A young Perth musician is in the frame for one of the world’s most prestigious song-writing honours at the age of just 23.
Blair Davie is one of five artists shortlisted for this year’s Ivor Novello rising star award.
The former Oakbank Primary pupil was just six years-old when he had his first guitar lesson.
He has been writing songs since he was nine. And he recorded his first album at the grand old age of 12.
But the Ivor Novello nomination takes his musical career to a whole new stage.
Harry Styles, Ice spice and Bryan Eno are among the superstars shortlisted in various categories for this year’s awards.
And Bruce Springsteen will become a Fellow of The Ivors Academy at the ceremony on May 23.
Blair says he is astonished to be on the shortlist.
“I’m completely shocked, in a lovely way,” he said.
“You always hope that maybe your name will come up one of these days, even if you don’t know if you could ever believe it.
“There are more knocks than big successes in the music industry,” Blair added.
“So this feels pretty special.”
Davie family set Blair on musical path
Blair was born into a musical family in Perth.
Mum Catriona is from a family of pipers. And he jokes he’s not entirely sure she’s forgiven him for not following her on the bagpipes.
Instead, he got a taste for the guitar aged four or five when dad Andy started taking lessons.
Blair started learning from the late Jack Kelly at the age of six.
And then for his 12th birthday, he was given a session at Red Barn Studios, Longforgan, where he recorded his first self-penned album.
Stuart and Gillian Duncan from Red Barn were another great source of encouragement.
But it’s his parents who get the credit for all he’s achieved so far.
“I was bullied in high school and it knocked my confidence a lot,” Blair said.
“But they always believed me.
“I couldn’t have done any of this without them.”
Pandemic brought change of direction
Blair cut his teeth in various local bands, before things really started taking off with Stop The Rain.
The Perth band were playing gigs across the UK and building a reputation on the live circuit.
They scored a management deal when Blair was still just 18.
Then Covid hit.
It could have been curtains for his musical career. But it was then that Blair’s song-writing really started to develop.
He threw himself into more personal, confessional songs that wouldn’t have suited the band.
An album, produced by Stop the Rain bandmate Kyle Fummey, led to a deal with a London publishing company.
And last year, he moved to London to follow his dreams.
Ivors shortlist coincides with single success
The Ivor Novello nomination comes as Blair’s star was already on the rise.
His latest single Prague is earning rave reviews.
It had been streamed 40,000 times at the last count.
And his follower count on Instagram has risen from a couple of thousand to almost 15,000 in a matter of days.
Blair says he is thrilled by the recognition.
And now the boy from Perth is looking forward to the Ivor Novello Awards in May.
“I’m genuinely not even thinking about winning,” he said.
“They had a party where they read out the nominees for all the categories, and right up until the moment it happened I didn’t believe they were going to say my name.
“Maybe it’s our Scottishness – we do struggle with believing in ourselves sometimes.
“But just to be nominated feels like validation.”
Conversation