HRVY: From Facebook to Radio 1's Teen Awards, The Journey

It’s been quite the rise for HRVY. The pop star and social media sensation is at the top of the game and CelebMix looks at the youngster’s rise.

HRVY’s performance at last weekend’s Radio 1 Teen Awards was nothing short of outstanding and, after chatting with him in 2017 and checking out his sold-out Paris show, it is fair to say that CelebMix has never felt prouder of the 19-year-old. Join us as we journey through the youngster’s rise.

To a great extent, the HRVY story starts with Blair Dreelan and Alphadog Management. Alphadog are the team behind the likes of HRVY, Roadtrip, Chris Brooker and more. Spearheaded by Blair, Alphadog’s starlets are some of the most hardworking in the industry, managed with aplomb by the team. Blair found HRVY on Facebook when the singer was a tender 13-years-old, and has been by his side ever since.

It’s been the partnership made in heaven, and the first product of it came all the way back in February 2013 with HRVY’s first ever single, ‘Thank You‘. The fresh-faced 14-year-old released a music video and all, his trademark vocal runs you can still hear today, but it is fair to say he has brushed up on some of that footwork. Following ‘Thank You’, HRVY enjoyed a stint as a support act for Little Mix’s 2014 Salute tour, playing venues such as The O2 Arena, already destined to return to the capital’s biggest arena.

Around that time, HRVY was also part of CBBC’s ‘Friday Download‘ presenting team for seasons seven to nine of the show. Alongside the likes of Bars and Melody’s Charlie Lenehan and Leondre Devries, as well as BBC Radio 1’s Cel Spellman. In the summer of 2016, HRVY headed over to LA to work with top producers and writers on his own material. Later that year, he featured in Cameron Dallas’ Chasing Cameron and was part of the following Magcon tour, where he previewed some of that new material.

It was in February 2017 that HRVY signed his “huge record deal” with Virgin EMI, the record label behind the likes of Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry, and marked the start of his stratospheric music success over the past year and a half.

A few months later, and the Holiday EP was released. That EP reached Number 2 on the iTunes charts and Number 1 on the Spotify Viral charts. The lead single, ‘Holiday’ with Redfoo, featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday and made an immediate impact on the pop scene. That track came with a music video, and videos for ‘La La La La’ and ‘Phobia’ followed shortly after, amassing nearly 14 million YouTube views combined.

It was the first full taste of the charismatic, feel-good pop that HRVY and Alphadog had been working on, and the then 18-year-old’s potential was clear to see. Striking while the iron was hot, his most mature sounding single, ‘Talk To Ya‘, followed in November last year, accompanied by a music video. Performances of that single came on shows such as CBBC’s Saturday Mash-Up, as well as Sam and Mark’s Big Friday Wind-Up. It also saw HRVY link up with dancers Sophie Hind, Molly Griggs, Gracie Gledhill and Paige Varrall. From that moment on, the four talented performers became part of the ever-evolving HRVY live show and have helped whip up crowds into a frenzy at the star’s shows across the world ever since. A sold-out show at London’s O2 Academy Islington followed, a taste of the size of crowds to come.

At the end of November, HRVY dropped the full Talk To Ya – EP, cementing his place at the forefront of young pop music with the record’s genuine feel. A video for ‘I Won’t Let You Down’ followed, but it was the next step that the star’s rise really started to accelerate. ‘Personal‘ is the standout track from that EP, a cheeky, witty and catchy perfect pop record. When the music video for that track was released, HRVY was all everyone was talking about. Featuring fellow young star and close friend, Loren Gray, that video now approaches a gobsmacking 200 million views on YouTube. The school setting and dance routines showed off HRVY at his most charismatic and dynamic, creating an unprecedented buzz around the singer.

With the success of both EPs under his belt, HRVY embarked on his sold-out Christmas 2017 tour with Roadtrip, heading to Liverpool, Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester, Glasgow and London. The dates were a roaring success for the Alphadog family with both acts flexing their live performance muscles and picking up more and more fans in the process.

As 2018 came around, there was no stopping HRVY on his rise. After a trip to New York, he was announced as the support act for The Vamps’ huge UK tour in April which would see him return to play The O2 Arena, one of his two career highlights to date. HRVY turned 19-years-old in January, and shortly after, ‘Personal’ was announced as BBC Radio 1’s Tune of the Week. A trip to Mumbai in February followed, yep he was already THAT big, before opening four of Jacob Sartorious’ European tour dates.

A show at The Garage in London on April 8th sold out in only five minutes, just in case there was any doubt of the star’s phenomenal popularity. Then, he teamed up with fellow teen star Malu Trevejo for ‘Hasta Luego‘, which shot to Number 3 on the iTunes chart. The music video now approaches 40 million views on YouTube.

May 2018 saw HRVY head to play sold-out shows in Australia before returning to LA for more recording. When back in the U.K. a performance to a sold-out Wembley Stadium with Jonas Blue at Capital’s Summertime Ball and a slot at Camp Bestival saw even more music fans experience the HRVY talent.

The 19-year-old continued to take his stock worldwide on a sold-out European tour at the end of July which saw him hit France and Germany, as well as playing his biggest ever headline show at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. If that wasn’t enough, HRVY broke the USA in August with his first two solo shows in New York and Los Angeles.

That brings us up to date and to the release of ‘I Wish You Were Here‘ in September this year. With constant radio play and a knockout music video, it’s a single that keeps on growing.

The mash up performance of that track and ‘Personal’ at BBC Radio 1’s Teen Awards last week was a culmination of all of HRVY and his team’s hard work over the past two years. The four and a half minute mash up was executed with perfection: from the popstar’s slick dance moves to his command of the stage and live vocals – this was a performance dripping in hard work. A mammoth headline gig at London’s Eventim Apollo is next, and you can get your tickets here.

HRVY has worked his socks off to be at the incredibly high level he is at now, and CelebMix could not be prouder.

Have you followed HRVY’s rise? Let us know @CelebMix on Twitter.

ncG1vNJzZmiblaGyo7nIsWWcp51ktbPC2Gadq6edYrOir8SbpqijXam8br7AnaCoZWGoerWxxKdkmq%2BRp7G0edOhnGain6q%2Fr7HYaA%3D%3D