Teenage singer from Beckley, near Rye, gets funding help from musicians’ charity during pandemic

Erin Bloomer, 18, a rhythm and blues singer/songwriter from Beckley, near Rye, is one of 46 nationwide acts getting support from Help Musicians UK, as part of its Do It Differently Fund, due to Covid-19.

The fund is provided for successful awardees so they can continue to be creative during the uncertain time of when lockdown is eased and social distancing measures are still being finalised.

Before lockdown, Erin was still at school in Cranbrook, Kent, about to take her A-levels and had been teasing out her first EP during her last year of school, gaining more than 3m streams and 100,000 followers on her @erin.bloomer Instagram account.

Now with funding from Help Musicians UK and taking inspiration from Pink Sweat$, she is writing and recording her second EP based from home, due for release at the end of the summer.

She said: “When I applied for the funding, I heard that they’d had a huge amount of applicants and needed an extra week after their deadline to examine all the entries properly, so I was really happy when they said yes.”

Drawing comparisons from other young voices such as Julia Michaels and Khalid, Erin came to the attention of EMI/Universal Music and was invited to collaborate with top producers Imanbek and Rasster on the new SAD remix (released by Positiva Records).

This resulted in a fresh viral dance remix, currently at number 27 on Spotify’s Global Viral list, being billed as ‘the most viral new dance release in the world’.

Erin said: “I knew as soon as I heard the remix that it was something special, I’m so glad to be a part of it.”

The teenager started her online Instagram account, @erinsinging_ in summer 2015 when she was just 13. She amassed more than 2,000 followers in the first week.

Her track, Right Love, Wrong Time reached more than a quarter of a million streams on Spotify within several months after it was first released in summer 2017.

That year her track was added to the US Top 20 FM playlist, alongside Selena Gomez, Clean Bandit and Rita Ora.

Erin attended Vinehall School for eight years, where she learned to play the piano, guitar and sang in many concerts and theatre productions.

She went on to join Cranbrook School in September 2015. People can keep up with Erin’s journey on www.erinbloomer.com, Instagram @erin.bloomer, TikTok @erin_bloomer.

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