Rotherham's rising music star, Alfie Sheard, tops charts with new single, thanks to social media fanbase

Now Rotherham’s own would-be online music sensation has hit the top of the charts in no small part thanks to his growing, TikTok and Facebook fanbase.

Alfie Sheard, who found fame as a schoolboy after videos of him busking made waves on YouTube, went solo last year after splitting from his London label.

His first independent single Never Mind to Lose peaked at 14 in the pop charts.

And new release Love Your Broken Heart, another romantic pop ballad, delivered a massive pat on the back when made No 1 in the iTunes singer-songwriter chart after coming out on May 19.

It ironically pushed the above-mentioned Sam Ryder into third spot — and was still holding its own in the top 30 almost a week later.

The ex-Wickersley School student, of Tickhill, has big plans for the summer, including opening up for pop band The Vamps at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on August 12, a “home town gig” Alfie said he couldn’t wait for.

Reflecting on the reception to Love Your Broken Heart, he said: “The single came out on the Friday and it was at number 1 in the singer songwriter chart by three o’clock and still there on the Saturday.

“It feels great, just doing it on my own and through the power of fans on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

“The record is on sale through Facebook so you can interact with more of an adult audience there.

“It was a really cumulative effort across the platforms.

“The focus was getting pre-orders so as soon as it came out it went in at number nine and then the graft started on the day of release, putting out viral videos using the song and trying to spread the word.”

Alfie, whose TikTok following numbers almost 120,000, said he had been keen to release the song soon after he put the finishing touches to it

“I just wanted to put it out as soon as it was ready,” he said.

“It is about a girl I really liked.

“I could tell she was holding back as she’d been hurt in the past.

“I wrote down what I wanted to say to her in a song and sent it to her — that’s what Love Your Broken Heart is about.”

Did it work?

“Yes, we dated for about 18 months,” Alfie said.

“We’re not together now, and that’s fine, but she’ll know it’s about her.”

Alfie admitted he had been “a bit nervous” about how the single would be received but added: “It couldn’t have gone much better and I’m so grateful for that.

“It is very different doing everything myself, from writing, recording and producing to styling the photos myself so it’s been massive to see it go to number one as a result.

“It’s a real pack on the back.”

As well as working on his online profile, Alfie hopes to bag some new fans off the back of supporting The Vamps.

He explained: “They needed a support at and reached out to me through my management.

“They came back to confirm it and I was just over the moon.

“I love The Vamps. They’re super-credible and have a lot of younger fans.

“I think we have a similar audience so it’s a great match for me.

“I’m excited, and hoping it will help me reach a wider audience.

“Until then my foucus is releasing more music and filming more videos.”

Visit https://ffm.to/lybh to listen to Alfie’s new single and find him on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for regular updates.