Recently, 23-year-old singer and songwriter Elliot James Reay shares his new swooning single, Daydreaming. The lushly orchestral song builds on his loving embrace of ’50s and ’60s music, infusing his timeless rock ’n’ roll with cinematic grandeur and an eerie sense of longing. Daydreaming is available now at all digital retailers.

For his third song ever, Reay reunites with writer-producer duo SOAP (Manchester’s Josh Noble and Karl Ziegler) alongside co-writers Annielle Lisiuk and Theo Hutchcraft. Daydreaming opens on shimmering electric guitar and Reay’s classic vocal tone before growing to include a full band, plus strings and brass — not to mention actual bird chirps that add to the reverie-like feel. “Our love is a daydream, and I lose my days to you,” Reay coos with a deep yearning in his voice. “Darling I close my eyes and I wonder, if a little glimpse will do / Daydreaming of you.”

Reay, who grew up in Greater Manchester, England, recently completed a one-of-a-kind trip to Memphis, Tennessee, after winning the “Road to Memphis” international song contest and music initiative. Among 33,000 international entries, his sensational debut single I Think They Call This Love, true to the Memphis sound resonated deeply with judges, earning him recognition from the city whose legendary musical heritage has inspired Reay like no other’s.

The young musician visited historic sites including Sun Studio, Graceland, Beale Street, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and the National Civil Rights Museum, making stops along the way to experience the iconic food and atmosphere, and to chat with local TV and radio. The trip was organized by TUFF.Earth in collaboration with the City of Memphis and the City of Liverpool.

Reay was influenced by artists like Roy Orbison from an early age and now channels that sound into his music. His viral popularity first came from his refreshing revival of that pioneering era of culture and music, enthralling millions of viewers and listeners with I Think They Call This Love. In November, he shared the upbeat and stylish Boy in Love, which came with a video shot on the streets of his hometown, Bury.  

Elliot James Reay has a genuine, lifelong love for not just the music of the ’50s but the entire era, and he has the voice, look, and magnetism to seemingly transport his fans back in time. But a close listen to his intoxicating forays into doo-wop and rockabilly reveals decade-hopping flourishes, knowing nods, and the occasional bent melody or distorted peel of guitar that would’ve caused uproar in Billy Fury’s day. Instead and despite those who told him he’d need to change his sound to succeed, Elliot’s grown a huge fan base via modern means, organically amassing over 5.49 million followers and hundreds of millions of views across social media platforms.

Reay’s debut single, I Think They Call This Love, scored over 10 million views before its full July release — and over 10 million plays in its first month on streaming services, not to mention hitting Spotify’s Viral charts in over 27 countries while reaching #14 on the Global Viral 50.

Reay grew up listening to all kinds of music in the town of Bury, outside of Manchester, but he was drawn to the old stuff from an early age and took it farther than most, thrifting for vintage clothes and busking the town center as a teen. As the crowds grew, so did his confidence, and after earning more than £2,000 in a single day fundraising in the wake of the 2017 Manchester tragedy, Elliot realized the power he had to reach others. He was only 15 years old back then, and ever since he’s been working on bringing his velveteen voice to an expanding audience whose appreciation for his music transcends generations, time zones and, yes — to see his fans’ comments about his work — quite possibly time itself.