A ‘dynamite’ year as Dylan explodes on to the scene

AS we prepare to ring in 2022, there is a new Scots star waiting in the wings.

Dylan John Thomas, 24, is about to follow Lewis Capaldi and Gerry Cinnamon as the next big thing.

His is an incredible story. The Glaswegian was brought up in foster care but he’s supported Gerry and Liam Gallagher, and next year is shaping up to be his year.

He’s sold out his debut headline show at the Barrowland in April and has been promoted from this year’s King Tut’s Stage at TRNSMT to the main stage in July.

How was 2021?

It’s been nuts. Coming out of lockdown, nobody knew what was going to happen with music. My first gig back was at TRNSMT and to walk out on that stage and see that many people was hard to take in, knowing that everyone out there hadn’t been to shows for the best part of two years. Then I played my first headline tour which I found was an overwhelming time. We’d put out the EP and it was the first time touring with a body of work out, which meant there were songs people knew spread through the set. I didn’t have to leave the best ones for the end.

Highlight of 2021?

It’s all been dynamite so it’s hard to single one thing out. I suppose it’s been having songs out that people are singing along to at the shows. It’s a weird thing when you’re a writer and it’s all you really dream of, being able to hear people chanting your songs back to you. There’s no words to describe it, nothing can touch it. So to have that for the first time on tour was mental.

What are your plans for Hogmanay tonight?

After the announcements we’ve had recently, looks like I’ll be playing FIFA.

How have you managed the pandemic?

I was alright because I had a wee studio set up in my room at home so I could still write and record demos, learning new guitar styles and that. I played a lot of FIFA, an intense amount of FIFA online with my mates, so we kept in touch that way. We all just Facetimed and went on the PlayStation til four in the morning and played guitar. I put on about a stone eating takeaways then worried it off because of the pandemic.

You were named after Bob Dylan – is that difficult to live up to? How did you get into playing music?

I don’t know how to answer that – it’s Bob Dylan. I mind we’d all be in the foster house playing Tony Hawk’s on the PlayStation at like seven years old and there would be some boy just hogging the remote so we’d never get a shot. Anyway, we’d listen to the soundtrack and Ring of Fire would repeat all day. We’d be bouncing about the room singing it having the time of our lives. It was the first tune that I learnt when I got a guitar. I would watch documentaries about him and they’d mention Leonard Cohen, The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel and all these writers, and I’d go and find out about them and listen to their music.

You began busking as a teen – did it help your nerves?

It did. I was busking for about four years and I started as a way to get rid of the shaky voice and the shaky legs. It’s great for turning those nerves into a buzz. We were out in the rain and the snow, all we wanted to do was