Singer-songwriter Matt Henshaw has had the best week of his career after his latest single outsold Ed Sheeran's.
Easier shot to number 12 in the iTunes singer-songwriter chart, while also peaking high in the Amazon and Google download charts.
It was up there with songs by the likes of Hozier, George Ezra and Gabrielle Aplin, temporarily rising above Photograph by Ed Sheeran and earning Matt messages of congratulations from Universal Records and indie band Ocean Colour Scene.
Matt, of Clarendon Park, Leicester, said: "It's just really great to have my song that high in the charts - to see my name next to those numbers.
"It's been a really nice surprise and it's been an amazing week."
Matt has spent the past year touring with his acoustic guitar through the British Isles and Western Europe.
For his next tour he's planning something even bigger.
He said: "The tour has been really great and the fact that people are now buying my songs and parting with their hard-earned cash shows that I've connected with people along the way.
"It's been a brilliant tour and I've played in England, Scotland, Wales, France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
"I've done 300 shows in a year and it's been a lot of fun and a great adventure.
"For my next tour I'm having a backing band and we'll be performing as Matt Henshaw and the Peace, Love and Tea Band.
"So the single's success is a great start of the next year ahead of bigger shows."
Matt gave up his day job at the University of Leicester two years ago to become an independent artist on a shoestring budget, releasing music through his own label.
Earlier this year he won the Midlands Independent Music Award for Best Male Solo Singer/Songwriter and he said things were looking good for the future.
The video for Easier, which features Crufts champion dogs, Miss Leicestershire Holly Desai, and a VW campervan has gained more than 18,000 views online in just under a month.
Matt will be playing at The Cookie in High Street, Leicester, on October 3 and at the O2 Academy in University Road, Leicester, on December 18.
Ilkeston singer-songwriter Matt Henshaw has had a major breakthrough success with his single Easier charting at number 12 in the iTunes charts, fending off competition from the likes of Hozier, George Ezra and Gabrielle Aplin, and legends such as Tracy Chapman, Eva Cassidy and Simon & Garfunkel.
Yesterday (Thursday), he even outsold Ed Sheeran for a day.
Matt is an independent artist releasing music through his own label - Peace, Love & Tea Records - and won the Midlands Independent Music Award for Best Male Solo Singer/Songwriter earlier this year.
Operating on a shoestring budget, he has toured the country and did a stint over in Northern Europe in January and February, playing around 300 shows in a year demonstrating what talent, hard work and persistance can do, developing a loyal fanbase and crossing generational, genre and language barriers his music is proving ever more popular.
The video for the single - Easier - features Crufts Champion dogs, a beautiful VW campervan, Miss Leicestershire, Holly Desai, and future Olympic champion Northamptonshire and Team GB’s Lucy Hatton, and gained over 15,000 views in just under a month.
Matt’s music has caught the ear of BBC Introducing radio producers and DJs up and down the country, and 2016 looks like it could be shaping up to be a busy year.
He will be performing in the area this autumn. For more information of where you can see him and where you can download his single, or make a purchase from the Peace, Love & Tea Shop visit http://www.MattHenshaw.com
