HE'S already been hand-picked to play for thousands supporting Ed Sheeran but fast-rising troubadour Saint Raymond doesn't fancy the celebrity lifestyle.

The Nottingham singer, real name Callum Burrows, is currently working on his debut album, after earning praise for a trio of EPs.

But he's trying not to get carried away by his new-found fame.

"It feels amazing when you're getting praised and named on one to watch lists but all that does is make me want to work harder and not take my eye off the ball," he says, speaking ahead of a gig at the O2 ABC2 on February 8.

"If you take your eye off the ball that that's when you stop focusing on the music and it becomes about the lifestyle, or seeing yourself in a magazine.

"I've never wanted that, so for me the music should come first.

"A big factor in my life has been staying in Nottingham, so it's nice to break away from the madness of London, and go home to my family and friends after touring."

Although the songwriter has enjoyed a quick rise from the release of first EP Escapade in April 2013, the 19-year-old has still cut his teeth on the music scene, performing at open mic nights.

He reckons that while some of those shows didn't go according to plan, they proved a great learning curve.

"You really learn about yourself at those nightmare gigs," he explains.

"The most important thing I've learned over the past couple of years is that even if you're playing to just 20 people, you shouldn't try any less than you'd do in front of 20,000.

"Those people who turn up deserve a good show, it shouldn't be decided on how many people are there."

The singer's breezy, bright tunes like Wildheart and I Want You already sound suited for the summer, but Callum believes there's more to his debut album than what the EPs have offered.

He's been working on the record with famed producer Jacknife Lee, and aims to release it by the summer.

"Jacknife's a chilled out guy, and that meant it was a really relaxed environment," says Callum.

"It's not like we were just in the studio, because the studio's part of his house.

"So at night I'd have dinner with his family, and it never felt like 'oh, I'm working in the studio now'.

"There's a couple of down moments on the album that might surprise folk, but the way I've looked at it is that the EPs are just the stepping stones to the album, so I think it's about finding the exact sound I want over the past couple of years."

Those stepping stones also landed him support slots with the likes of Haim and Ed Sheeran, playing in front of some huge crowds.

"The most important thing playing those shows was not feeling overwhelmed doing it," says Callum.

"There was a blend of venues on it, like doing the O2 Arena in London and then doing venues in Milan and Paris where it was just 2,000.

"Having that real mix meant that the whole tour was a real learning curve."

While he's got his ABC date lined up next month, he's also keen to return to T In The Park, after a memorable appearance last year.

"I'd love to play T again," he adds.

"It was a really funny one last year - I'd been out in the desert shooting a video, and the final scene was me rolling down a sand dune.

"We had five hours to get the flight but got held up in traffic.

"Luckily the flight was delayed and I managed to make it, but I never had time to change, so I played T still covered in sand."

Saint Raymond, O2 ABC2, Sunday February 8, £10, 7pm