Nathan Evans, a Scottish vocalist, tunesmith, and guitarist, transformed from mail carrier into an online phenomenon during 2020 once his unaccompanied renditions of classic maritime work songs ignited widespread attention online and secured him a contract with a prominent record company. The next year he put out his first official release, the single “Wellerman.”
A native of Bellshill who now resides in Airdrie just beyond Glasgow, Evans picked up the guitar at age eight. Following his completion of a web-design qualification at college, he took a position with the Royal Mail, using his spare moments to share interpretations of material by Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Vance Joy, and Kodaline on his social-media accounts. Prompted by a follower’s recommendation to explore traditional folk repertoire, he posted a version of the sea shanty “Leave Her Johnny.” Its popularity among listeners prompted him to include “The Scotsman” and the nineteenth-century New Zealand shanty “Wellerman” as well. The latter song, posted in December 2020, rapidly generated millions of streams, inspired numerous remixes and covers from figures such as Brian May, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elon Musk, and Jimmy Fallon, and revived broader curiosity in the style. January 2021 saw Evans sign a three-album deal with Polydor, resign from his postal route, and issue “Wellerman” through conventional channels.
