Sam Fender has been confirmed as the winner of the 2019 Brits Critics’ Choice Award, the prestigious honor has previously been won by the likes of Adele and Sam Smith.

The ‘Dead Boys’ singer said: “I am truly humbled to win The BRITs Critics’ Choice Award. Being nominated was crazy enough, never mind winning it. I’m so grateful to everyone back home for believing, and to my band and team for all their hard work. We’ve played literally hundreds of shows this year, and we’re going to go even harder in 2019.

‘Most importantly, a big shout to my fans. I’ve met a lot of you over the last few years and it’s truly an honour to get up and play night after night to such a wonderful bunch of people. To everyone who’s taken a punt on me so far, thank you. Here’s to next year!”

In an interview with Sky News, Fender explained how he was traveling in a taxi in his home town when he found out he had won the award. “We were in a taxi driving back to my manager’s house [when I found out]. I was driving past my old school, which was very strange, and the label rang, and he put them on loudspeaker and then he was just like, you’ve got it mate, you’ve got it. I just started screaming. I was punching all the seats in the taxi going completely mad.”

The 24-year-old from North Shields played his first gig in a pub. He was on the BBC Sound of 2018 list and says it is “pure fluke” that he is now a full-time musician. The award is given to an artist who the critics think will be a “future star” in the UK record industry.

Check out ‘Dead Boys’ Below.