Hertfordshire's George Ezra announces UK arena tour and releases new single Green Green Grass

The chart-topping Shotgun singer-songwriter will play a string of dates across the country in September and October.

Announcing the 11 new tour dates, George posted on Instagram: "Getting to perform for you all every night is the best thing in the world, the energy is electric and it's a genuine pleasure. I can’t wait to do it all over again later this year!"

The BRIT Award-winning, multi-platinum selling Paradise musician from Hertford has also debuted new single Green Green Grass.

The infectious new track is the second song to be lifted from his forthcoming new album Gold Rush Kid, which is due for release on June 10, via Columbia Records.

Green Green Grass is an irresistibly joyful song about making the best of things, even when it might feel like the worst of things are afoot, with lyrics: “Green green grass, blue blue sky, you better throw a party on the day that I die.”

You can listen to Green Green Grass below.

Explaining the track, former Standon Calling headliner George said: “I was on holiday in St Lucia with a few friends at Christmas 2018, with two of my closest mates from home.

“We were in this beach bar, drinking homemade rum punch and Piton, the local lager, flip-flopping between the two, with three local guys who worked there.

"And this music started up, three streets back from the sea. After about half an hour, I had to go see what it was.

"And there was a street party going on, with three different sound systems, people cooking in the street.

"I asked a woman what was going on and she told me it was a funeral – for three people.

"They were celebrating three lives! I thought: that is not how we do this at home. And it’s really beautiful.”

Green Green Grass follows the euphoric first single and album opener Anyone For You.

George, who passed his driving test in St Albans, debuted both songs to a rapturous reception at his recent intimate gigs in London, Manchester and Edinburgh – shows praised as "a joyous singalong that was impossible to resist" (5*, The Telegraph), and a set filled with "hooks so plentiful he could go long-line fishing with them" (4*, The Guardian).

What are George Ezra's 2022 UK tour dates?

George Ezra's 2022 UK tour dates are:

• Sunday, July 17 - Finsbury Park, London
• Tuesday, September 13 - M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
• Wednesday, September 14 - Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
• Friday, September 16 - The AO Arena, Manchester
• Tuesday, September 20 - Utilita Arena, Newcastle upon Tyne
• Thursday, September 22 - Utilita Arena, Birmingham
• Sunday, September 25 - P&J Live, Aberdeen
• Monday, September 26 - The Ovo Hydro, Glasgow
• Wednesday, September 28 - SSE Arena, Belfast
• Thursday, September 29 - 3Arena, Dublin
• Saturday, October 1 - Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
• Sunday, October 2 - Utilita Arena, Sheffield.

How to get tickets for George Ezra's 2022 UK arena tour

The new single arrives alongside the announcement of a huge nationwide UK arena tour, scheduled for September and October, following George Ezra’s special show at London’s Finsbury Park in July.

The tour opens at Liverpool M&S Bank Arena on September 13 and takes in 11 shows, finishing at Sheffield FlyDSA Arena on October 2.

Fans who pre-order Gold Rush Kid before 3pm on Tuesday, April 26 can access tickets via exclusive pre-sale.

Tour tickets go on general sale at 10am on Friday, April 29 via Ticketmaster.

“The Gold Rush Kid? That’s me,” says George, reflecting on the title of his third album – a 12-strong suite of songs, that more than anything “sound like me. That’s what ties them together".

After two blockbuster albums – Wanted On Voyage (2014) and Staying At Tamara’s (2018), both of which reached number one in the UK and sold millions around the world – Gold Rush Kid was written and produced entirely in London with longstanding collaborator Joel Pott.

Staying At Tamara’s earned George his first number 1 single in Shotgun, and won him the 2019 Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist.

Following the release of Gold Rush Kid in June, Ezra will play his biggest headline show to date, a special all- day event at London’s Finsbury Park on July 17, 2022.

Joining George Ezra at the show, presented by Festival Republic, will be special guests Blossoms, Holly Humberstone, Mimi Webb, The Big Moon, Mychelle and the London International Gospel Choir.

Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.

George Ezra partners with YouTube Music and supports the National Trust

Alongside the UK tour announcement, George Ezra has partnered with YouTube Music to be their Sustainability Partner for 2022.

He says: “I am conscious that creating, touring and promoting a record has an impact on the environment, so I am delighted to announce I will be working with YouTube Music as their Sustainability Partner for 2022.

"They have very generously provided a significant financial contribution to support a cause of my choosing; this is going to be The National Trust, who are working hard to reverse the decline in nature and reduce the impact of climate change by planting trees and restoring landscapes.

"Together, we’ll directly use this money to plant 17,000 trees across the UK.”

The National Trust has committed to planting or establishing 20 million trees covering an area the size of Birmingham as part of their plan to become net zero by 2030.

The carbon benefits from the 17,000 trees will go towards the charity’s own net zero ambitions.

National Trust director general Hilary McGrady said: “We are enormously grateful to George for this donation, and it serves as an important reminder that only by a collective will and everyone playing their part will we help reverse some of the impacts of climate change and help the nation to reach net zero.

“This gift represents an important step as part of our ambition to try and tackle the effects of climate change.

"We are planting the trees in the right places to maximise the impact they will have in locking in carbon.”