ALMOST every artist music mogul Simon Cowell touches turns to gold - from One Direction to Little Mix - but Barnsley singer Jake EB says he just wants to be himself.
The 18-year-old, who grew up in Carlton but now lives in Monk Bretton, is a workhorse.
Whether it’s performing multiple times at the weekend or travelling to gigs after college, he’s determined to make a name for himself in an industry that’s incredibly hard to break into.
But having been mentored by Cowell on the hit Netflix show ‘Simon Cowell: The Next Act’ this year, having already performer in front of him on Britain’s Got Talent, he’s certainly got a good chance.
But where did it all start for him?
He told the Chronicle: “I did acting, singing and dancing when I was younger.
“I went to a place called PQA in Barnsley, there’s PQAs all over the country.
“I did all three but there wasn’t a specific one that I leaned towards.
“That was until I was in the car with one of my friends and she said ‘you’re actually a really good singer’.
“I didn’t think any of it at first but as I started doing it more and more singing just became something I found more fun to do.
“I’d always be belting songs out in the car and I still do to this day.”
Jake started his music career relatively late for someone so outgoing and confident - but he’s managed to gain his experience by simply putting in the work.
He added: “It was only a few years ago that I decided that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
“So I’ve just stuck at it.
“I kept doing shows and then when I was about 14 I started signing at open mic nights in pubs.
“When I was at high school, as soon as the day finished I would go out.
“Whether it was Barnsley Youth Choir at the time or going to an open mic night, dance lesson or singing lesson - I just liked to keep myself pretty busy.
“Now I’m at CAPA College, a performing arts college in Wakefield, I’m doing that all day, every day.
“Then, as soon as I leave the building at 4pm I’m straight off to sing or dance.
“I’ve kept all three - singing, dancing and acting - but obviously singing has been the main thing for me.”
Jake admits he couldn’t have gotten to today without support from his friends and family - and it’s fair to say that his mum, Alex, is his biggest fan.
He said: “I think the only way to go wrong now is by taking my foot off the pedal.
“It’s literally me, my mum and a small team around us.
“What we’ve managed to do since I started working has just snowballed.
“In another two years I’d like to see the same progress.
“We’re quite active people.
“Usually the average car mileage for a year is about 9,000 miles - my mum’s was double that.
“She takes me everywhere.”
Jake’s performed at numerous venues across the town but he’s keen to keep his community at the heart of everything he does.
“I do paid gigs but I always try to do something community-based as well.
“I’ve done Proud of Barnsley, I’ve done singing for Friends of Locke Parke.
“You’ve got to give back to your community.
“Barnsley is such a giving community.
“People see Barnsley as a bit of an underdog, but I’ll tell you what, I’m a proud Barnsley lad.”
For those lucky enough to have seen Jake in action, the songs he chooses are from a variety of genres.
He admits he takes inspiration from some of the biggest names in the world, but when asked who he wants to be like in the future his answer was simple: ‘I just want to be myself’.
Jake said: “I take influences from Michael Buble, Justin Timberlake, Usher.
“My music taste is quite varied.
“Even people like Josh Groban to R and B, the Blues.
“I literally did a Buble night recently at a place called the Keys.
“But a big thing they talk about in the music industry is being your own artist and that’s what I want.
“To be myself.”
