We go apple bobbing with BGT winner Tokio Myers as he chats making music, basketball with Kanye and dressing up as Beyoncé
The singer opens up about life and the crazy time he's had since winning Britain's Got Talent
Happy Halloween, Tokio! How is your apple-bobbing technique?
Pretty good actually. I know a trick, which is to go for the stalk rather than the apple.
I love Halloween – one year me and my partner dressed up as Beyoncé and Jay-Z, but we flipped it so I was Beyoncé.
I looked a bit of a mess in my tights and boots. I felt like I was on a bad hen do.
How long have you been with your girlfriend?
We’ve been together for years, since way before Britain’s Got Talent. She’s super-supportive and without her I wouldn’t be able to keep my feet on the ground through all this, so I’m a very lucky man.
People associate BGT with performing dogs and magicians. As a pianist and producer, did you wonder if it was the right thing to do?
Every day! I remember my mates were shocked when I told them I was going on the show, but they were supportive and then gobsmacked when I won.
For me it was fun to meet people who on the street I might never have said hello to, and then suddenly you’re on this journey together and it’s really emotional.
Are you still in touch with the judges?
Amanda Holden hit me up on social media asking when the album’s coming out, and obviously I’m signed to Simon Cowell’s label, so I see him from time to time.
He’s happy with the sound of the album so it’s all good.
Have you splashed out on anything with your £250,000 BGT prize money?
London is an expensive city, so not really! I’ve just been writing the album so I haven’t had time to buy a yacht or a Lamborghini.
You supported Kanye West on tour when you played in the band Mr Hudson And The Library. What’s he like?
The first time I met him, he came up to us and was like: “Yo! We’ve got a basketball net set up, shall we play?”
It was an amazing moment. I tried to get someone to take a picture but the battery in my camera died!
You also went on tour with Amy Winehouse – how was that?
I have so many fond memories of that time because Amy was such a lovely, warm-hearted person.
She’d come up to me in soundchecks and give me a cuddle.
She was probably the first artist I was star-struck by, just because of the power of her voice and her aura.
Are you getting recognised a lot now?
It’s been crazy. I’ve been to Venice, Canada and LA and people were coming up to me.
I’ve had cars stopping in the street, people telling me stories about their lives… it’s amazing.
Your real name’s Torville Jones. When did you change it to Tokio?
I used to DJ under the name TokioYoYoYo, but it got confusing counting up all the yos.
Myers is my mum’s maiden name. I’ve not officially changed it and my friends call me TJ, which are my initials.
I think it’s nice to have a stage alter ego and then your normal self.
- Tokio’s debut album Our Generation is out November 17.
BTW
Tokio sipped hot chocolate during our interview – he says coffee makes him twitchy.
10.2 million people tuned in to watch him win BGT in June.
He was in the studio until 2am the night before our chat.
