Watch Sam Ryder hold surprise busking gig in Cardiff

10 December, 2022

Sam Ryder 2022 press image

Sam Ryder held a surprise busking gig for fans in Cardiff last weekend (December 3) – see footage from the impromptu show below.

The 2021 Eurovision contestant took up station in a shopping district in Cardiff Bay, playing his hit ‘Spaceman’ and a number of other tracks.

He told fans in attendance (via Wales Online): “We just thought we would come down here and sing some songs, the album comes out on December 9. You can do a lot on social media, but there’s something more special about music when you actually get it to the people.”

Flyers were handed out to fans in attendance, as Wales Online report. They read: “Hey fabulous human! We need your help! This year, thanks to people like you, we have experienced blessings that were simply out of this world. Eurovision, the opportunity to sing for Her Majesty The Queen, joining Queen and Foo Fighters on stage at Wembley – it’s all bonkers and it’s all because of you.

“Thank you for assimilating your support and positivity towards this music and this team. We’re all supremely grateful but wait… what about if we achieved a #1 album together? We are so close and like everything else, it can’t happen without you. Scan this little leaflet to pre-order this debut album before December 9 (this makes all the difference to the chart position!) and have fun singing your head off. Peace, love ya, bye! Sam x”

See footage from the gig below.

Yesterday (December 9), Ryder released his debut album, ‘There’s Nothing But Space, Man!’. Reviewing the album, NME wrote: “The odd well-intentioned platitude hardly spoils an album of killer choruses on which Ryder’s infectious likeability shines through at all times.

“Next time he might want to chuck in a few more curveballs, but for now, ‘There’s Nothing But Space, Man!’ sounds like the beginning of what could be a really stellar career.”

Ryder has also revealed the impact a surfing accident had on his life. The accident happened when the Eurovision runner-up was on holiday in Hawaii four years ago, and led him to re-evaluate his life, pushing him to put more effort into his music career.

Speaking to BBC, Ryder said: “I was surfing in Hawaii and my board snapped. Then I got hit by a wave and I very nearly drowned. It pushed me down so far into the water. And the turbulence of the water, the power, is incredible. Fighting against it, you feel like you’ve been hit by a bus.”

He had to spend a week in bed to recover from the accident, during which he realised that he had to dedicate himself to his “true purpose”.

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