FINN FORSTER TALKS NEW SINGLE ‘STRANGERS’ AHEAD OF HIS BIGGEST HEADLINE TOUR YET

INTERVIEW | FINN FORSTER by Amanda MacEachen

We caught up with Finn Forster ahead of his headline gig at King Tuts, Glasgow, on 16th May 2026. The Middlesbrough singer-songwriter is currently in the middle of his 2026 UK headline tour and is continuing his momentum with the announcement of his upcoming new single ‘Strangers’ set for releaseon May 22nd. Talking about life on the road, the realities of touring, his upcoming festival season, and what fans can expect from his next era in music.

First off, could you introduce yourself to our readers?

My name is Finn Forster, and I am a singer-songwriter from the north east of England, a little town called Middlesbrough. I sort of blend indie, country, folk and rock. I’m a songwriter who writes about experiences, moments, situations, scenarios, putting everything into song.

You’ve just started your UK headline tour, how have the first couple shows been?

They were fantastic, absolutely unreal. This is the first tour where, and I feel this goes for every artist, it’s really sort of all came through to get to this level. It’s so nice because you get a real kind of pinch me moment where you see the songs connecting with the fans, and people singing the words and singing back to you every night. It’s such a nice feeling and it’s been absolutely class so far, really looking forward to tonight as well.

Has that always been the biggest pinch me moments? When the crowd sing back to you, or are there any others that stand out more as an artist?

I think so yeah, I think it’s just been incredible because for the longest time you’re grafting away putting in the hours and the miles playing as many shows as you possibly can to try build a momentum and reach people and build the fanbase. So yeah this is the first time where it’s gone far beyond a small amount of people in my hometown. It’s how it kind of starts for everyone, but we’ve been slowly but surely building it and we’ve been out touring before but on a much smaller scale, so this is the first tour where, we’re selling out and playing cities all across the UK. We’re seeing firsthand people who are coming down and travelling far for the shows and it’s really rewarding and motivating.

There is so much that goes into touring that people don’t usually see. How much has gone into rehearsing for this tour and putting it all together?

Absolutely, ridiculous amounts. It’s mad and I was speaking about this quite alot, I guess it’s that thing where usually the life of a musician is glorified and the perception appears you’re having the best time all the time because you only really see the stage time. What isn’t seen is the hours and hours that surround it, the travelling, the cost it actually takes to put a tour on, and you fund so much in the early stages, for very little back. It’s one of those industries where there’s obviously a tipping point, that if you can reach and get to, it kind of skyrockets which is what everyone is aiming for.

The tour poster gets released, the reaction is instantly positive, and tickets start selling, is that the moment it all starts to feel worth it?

Yeah, 100%. I love all of it. I’ve reminded myself since very early on, and especially as I’ve learned with touring and all the things that go in and around being an artist, it’s that you’ve got to learn and love it all. The stage time is only an hour and a half usually, but compare it to the travelling, sound checks, the load ins, the load outs, you’ve got to love all of it, and I do, I really enjoy it and be present in it, I’m very grateful.

Last year was a big year of touring with your support slots for Stereophonics. Is there anything you’ve learned from that tour specifically that you’re taking into this one, in terms of how you manage everything?

Yeah, massively. I’m forever grateful to Kelly and the band, and Stereophonics‘ whole team and crew, they’re the nicest bunch to tour with. I couldn’t of asked for a better band, especially on my first time ever out on a large scale tour. I was seeing how they operate, their professionalism, how they look after themselves, it’s something I’ll take with me forever now for the rest of my career.

I realised very quickly how they’ve been able to maintain the level they’re at, for you know, 30 years, because they look after themselves and everything is so professionally done. It’s kind of the opposite I guess of what’s glorified on film and TV about the rock and roll lifestyle, you wouldn’t be able to sustain that you know? They’re just lovely lovely guys, down to Earth, and I had a great time with the whole team and crew and everyone was so welcoming and supportive with it all.

It’s just something I’ll take with me as an artist and hopefully I can do the same for someone else one day. It’s like passing the bat and that’s how it should be with music, that’s one of the most beautiful things about live music and touring is community, and the rotation of it in terms of people coming through and breaking through all the time, it should always be like that.

Are you excited for festival season coming up? You’ve got a big line-up ahead.

Yeah, I can’t wait, we’ve got Radio 1’s Big Weekend, I’ve just done Liverpool Sound City which was amazing, Boardmasters, TRNSMT, which I’m really looking forward to playing. We’re playing the King Tut’s stage there, full circle eh, King Tuts twice in one year technically! It’s going to be amazing.

I’ve got new music aswell that’s landing this summer, first one landing 22nd May, called ‘Strangers’ which is the first release this year. We’ve been doing a ton of writing, been in America, been in Nashville, LA, and getting as many new songs done as possible. I’m in a really good spot with new music now, did that on purpose so when I’m out on tour right now, I’m not worrying about not having the music there, It’s just the case that I’ve got stuff ready to go, I’m looking forward to people hearing it.

Is that what fans should be expecting now? A big year for new music?

Yeah definitely, It’s been one of them where I’ve been teasing alot of the new songs and I haven’t even announced anything yet, but fans have been singing along already, which is always a good sign, and It’s an amazing feeling. I’m looking forward to just getting new songs out and that taking me well into next year aswell. The new music is a bit different and standalone aswell, I’ve done ballads before but this one is like a piano ballad, so it’s a bit of a standalone tune that I just wanted to get out because I really love it.

The process behind new single ‘Strangers’

I come from a folk background, and I’ve always written songs just with an acoustic guitar, and it was one of them where I picked my guitar up and the inital idea and chorus just kind of flowed pretty fast. I feel like aswell the way I play it goes down pretty well live, but then we wanted to just turn it into this huge sounding record, so we incorporated the piano, me and Matt Walch, who co-wrote and co-produced it and finished it as a record, and we decided to turn it into piano really and I’m glad we did because it kind of really brings out the depth and the rise and fall of the song. I’m looking forward to seeing what it does, and I think after that, I guess with my sound you can say it’s going to be evolving.

However I do look at my release strategy as just this one giant collection and catalogue build, so I never really try to get too caught up on songs specifically. If I love the song and feel like it’s got some kind of potential of connecting with people and doing well, we’ll get it out, because eventually I’m going to have that many songs out anyway, that people are going to pick and choose what they like and don’t like. So thats my plan.

To round up, who are your three biggest inspirations in music?

Stereophonics 100%. Paolo Nutini, huge fan, great guy and great music. Also a big Chris Stapleton fan, in terms of like, bringing an American into it too. I’ve got country and folk influencing what I do and how I write songs after spending time in America and in some of my music that’s already out. So yeah, them three.

Finns new single ‘Strangers’ is out this Friday 22nd of May. You can buy tickets to the dates for the rest of Finn’s tour here.