SINGER songwriter Alex Gardner will start the New Year with a bang with a set of gigs in London ahead of releasing his mouth-watering debut single I’m Not Mad on March 22.

Written by Alex Gardner and produced by Xenomania this addictive track has already become an early fan favourite from his performances at T in the Park’s BBC Introducing stage and Scotland support shows for Paolo Nutini.

"With me and Brian it’s different,” Alex tells of his unique writing partnership with hit-maker Higgins.

“I had an idea of what I wanted to do. He had an idea of what he wanted me to do. And it was bang in the middle.”

With his debut album set for release in the summer his songbook runs the gamut from soulful ballads, after-hours love, pumping pop tracks and aching dancefloor struts.

“I have enough for a double-disk, with b-sides,” he laughs.

“Which is a great situation to be in – the struggle of ‘I can’t take that one off’, ‘I’ve got to keep that one’.”

Alex will play at the New To Q session at Tabernacle, Powis Street, London, on January 27 alongside I Blame Coco and Miike Snow.

After which he plays a series of headline shows up and down the UK, plus a gig at the Jazz Café in Camden as special guest to Paloma Faith.

Alex Gardner. New To Q. Tabernacle, Powis Street, London. January 27. 0207 221 9700 or visit tabernaclelive.co.uk