FOR upcoming musicians, the festival circuit can almost seem like a never ending challenge to get to the main stage.

While some bands never make it to the coveted top spot, others strike it lucky and, for very few, it comes all within the year.

At this year’s TRNSMT festival, both Declan McKenna and Tom Grennan will be making the jump following their debut on the King Tut’s stage just last year.

Read more: TRNSMT festival 'is here to stay in Glasgow', says Geoff Ellis

For 19-year-old Declan McKenna, from Hertfordshire, success has come at lightening speed and has saw him hailed as the ‘voice of a generation’.

His songs have featured topics including race and LGBT issues, which has propelled him into the limelight while putting him under public scrutiny.

“I try and ignore the accolades”, he explains. “It can only get to your head taking sensationalist praise and I try to take my own opinion on things and do things the way I want to.

“Being true to yourself rather than the perception of yourself is the key to making honest art. I try not to second guess what anyone else is saying.

Read more: TRNSMT festival 'is here to stay in Glasgow', says Geoff Ellis

“I’ve always written songs about the world around me as well as the world I can see on the screens because I feel that we’re definitely at a point where we can communicate different ideas to different people around the world and we can change things that way.

“I try to be as open and honest as possible but I don’t want to be overbearing with it, whether it’ll be different on the next record I don’t know.”

While still a teenager, going through regular teenage emotions, Declan now carries the responsibility of the representing the youth of

today – or ‘generation Z’.

Despite not being a title he was looking for, Declan is happy to speak up about issues affecting younger generations.

“I complain about social media as much as the next person but it has given a voice to a generation that otherwise wouldn’t have one.

Read more: TRNSMT festival 'is here to stay in Glasgow', says Geoff Ellis

“One thing that social media has provided is an outlet and platform to give a direct impression of youth ideas, youth politics and youth culture.

“We have been able to give a very direct impression of that and that is doing good things

for the young people.

“I always want to voice the opinions of young as they are

the future.”

The multi-instrumentalist will be performing alongside Arctic Monkeys, Interpol and Blossoms, on the Glasgow Green stage.

He adds: “We were at TRNSMT last year, which is incredible because there’s not many festivals that you would do two years on the trot, so we’re excited for it being a highlight of our summer.

“This year is bigger and better and will still be really fun. It’s our first festival back from touring, so it’ll be great.”

Read more: TRNSMT festival 'is here to stay in Glasgow', says Geoff Ellis

Also appearing on the bill will be 23-year-old Tom Grennan, a Bedford-born singer songwriter, who was thrust into the spotlight after featuring on the Chase and Status song ‘All Goes Wrong’.

He also received an industry nod early on in his career in the form of a BBC Sound of 2017 nomination.

After performing at TRNSMT 2017, he has gone on to headline shows in the city and secure himself a slot on the main stage.

The musician is a self-taught guitarist who found his voice after a random street attack left him in hospital.

He explains: “I picked up music on my own time. I moved to London to study acting because I needed to get out of Bedford. I knew I wanted to be a singer but when I went into hospital after I got my jaw broken, a lightbulb went off in my head that I had a connection with music.

“I took that and I rode with it and here we are.

Read more: TRNSMT festival 'is here to stay in Glasgow', says Geoff Ellis

“I began writing songs and in my second year of uni I went out and tried to get loads of gigs and eventually I got noticed.”

Being picked up by drum and bass giants Chase and Status helped get Tom’s voice out to the masses through radio play.

Following up on his King Tut’s stage performance last year, the singer is more than prepared for his second round of Glasgow festival madness.

“The Glaswegians are always up for it. I’m still trying to work out how I’ve made the jump. It’s amazing people like my music and are excited there is an album coming that is going to be big.”

Declan McKenna and Tom Grennan will play TRNSMT festival on July 1.