Born in Blackpool, England in December 1991, Grimshaw had spent his time at the Michael Hall Theatre School before earning himself a part in the BBC Children’s show Half Moon Investigations. Auditioning for The X Factor in 2010, with a rendition of Kanye West’s “Gold Digger,” Grimshaw sailed through to the live finals. Eschewing the normal “pop-star” route, Grimshaw opted for stripped-back, edgy performances of classic songs for the show, setting him apart from the usual X Factor pop-fodder. In week 7, Grimshaw was ousted from the show after losing the public vote to fellow contestant Katie Waissel, eventually coming in ninth overall.

Signing to RCA Records, Grimshaw spent the next two years writing and recording demos for his debut album with Jarred Rogers (Lana Del Rey, Tinchy Stryder) and Athlete frontman Joel Pott. In June 2012 he released his first single Is This Love. Its mix of anthemic drum ‘n’ bass and electro-pop would signal the direction of his debut album Misty Eye. Released in August 2012 Misty Eye debuted on the U.K. albums chart at 19, while receiving positive reviews for its contemporary mix of pop, drum‘n’bass, and electronica. ~ Richard Wilson