Orange Unsigned Act - Toby Sebastian

Youngest Remaining Contender Makes Bid for Final Prize

Dec 17, 2008

T4's welcome antithesis to X-Factor and American Idol breeds new independent musical talent, with none more promising than melodic singer/songwriter Toby Sebastian.

T4’s Orange Unsigned Act is really starting to heat up as it hurtles towards its live public vote final in January.

The remaining acts are vying for the judges favour for the last few times on the Orange Unsigned Act Tour before they are let loose upon the British public, who will decide which of them most deserves the coveted prize of a record deal with major label Universal and a £60,000 advance.

Toby Sebastian: Background

The surprise teenage contender from Oxford has impressed judges Lauren Laverne (formerly lead singer of Kenickie, now DJ, broadcaster and cultural commenter), Simon Gavin (Head of A&M records, home of The Courteeners and Duffy) and Alex James (the chiselled bassist from soon-to-be-reunited Blur) to get down from 10,000 acts to just the last handful.

With simple melodic acoustic tunes like ‘Flipperty Flop’ melting female hearts with ease and ‘Crazy’ tapping into all those pent up teenage hormones, Toby has consistently shown his ability to step up to the plate, week after week. His accomplished and natural style has also allowed him to evade the vicious feedback that the judges have dealt more generously to other artists, including Sleeper Cell, Bo Bruce, Hip Parade and The Scarlet Harlots.

Lovable Scottish eccentric Tommy Reilly stands as Toby’s main singer/songwriter rival, and remains in the judges favour after performing an innovative cover of The Killers’ ‘Mr Brightside’.

Baby Soft Good Looks and Maturity

He’s the youngest left in the competition at just sixteen years old, not that you’d guess. For beyond his baby soft good looks and mop of tumbling dark curls, Toby has the maturity and calm of a musician long accustomed to the pressures of performing and coming up with the goods week in week out, and dealing with ferocious media interest.

“I’m up against some great people, and we all respect each other and each other’s music, so I don’t think it makes much of a difference how old I am”

He has a Home Counties charm that is already making the ladies swoon, if the Orange Unsigned Act live blogs are anything to go by.

Family and Musical Upbringing: Toby and Bella

Toby’s not the only one with musical blood in the family. Older sister Bella, 21, who’s been chaperoning Toby on tour, and lending her services as occasional backing singer, has her own musical ambitions and a beautiful crystalline voice (think Dido with a less sandpapery feel and a better range).

Watching Toby and Bella perform together, as they regularly do at the new Café Coco in Oxford, is a rare acoustic treat that is full of shy, blushing innocence and youth.

Living in Spain, Flamenco Guitar

Toby credits his first discovery of music to the three years he spent in Spain, until he was 10. He took Flamenco guitar lessons because those were the only ones he could find. Toby’s Spanish guitar background certainly explains his prodigious talent on that instrument, as well as some of the feistier Spanish sounds that filter through particularly his more upbeat songs.

He's made an impression on this competition that will not easily be forgotten. Even if this is not Toby's year to win Orange Unsigned Act, he's got plenty of time to make his way in the music world, and it won't be long before he's doing just that.

Orange Unsigned Act continues on Channel 4’s T4 on Sundays throughout December. Live finals will take place in January.