From the Potteries to NYC: Adam French's BBC Music Introducing story

'He's going to be bigger than The Beatles!' That's how one hat and glove seller described Adam French after being spontaneously serenaded at the top of 5th Avenue in New York for the documentary we were recording. It's a bold shout.

Adam was in New York to play the second of two shows in America. He'd only ever visited as a toddler before arriving in the States to play music he'd written at home. 'It's a bit strange knowing you’re 3,500 miles away from where you’re from and people have bothered to come and watch your gig. When they sing along to songs you've written in your kitchen, it's a bit mad.’

‘I was in LA for about two weeks before I came to New York. I was writing and recording. I played a show at The Hotel Café, quite an iconic venue. Hollywood Boulevard is a very strange place, very strange. There are no celebrities anywhere!’

Adam was 15 years old when he first came into BBC Radio Stoke on the 29th April 2009. He was cocky and still is. But now he's more likeable. More refined.

'Cheers for playing our tracks’ he shouted as he threw me a T-shirt bearing the name of his band at the time, The Rittz. 'Nice one'. I've still got that T-shirt.

A few years later, the band split. Uni got in the way. You know the story. So he decided to go it alone.

Relentless trips up and down the country followed and even a tour of Africa (!) before what he calls his big break came on the BBC Music Introducing stage at Reading and Leeds. He's the first to point to that as the turning point.

‘I was absolutely keen on being a musician and I was delusional enough to think it could actually work. I went to Leeds Festival as a kid and we always used to watch all of our favourite bands on those stages, so for that to be the case that my friends could come and watch me, that’s really special.'

He's recently signed a deal with Virgin EMI and is currently working on his debut album.

There's still a long way to go. The new set he's put together for the American gigs isn't good - it's special. I genuinely can’t wait for him to release some of the songs he performed on this trip. There’s one track in particular I’m convinced will be a number 1.

I'll never forget the reaction of tourists and locals to some of his tracks as he performed them in front of the famous landmarks for the documentary (which you can watch in full below). There were a few times when people would just stop and stare, captivated by his music. He's got that ability.

At one point a small group of people gathered and started filming him too. They broke out in applause when he'd finished. I think it's the only time I've ever seen Adam even slightly embarrassed.

Will he be bigger than The Beatles? Who knows.

Here's to another seven years, though.

Watch 'Adam French's BBC Music Introducing Story' in full

• more Adam French on BBC Music
• BBC Music Introducing from Stoke
• more from BBC Music Introducing