound/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.facebook.com/burlingtonsound/

www.youtube.com/channel/UCzRjXFaJyXm46a--6wp3XGw?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.youtube.com/channel/UCzRjXFaJyXm46a–6wp3XGw?view_as=subscriber
soundcloud.com/atthewllis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">soundcloud.com/atthewllis

We’re done! Anything else you want to share before we go?

No thanks!