Upcoming award winning UK singer/ songwriter Tom Auton has just released his debut EP ‘Big Little Glass Bow’ which was inspired by a girl he met coping with mental health.

Auton tells ABLE2UK about the impact she had on him and how her condition motivated Tom to write a song which will hopefully support others living with a similar illness.

“A track different from the rest on my EP ‘Judy’ tells the story of a girl who suffers with severe mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. However, anyone who came into contact with her would not suspect a thing was wrong. A lot was hidden behind her smile.

I met Judy at a friend's party in 2015. We instantly connected, within moments of speaking to her I found out that we had a very similar sense of humour and had a lot in common. We were talking about anything and everything for at least 3 hours, which is a long time for modern day unsociable teens.

By chance we crossed paths again a few days later, at a train station. She was just as talkative as when she had sunk half a bottle of vodka. We remained in contact for a couple of days after that.

However, I found as I grew closer to her, the more she seemed to distance herself from me. She mentioned that she’d occasionally get anxiety attacks. Truth be told, I didn’t really know what they were, nor how to help if she was having one. I would just wait for the moment to pass. The anxiety attacks became more frequent, to the point where she left home, unannounced.

This short encounter inspired me to raise awareness for mental health issues and the stigma around it.

For me in this case I was too late to tell her that she was wanted, and loved. As she later went on to take her own life.

In hindsight I think signs may have been missed with Judy. She mentioned to her landlord that she would be “late to pay the rent”. I never understood what she meant by that, until now.

We’re all guilty of it, on occasions, we get too wrapped up in our own lives to notice when someone else needs help.

Thankfully, this song has gone on to help people that I know personally, to speak out about their mental health. They’ve gone on to seek help and are on the road to recovery. “

Influenced by Royal Blood and John Mayer, the singer-songwriter has already made his mark, breaking the top 8 in Fender’s Undiscovered Artist of the Year Award, showcasing himself to an audience of over 5 million.

Tom also achieved first place at both Open Mic UK and Future Music Songwriting competition.

After supporting the likes of Jack Savoretti and touring with Galaxies Collide, Tom has been highly supported by BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Kent and Radio Cardiff.

Tom Auton's EP 'Big little Glass Bowl' is available for pre order now through the Rocket Fuel HQ website.

For more information visit Tom Auton’s website, Facebook page and Twitter Feed.