“Fred Roberts — a newcomer from England — takes the standard sounds of big guitar bands and queers them, producing songs like “Runaway”, a touching, vocally-led song about the agonising feeling of running into someone you thought you’d romantically left behind. An exciting pop prospect for the year ahead.” – i-D

“Fred Roberts wants you to know that everything’s going to be alright…After building up a following through covers on Instagram and a stint on The X Factor: The Band in 2019, Roberts has arrived onto the scene with the euphoric guitar-pop inspired debut single ‘Runaway’” – Rolling Stone

“Pop’s newest creator Fred Roberts debuts “Runaway”, an anthemic and introspective exploration of identity and navigation of the modern day” – Notion

“Centred around growing up and figuring out your identity, Runaway is a product of Fred contemplating his past and reflecting on his upbringing as a young queer artist. He brings a sense of youth and freedom back into the generation, a necessary escape from the pressures and anxieties of everyday life.” – Wonderland 

“A Gen Z popstar in the making” – Gay Times

“A startling opening gambit, ‘Runaway’ is a fantastic introduction to the world of Fred Roberts” – Clash

20 year old British artist Fred Roberts today releases his sophomore single Say on Universal Music. Written and produced alongside Andrew Wells (Phoebe Bridgers, Halsey) between LA and the UK, this brand new track arrives following his debut Runaway; the young gay artist’s breakthrough single which garnered him instant acclaim from critics across the likes of i-D, Rolling Stone, Radio 1, Apple Music’s Proud Radio, Gay Times, Wonderland, Notion, Clash and US based queer title Them.

Say details the artist’s first reckoning with young queer love, the world in which he found it and the impact a loss of representation can have on so many LGBTQ+ people in the world today. The video, directed by Dora Paphides and styled by Zak Maoui, see’s Fred revisit this time in his life as he comes-of-age, grappling with a feeling that may last forever. Watch it here.

Of Say Fred said, “When I was younger, all I wanted was to mean something to someone. When I finally had that experience, it was taken away from me, yet I still craved that validation. Say is about the internal battle between chasing a reckless desire and choosing what you know is healthy. The preconceptions I had of the relationships I yearned for as a teenager were that of pain and torment. I never saw a happy queer couple represented in the media, therefore I never truly believed that I was worthy of a happy relationship.  So, when I first felt desired by a boy, I clung onto that feeling, as I feared if I were to let go, it would never happen again. Say comes from a place of retrospection; realising I spent too long heartbroken over a boy who destroyed my self worth. But when you lose something, you think you’ll never have again, how do you let that go?”

News of the new single hits as Fred prepares for his live debut. Taking place at The Social in London on Thursday September 14, Fred and his band are set to perform for the first time. Tickets are available here.