Today, London-based singer, songwriter, and artist Louis Dunford has released a single narrating an unexpected tale of an East-end boxer entitled ‘Billy Flynn of Bethnal Green’, along with its reflective B-side ‘Smash & Grab’. Listen HERE. The news follows latest release, The Local – a poignant tribute to the importance of community spaces in his signature style, with a pint in hand.
Speaking about the track ‘Billy Flynn of Bethnal Green’, Louis says, “Billy Flynn is a true story about a boxer that my dad was friends with growing up. The interaction at the bus stop took place between the two of them a couple of years back. When he told me about it, I thought the story was too good to be true, so I decided to turn it into a tune. ‘Billy Flynn’ is a fictional name me and my friend Bea Munro came up with when writing the song to protect the real Billy’s privacy.”
On the accompanying B-side, ‘Smash & Grab’, Louis takes a personal approach which tells the story of troubled youth. After starting the track nearly ten years ago, he combined the stories of three mates to create a completely new perspective through the eyes of a fictional character entitled Jack. The song captures the unfiltered energy that Louis witnessed in those formative years.
These tracks follow the success of Louis’s first live EP, ‘Live From Hammersmith’, recorded during his stellar sold-out performance at Eventim Apollo in October 2023. Next month, Louis embarks on a nearly sold-out tour across the UK including stops at Northampton, London, Dublin, Bristol and Manchester. Full list of tour dates below.
Louis Dunford has become best known for singles including ‘Lucy,’ ‘The Boy Who Could Fly,’ ‘My Generation,’ ‘Boys Do Cry,’ ‘When We Were Hooligans,’ and ‘The Angel (North London Forever)’—an ode to his hometown, which was adopted by Arsenal FC fans as their official club anthem. In a short space of time, Louis has earned widespread acclaim and support from key tastemakers including i-D, Clash, Complex, British GQ, and Wonderland. His meteoric rise to success has seen him perform a string of sold-out shows at iconic venues such as O2 Kentish Town Forum, Eventim Apollo, Union Chapel, and Electric Ballroom. He was also personally invited by The Libertines to support the band at their massive Wembley Arena show in the summer of 2022. Since 2021, he’s sold over a staggering 25,000 tickets.
UK Tour Dates
4th October – Roadmender, Northampton (SOLD OUT)
5th October – Neighbourhood Festival, Manchester (SOLD OUT)
7th October – Rock City, Nottingham
8th October – SWG3 Galvanizers, Glasgow (SOLD OUT)
10th October – Academy, Dublin, Ireland (SOLD OUT)
12th October – Leeds Beckett Student Union, Leeds (SOLD OUT)
14th October – SWX, Bristol (SOLD OUT)
15th October – The Waterfront, Norwich (SOLD OUT)