Topher Balne

19 year-old Topher Balne was born in Barnet, London and now lives with his family in Ashford, Kent. Topher's talent and his passion for music was evident from an early age, his unique singing voice and classical guitar earning him a scholarship at Ashford School. His ability was highlighted by his guitar teacher after his first lesson at the age of 11; Topher joined the Ashford Guitar Ensemble within weeks of his first lessons and went on to perform at numerous prestigious events, both solo and as part of the ensemble, most notably his performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 2012. Over the past year Topher has developed his songwriting skills and explored his singing ability, performing at local open mic nights and events. During one of these sessions he was approached by a local recording studio and offered to record his original music. More recently, Topher appeared before the judges on the 2017 series of The X Factor, receiving positive feedback and being asked to return in 2018. His audition video has over 170,000 views; the overwhelmingly positive reception to his appearance on the show encouraged Topher to upload his original songs and covers to his channel online, garnering hundreds of views, likes and comments. Topher has since been booked for events and weddings through 2018 and is delighted to be working with Tim Seward Management to further explore his talent and achieve his dream of having his music heard and played widely.