Leaving a boy band can be a daunting prospect, but for Gresley, the transition has been liberating. Twelve years after entering the music industry as a teenager, the musician—born George Smith in Milton Keynes—has finally found his voice and is embracing independence.
From Boy Band to Solo Artist
Gresley rose to fame at age 15 as one-third of New Hope Club, signed to Steady Records (launched by The Vamps) and Hollywood Records. The group toured the world, but after disbanding in 2025, Gresley left Los Angeles and returned to his childhood home with just two suitcases. Reflecting on his journey, he told the Mirror: "It's been a huge learning curve."
Looking back on his early days, he recalled: "We were thrown into sessions, four, five times a week, people three times our ages, telling us how to do something. When something as creative as songwriting, there's no strict way to go about it, you do it in your own process."
A Period of Reflection
Returning to the UK during the pandemic gave Gresley time to reground himself. "It was a nice way for me to reground myself," he said. "Reflect on what I'd done and what we as a collective had achieved. I think it was a great chance to reflect and clear my mind of everything." During this time, he questioned whether he wanted to continue as a musician. "There's a lot that goes into it, and I wanted to make sure that I really wanted to do it."
He sat in his bedroom with his guitar and wrote "a ton of songs," later producing them. This creative burst helped him develop his own sound and story. Upon returning to LA, he collaborated with previous colleagues to narrow down a list of collaborators for his debut solo record.
Debut Album: 'Songs I Wrote Since She Left'
Gresley's debut album, Songs I Wrote Since She Left, is now available. He described it as "awesome and so special." Released independently, the album represents a new chapter. "I feel like I'm in a very lucky place at the moment being independent," he said. "There's a lot of support from the New Hope Club fans who are still interested in all of us respectively. I just wanted to get music out. At the end of the band, we didn't get a lot out. I think we did one album in ten years. I'm excited to put out a full record, and it's just the start of a long arc."
The album was written over three sessions in the UK and Los Angeles. The title came to him on a flight to LA, where he chose the window seat—unusual for him. "I just went on this rampage of writing more and more songs, slowly bettering every single one," he explained. The tracklist starts with Think Of You, a deliberate choice: "There are so many albums in the pop space that start with upbeat or big sing-alongs. This was more of a world-building thing for me. I think that was a really cool way to introduce me as an artist, obviously coming from New Hope Club, but now doing a different thing."
Embracing Independence
Working without a major label has been empowering. Gresley now leads the writing and production process, developing more confidence. "It's ok to have an opinion, and you should have an opinion; if you don't, you get washed away," he said. "Over the last three years, I started to grow in confidence and say what I think, and I should say what I think. Now it's me leading the charge, I can be a lot more open and honest, these stories mean a lot to me, I'm laying my heart out to these people that I'm writing with."
He also enjoys learning new skills, such as producing music and graphic design. "I feel like I'm in a place now where I have that drive and want to continually better myself," he commented. Social media has become a tool for connection, including regular TikTok livestreams.
Upcoming Solo Tour
Next week, Gresley embarks on his first solo tour, starting in Manchester on May 5 and ending in London on May 12. "I'm a very good balance of both," he said when asked about nerves versus excitement. "I'm starting to rehearse, it's going to be awesome. I'm going to have a full album out, hopefully everyone who comes might know a few words."
He aims to create a community feel: "I want it to feel like this community. I like the idea of us all being there together, moving as one. I like that in unison feel, I wanted to keep them small, it's my first shows, I like the idea of it being stripped back and personal, that's what the record is for me." For the London show, he will add a drummer to his live band for "more of a feel."
Reflecting on his stage name, Gresley explained it is his legal middle name. "It gave me a different feel about everything I was doing; it felt exciting." He sees Gresley as an "extension" of himself—a "heightened" version—but doesn't expect close friends or his girlfriend, Sarah Carpenter, to use it. "I'm not going to my girlfriend, 'Sarah, can you call me Gresley from now on? I'm not replying to George,'" he laughed.
Songs I Wrote Since She Left is available now on all major platforms. Tickets for Gresley's upcoming tour are also available.
