Travis George can’t wait to get on stage at Crow Fest and be part of something that “brings people together” in the town.
The singer, who blew away the Britain’s Got Talent judges in 2023, told Cwmbran Life it “was a massive honour” to be asked to perform in his hometown at Cwmbran Stadium on Saturday 20 July.
He said: “When I went on Britain’s Got Talent one of my main priorities was to use that 15 minutes of fame to try and give back to the community, to try and put Cwmbran and Torfaen on the map and show people just how great it really is.
“So for Cwmbran to ask me to perform at something this big for them, it’s a massive honour.
“The variety is outstanding. You’ve got like Goldie Lookin’ Chain, and then from that to Darren ‘Graceland’ Jones, one of the best Elvis impersonators you’re ever going to get, and then you’ve got a jazz band.
“I mean the variety of this is unbelievable. If they wanted musical theatre, I’m honoured to be the one that they’ve selected.”
This interview was carried out thanks to the support of Cwmbran Community Council.
“I’ve been in the music scene in Torfaen for so long and been a massive fan of it.
“So I know how many great performers there are in Torfaen, and for me to be selected here is awesome.
“I think this is going to be huge, really successful. I just think this is perfect, because music is one of the things that brings people together. So for them to have a massive variety of acts, it’s going to bring so many people together in one place.”
He reached the final of the ITV talent show, building up a fan base along the way through his performances of several big West End hits.
He said that his experience on television showed him that “authenticity is everything”.
Travis said: “I learned that if you can’t sing with the full ‘you’ and the positive confident ‘you’ in your heart, nothing is going to work, so they’re going to see me on the stage being my true self. I’m going to perform some of my favourites.
“Theatre has been in my blood all my life. When I first discovered my love for music, it was theatre that did it. I’m absolutely in love with all of it.
“I love giving that to the audience and showing how much these things mean to me.”
So what can the Crow Fest crowd expect from Travis’ performance?
“I want to do some traditional stuff like Les Mis, Sweeney Todd, the stuff that people would expect for all the ages, and then maybe some modern stuff.”
And the 23-year-old hopes the price of tickets means the event is accessible to more people.
“Depending on who you are, £5 can either be not much or a lot, especially with the cost of living these days. But, what I will say is, it’s worth every single penny because there is something here for everybody. This is such a rare chance for you to be unified in the community with so many other people
“Everyone will be loving the music, everyone will be together doing the same thing which is living in the moment, enjoying this massive musical variety thing we’ve got going here.
“This is something that cannot be missed. It’s a very very rare occasion.”
Travis George will play at Crow Fest along with Goldie Lookin’ Chain, Gypsy Pistoleros, Appletree Theory, Capital City Jazz, 2Rude, Tobias Robertson, Darren ‘Graceland’ Jones and No One Knows.
Crow Fest tickets
Tickets are available on Eventbrite. Click here to visit the events page.
Tickets are £5.94 each (includes a 94p booking fee). A ticket for an adult with an under 18 is £7 (includes £1.01 booking fee).
Crow Fest is being organised by Cwmbran Community Council to celebrate the New Town’s 75th anniversary.
Crow Fest- important information
Food and drink will be on sale. Anyone who looks under 25 will be asked for ID if they want to buy alcohol.
The festival is on the outdoor pitch so suitable footwear must be worn. High heels or chairs won’t be allowed. Festival goers are welcome to bring picnic blankets.
Crow Fest runs from 2pm to 10pm. Last entry 7pm.