Tempting from the very first lyric, this track evokes joy with its unforgettably sincere lyrics and lively sonics.

Photo: Jordan Curtis Hughs

Born in London and raised in Melbourne, Thomas Headon is an alt-pop artist who dreamt of returning to the English capital in order to pursue music full-time. Touching down in London prior to the pandemic, Thomas slowly built an online community who followed his live sessions, and came to adore his charming personality and incredible songwriting ability. Remarkably self-taught at songwriting and production since his late teens, Thomas’ previous releases include his self-written and self-produced debut EP The Greatest Hits, as well as The Goodbye EP which was released last year before his 20th birthday. Consistently embodying the Gen-Z experience with his discography, it’s unsurprising that Thomas has accumulated an impressive 95k Instagram followers and such a dedicated fanbase.

Released via Warner Records, Thomas’ latest single Nobody Has To Know epitomises the exhilaration surrounding a purely physical relationship. Composed in an engaging, story-like style, memorable guitar riffs dominate your ears as Thomas sings of endearing passion in this anthem of blissful youth. The playful tune has been teased by Thomas for a while and was even premiered last month at Reading & Leeds Festival, when he performed it for a huge crowd at the Dance Stage. Thomas’ first ever UK festival appearance also enabled him to meet Norwegian pop queen Sigrid, who he happens to be joining on tour in Spring next year.

Co-directed by British photographer Jordan Curtis Hughes and Thomas himself, the nostalgic visuals for Nobody Has To Know channel noughties rock band and teen romcom vibes. Inspired by Thomas’ mother telling him he had a year to get a “proper job”, the vibrant music video reflects this urgency and the artist’s coming-of-age realisation that he’s ready to flee his parents’ garage.

Thomas shares:

I wrote “Nobody Has To Know” in London when I was seeing someone, and we kept it cool with no emotional strings attached. I often find myself getting into those kinda situations and it gets really messy, but this one felt really fun and was exactly what the two of us wanted at the time. The song follows the innocence of that relationship, but I also wanted it to be a banging tune that was really fun to listen to and play live. It feels so good to finally have it out and moving in this direction, especially now that live shows are coming back and I have teased it to a point where everyone already knows the words.

Critically acclaimed by Triple J as a “seriously impressive force in pop music,” Thomas’ undeniable charisma and talent have rapidly influenced him to be internationally adored. Without a doubt, this enchanting artist is the exciting new face of alternative pop.