Unlimited Digital Access / Get £25 off your Annual Digital Subscription! Use code 25OFF
GET STARTEDMore on KentOnline
Unlimited Digital Access / Get £25 off your Annual Digital Subscription! Use code 25OFF
GET STARTEDMore on KentOnline
A student has proved a big hit on Spotify after his single was streamed more than 70,000 times.
James Clarke, from Meopham, is in his second year at Dartford's North Kent College campus, where he is studying music performance.
The 17-year-old's single Island Girl was released in July and has reached 71,603 streams.
It was added into 141 separate playlists in just seven days, including Spotify's Discover Weekly.
Growing up, James took inspiration from artists such as Ed Sheeran and Michael Bublé and began his career as an acoustic singer.
Musical talent runs in his family and he feels his parents' influence and enjoyment of music has played a big part in his work.
His dad Peter Clarke used to be in the band Reptilia, while his mum, Karen Clarke, was part of a harmony trio called Three Sounds.
The artist decided to create a stage name after discovering too many performers worked under James Clarke so he is known as JayClar to his fans.
In 2016 he released his first song Good Position which was co-produced by his then music teacher Ashton Miranda.
Since, then, James has experimented with different styles and released a number of singles, alongside an EP in March.
He said: "I think Island Girl did so well because it was a summer song that had a nice vibe to it, my inspiration was actually Love Island, it was on at the time.
"I used Instagram to help promote the song and I think the seasonal release date and the references to Love Island really helped.
"I do a lot of the work on my own and although I have help from my friends and family."
James, who uses both his home and college recording studios to work, hopes to release more music in the coming months.
