To coincide with the release of his highly anticipated new single 'Man On The Moon', Gavin James made a special guest appearance on the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions' Y&E Series last Friday night.

With 1.5 billion streams, 5.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify and sold-out arena shows, James has achieved phenomenal global success – simply by letting his songs speak for themselves. His live set on the Y&E Series showcased the charisma and talent of his usual gigs, which have attracted crowds from around the world to his tours.

His emotionally-charged new single tells the story of the desolate loneliness of the metaphorical figure in space.

"For 'Man On The Moon', I tried to picture someone on the moon, thinking that they are all alone and not realising that whole world is thinking about them," Gavin says of the new song.

"It's about looking after the people you love because some days, they may feel like they have no one to talk to. In particular this year, people might feel more disconnected than usual from their friends and family. This song is a gentle reminder that you are never alone."

Despite having technical difficulties during the live - one of the unfortunate realities of online giggings - the musician brought his usual friendly charisma for the audience and trademark heartfelt tracks.

Performing a string of his well-known singles, one highlight was his rendition of 'Boxes'. With the usual song mantra of "We're all different underneath"; the song speaks to the strength of individuality and diversity in life. Providing his soft vocal intonations and falsetto notes, it's easy to see why songs like 'Boxes' gain such a wide audience, with their accessible, heartfelt lyrics and warm themes. With a gorgeous Christmas tree beside him, James delivers a version of 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' with an impressive amount of high notes. His voice works perfectly with the slow-tempo festive track, and he maintains a relationship with the audience throughout.

Before finishing off his set, he describes how he wrote 'Man On The Moon' metaphorically, despite trying to resist writing a 2020 track. "Who wants to hear a song about 2020?" he laughs, noting that not many of us will want a reminder of this year in a decade's time. Always capturing the right mood, James envisioned looking after our loved ones during this time when he wrote the new single. With families, couples and friends having spent much of the year separated from the ones they care about, the track offers a timely reminder that distance can't break our bonds. With a pitch perfect performance, we're delighted that the singer-songwriter is finishing off 2020 on the right note.

Watch Gavin James' full performance on the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions' Y&E Series below:

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Watch Rebecca McRedmond tonight, December 7, as part of the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions' The Y&E Series, supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media – live on the Hot Press Instagram (@hotpressmagazine) at 7.30pm.

Keep an eye on hotpress.com for more Y&E news! Each performance on the Y&E Series, supported by the Department of Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, streams live on the Hot Press Instagram (@hotpressmagazine) at 7.30pm every night.