Bulwell songwriter teams up with internet comedy star for new single
Bulwell songwriter Tracey Ball is kicking off 2024 with another song she has written being unleashed into the world.
Tracey has had her ballad Now I Don't Have You recorded by Stevie Riks.
Stevie Riks is a much-loved comedian and entertainer who impersonates celebrities and creates incredible life like paintings.
He shot to fame in 1988 when he won ITV’s New Faces with the highest score ever recorded on the show.
In the mid-90s, he toured the world as the new frontman of 1960s band The Rockin’ Berries before returning to the UK in 2000 to begin performing a solo artist again.
In 2008, he was featured on the BBC1 show Inside Out as he had become the most-viewed comedian on YouTube in the UK and he worked with Bob Mortimer writing and performing on The All Star Impressions Show on ITV where he impersonated Paul McCartney, Paul O'Grady, Noel Gallagher, Russell Brand and Tom Jones.
He has since built a large internet following, attracting more than 50m views and 100,000 subscribers on YouTube and more 160,000 Facebook followers.
However, whilst being a talented singer and performer, he rarely records original songs.
But he instantly connected to Now I Don't Have You after being sent the demo by his friend Tracey.
Stevie said ''Tracey is a great songwriter and Now I Don't Have You is a beautiful song, it's very moving''.
The track was produced by Steve 'Smiley' Barnard at Sunshine Corner Studios.
‘Smiley’ is a professional drummer and producer who has worked with many famous names, including The Alarm, Joe Strummer and Robbie Williams.
Tracey said: Now I Don't Have You is a heartfelt ballad that majority will be able to resonate with.
"I initially sent the demo to Stevie Riks purely for him to hear it, I knew he would love the song and connect to it.
"But I never thought he'd make such a connection that he'd want to record it.
"I'm so glad that he did though'.
"I'm working hard now to get it played on as many radio stations as possible and it is already being played on many stations across the UK.”