Chances are you wouldn't recognise him if you bumped into him on the street, but unless you avoid listening to the radio completely you've probably heard the work of producer Starsmith, aka 22-year-old Fin Dow-Smith. He co-wrote and produced five tracks on Ellie Goulding's debut album, Lights, as well as songs for Diana Vickers and Kylie, and is one of the many producers on Cheryl Cole's forthcoming second solo LP. As if that wasn't enough, he's also remixed Lady Gaga, Little Boots, Katy Perry and, er, the Twang. Bored of being behind the scenes while all these glamorous women (and the Twang) hog the spotlight, he's decided to go solo. Built around a sample of the Ritchie Family's song of the same name, Give Me a Break builds and builds, adding layers of synths before some lovely piano arrives – then it all goes completely insane again. As if to compensate for the faceless nature of a producer turned pop star, Starsmith's mug is practically in every frame of the video, from billboard poster to cardboard cut-out.
Give Me a Break is released on 11 October.
