Wellerman on water: Scots Sea Shanty star Nathan Evans plays first live performance on River Thames ahead of Brit Awards

Singer Nathan Evans, who went viral on TikTok last year with his sea shanty titled ‘Wellerman’, performs onboard a GoBoat in Canary Wharf.

Scots sea shanty singer, Nathan Evans, has played his first live performance since his chart-topping rendition of Wellerman went viral on TikTok.

Taking to the River Thames in London on the eve of The Brit Awards, the Airdrie born singer performed on board a new, eco-friendly, self drive GoBoat to help launch the company’s new site at Canary Wharf.

Evans, 26, has been interviewed across the world following success of Wellerman, a sea shanty which laments the life of hunting whales in New Zealand during the 19th century.

Thanks to the popularity of Evans’s 2021 remake of Wellerman, the ex-postman has been signed to one of the world’s biggest record labels, Polydor, and has since released an upcoming single, Told You So.

Life according to: The Wellerman singer and viral TikTok sensation, Nathan Evans

He performed the new song for the first time on the Thames GoBoat to passing Londoners.

Evans said: “I’ve been waiting to do my first live performance for so long since getting the number one and announcing my tour.

“If I was going to do it anywhere it was going to be on the water so I’m really glad GoBoat gave me the opportunity to do just that.

“I’ve had some real fun performing on the GoBoat and taking a look around Canary Wharf for the first time.”

He added: “With The Brits just around the corner, we couldn’t have picked a better place to perform than by the O2 and who knows, maybe there will be a little sea shanty surprise at the awards?”

GoBoat London, which already has sites in Paddington and Kingston, will open its new Canary Wharf site to the public from Monday, May 17 when groups of eight – in line with government guidelines – can charter the electric boats and set sail around the Docklands.

GoBoat co-owner, Grant Sweeney, said: “We wanted to make a real splash with our Canary Wharf launch and we thought, ‘what better way to do that then to put on Nathan’s first ever live performance?’.

“There couldn’t be a more fitting place for him to perform his sea shanty for the first time, live than on the water and we’re proud GoBoat has been his first stage.”