A Kenilworth singer-songwriter whose bookings have been 'manic' after appearing on national television has praised a Coventry business for helping him reach new audiences and backing fellow independent artists.

Charlie Ward, who recently performed on Channel 4's hit talent show Your Song, credits fulfilment and e-commerce firm Music Smart – part of The Pack Smart Group – with giving him opportunities that have helped accelerate his music career.

Thanks to this boost, he is now preparing for slots at two UK music festivals this summer to get in front of even more potential fans.

Charlie, who returned to music in 2024 after taking a break from performing, made a breakthrough by earning a place on the main stage at Godiva Festival – a popular festival in Coventry - through winning the 'Godiva Calling' competition for emerging talent in the singer-songwriter category.

The competition, which was sponsored by Music Smart, also gave Charlie and fellow winners the chance to perform in front of fans at the firm's own Live Lounge venue.

This success led to him having the confidence to apply to appear on Your Song, a show that invites singers to perform a song on a pop-up stage while secretly being watched by professional singers Sam Ryder and Paloma Faith.

He was accepted and Charlie performed his original song "Changes" on the show, which earnt him high praise from the pair.

This led to what Charlie has described as a 'manic' few months, including bookings at festivals CarFest and Camper Calling.

Charlie said: "Winning Godiva Calling and appearing on Your Song really opened doors for me, and getting booked onto CarFest and Camper Calling is massive for me and my band.

"Getting that exposure can be so tricky as an unsigned artist, so any support your suppliers can give you can make all the difference."

Music Smart has continued to support Charlie after his breakthrough.

Ahead of a recent show, it produced a run of T-shirts for him through its print-on-demand service at short notice, with every shirt selling out on the night.

Charlie added: "Music Smart have been there whenever I've needed them, whether that was turning around merchandise in time for a show or sharing what I'm doing and helping more people discover my music.

"There are plenty of businesses that sponsor events, but Music Smart cares about the artists they're working with. They want to see people succeed. For independent musicians, having people and businesses in your corner like that is so important."

Seánna Holland, Business Development Director at The Pack Smart Group, said: "It's been so great to see how far Charlie has come since he won Godiva Calling.

"As Music Smart, we provide all sorts of music fulfilment services for artists, but we care about giving something back to independent musicians and providing a platform for their talent. Championing independent music is something we really care about.

"We're fortunate that we understand the music industry as well as fulfilment, merchandise and distribution, so we can offer practical advice to our music clients. Seeing Charlie go from our Live Lounge and the Godiva Festival main stage to national television and major festivals has been incredible to watch, and we're really excited to see where he goes from here."