Draft acrticle

"I had no idea I’d give up a professional football career for this, but I don’t regret it. I have never been happier."

19 year old Ruban Royal also known as ‘The New Kid’ burst onto the music scene in September last year after he was spotted spending a lot of time with Indie Rock god Miles Kane. Royal says “I’ve known Miles for a few years actually, I used to play football for the academy at Everton where I met Leighton Baines who, as you know, is a very good friend of Mr Kane. I was football mad back then when I was about 16. I had no idea I’d give up a professional football career for this, but I don’t regret it. I’ve never been happier.”  The modern Mod duo, Baines and Kane have taken the young heartthrob under their metaphoric fashion wing to produce, what seems to be, a fresh new look for the new solo artist. I asked Ruban what he thought of his fashion.

“Haha, the modern mod duo, I like that, I’ve always thought that what Miles and Leighton wore was cool but I thought I’d look like a right arse if I tried to copy. They took me out not so long ago to ‘refurbish’ my wardrobe ‘you’re boring Royal’ Miles always said to me ‘you need some life in that wardrobe; you need some Fred under your belt’. They took me to Fred Perry and I tried on so many polo shirts and jackets I lost count but it was so much fun to be styled by those pair. I told them I didn’t like the suede suits that they wore, which didn’t go down well but they reassured me that I could put my own twist on it, so that’s exactly what I’ve done.” ‘So we won’t be seeing you in a suede suit any time soon then?’ “Definitely not, but I have to admit it, I do love my Fred Perry shirts, I guess I’m a mod, but with a twist like Miles said. I’m not into having my hair like those pair; I didn’t want to look like a scruff bag. I guess I look alright in what I wear.”

The Birkenhead born teenager’s debut album ‘I can take the Blame’ has rocketed to success since its release in November of last year. With the help of what looks like his new found friendship, Royal and Kane have worked hard together to produce the album, which seems to have made an impression on those die hard Indie Rock fans as its sold over 100,000 records in just under 3 months. “Yeah, I suppose I've done alright, I don't like to brag, I'm actually so shocked that the album has done as well as it has, and with it only being released like 3 months ago. I suppose I have Miles to thank for that one, he's helped me out so much, he really is a great chap. I’ll be keeping him close by me for a long time I think, I just need to think of how to repay him after all he’s done for me.”

The young Liverpudlian went on to tell me about how Mr Kane was the one to get him into music, when he was back at the Everton Football Academy he used to play music by the likes of the Arctic Monkeys and Oasis and sing along, that's when Miles knew he’d be a great success. Royal and Kane shared a similar taste in music and began to meet up to sing together and share their love for the bands they so admired. “Miles was the one that got me started for sure, I was an ‘alright’ footballer he said, but ‘no one has a voice like you do’. I was so nervous when he introduced me to producer Dan Carey who produced Miles’ ‘Inhaler’ ; I thought he was going to turn round and tell me I was shit, but he didn’t, I think he loved me more than Miles did.”

‘I can take the blame’ was co-written by Miles including the song ‘it’s only a stain’ which is sung by both Royal and Kane. “That was by far my favourite song to write and sing. Miles and I work so well together I didn’t realise how similar our voices were- It’s great!”

Ruban assured me that his next single release will be ‘It’s only a stain’ featuring our beloved Mr Miles Kane.