DECLAN J DONOVAN, the young songwriter from Harlow near London, is doing well. Interestingly, not so much because his songs have been streamed over 500 million times since his breakthrough, his 1.7 million monthly fans on Spotify, or his rank as #1 in the UK singer/songwriter charts on iTunes. Taking care of himself in the last two years is what made him truly happy. Being aware of what he needs and what inspires him deeply.

“I’ve spent a long time being anxious and depressed, but I’ve come to terms with a few things in the past years. I worked hard on myself and I feel better than ever. Nothing is holding me back. Gold records and hits are great, but I like to take it back to basics: My life is really good right now and if it stays that way – I’m happy. I focus on my songs and whatever happens after that happens.”

His career started similarly down to earth. A fan of British rap music early on, he saw an acoustic song by Ed Sheeran on TV one day and was blown away: “I felt like it was the thing I had been waiting for my whole life and fell in love instantly. I went out the next day and got guitar lessons – that was my introduction to becoming a musician.” In 2014, he sang his song “Fallen So Young” at his brother’s wedding and later uploaded it to SoundCloud at the request of those around him. What happened next was unexpected: In no time, his vulnerable vocals and intimate lyrics thrilled over a million fans. In 2020, he released the “Homesick” EP with seven songs, including hits like “Pieces,” a top 10 German airplay hit amassing 135 million streams, and “Perfectly Imperfect,” which scored Gold in Sweden and ranked #2 in the US, #3 in Germany, and at #6 in the UK on the TikTok charts.

Declan’s single “More Than A Feeling” has deeply resonated with listeners, capturing the excitement and intensity of new love. It debuted with over 1 million streams in its first week and has now surpassed 7 million. It landed in major editorial playlists, hitting #5 on Spotify’s UK Viral chart, and found strong traction on TikTok. In June, Declan headlined a sold-out show at The Grace in London and is set to support David Kushner at the iconic O2 Brixton Academy. His latest release “Life Or Death” is already generating buzz online, picking up pace once again on TikTok and showing no signs of slowing down. With each new release, Declan continues to solidify his place as one of the UK’s most emotionally resonant new voices.