Scots TikTok star Nathan Evans wins new fans with ‘space shanty’ songs in hit game Starfield

Nathan Evans says reaction to songs has been ‘amazing’

It is an unlikely new subgenre of music that has gone down a storm among those playing one of the biggest video games of the year.

Now, the Scottish singer-songwriter who shot to fame for his renditions of traditional sea shanties on social media has found a new audience by performing in outer space – or at least a virtual version of it.

Nathan Evans, who hit the top of the charts when his version of a 19th-century shanty went viral around the world during the pandemic, has recorded several songs for Starfield, a critically lauded new science fiction role playing game.

More than 10 million people have played the title since its release last month, entering a world which gives players the freedom to roam the stars. Its array of planets feature a host of missions, activities, and characters to meet.

Among them is Evans, who lent his voice to the game as the captain of a fictional spaceship known as The Valentine. Those players who encounter him can enjoy a moment of musical respite, with Evans singing songs he wrote for the game.

In the weeks since Starfield’s release, the performances have become a hit on social media, with gamers uploading clips of the Scot’s futuristic shanties. One sees Evans singing a refrain about being “out in the blackness”, while another features his homesick captain expressing a wish to “go back home”.

Evans, whose new single, Driving to Nowhere, was released last month, told Scotland on Sunday: “It was actually Bethesda [Starfield’s producers] that reached out to me, which to me was mind blowing. I’m a massive gamer, and have been since I was a kid, so to have Bethesda reach out was crazy.”

The Scot has provided music for Starfield, one of the best-selling video games of the year.

Asked where he took inspiration, he explained: “It’s all about space, emptiness and vastness and that’s what I kind of tuned in to. I love space, I find it incredibly fascinating so that was another reason for me to grab the opportunity when it came around.”

Evans has also uploaded videos to TikTok which capture him recording the songs for Starfield. So far, they have been viewed nearly one million times, with some fans calling for the original songs to be released on streaming services.

"Slowly watching the players discover the songs has been amazing,” he added. “Some people have said searching and finding The Valentine in-game has been their favourite part, and the feedback from the actual songs online has been so good.

"Even from people that haven’t played the game and have heard the songs elsewhere, it’s amazing. It’s still so surreal though to think my voice will now be forever in a Bethesda game, I love that.

Nathan Evans shot to fame with his rendition of a 19th century sea shanty. Picture: Andreas Rentz/Getty

It marks the latest viral success for the former postal worker from Airdrie. During the pandemic, he became an unlikely breakout star when he started uploading lo-fi renditions of sea shanties to TikTok. By the end of 2020, he had scored a global viral hit with his version of the New Zealand whaling song Wellerman, which led to cover versions by the likes of Queen guitarist Brian May, Gary Barlow, and Ronan Keating. The 28 year-old went on to land a record deal and scored a number one single in several countries, including the UK.