Bec O’Malley

Bec O’Malley is Coming to Manchester This November!

In 2024, Bec O’Malley went on a hike in the Peak District with his friends. He’d taken his acoustic guitar with him and decided to film a quick video of him covering Dylan Gossett’s ‘Coal’ while out on the misty paths. In the short clip, the young musician forgets the words a few lines in, but there was something about it that connected with those who saw it on their algorithm. Perhaps it was the unpolished charm of the video – mistake left in, cut off before he could try again – or his resonant vocals that hit in even just a few seconds, or a combination of the two. The likes quickly poured in, igniting interest in this unknown talent.

Growing up in Stockport, he first picked up a guitar aged 12, learning the basics from his cousin and fleshing out the rest from YouTube tutorials. Along the way, his sound evolved, pulling in new influences and building the foundations for the music he makes today. “I started listening to more of the modern side of country – Zach Bryan, Morgan Wallen, those guys – and it just revamped it in my head.”

The 23-year-old’s material is a balance – one that draws from Nashville skylines and pick-up trucks, but also from his lived experience in the UK. “It just wouldn’t feel right… it’d feel like role play.”

As a first single, ‘Let You Go’ captures the heart of O’Malley’s songwriting – inventive storytelling woven into a sound that feels both familiar and fresh. “I’d be crazy to ever let you go,” he sings.

“The goal is to be the biggest artist,” he says confidently.