Charli XCX, Rita Ora, Dua Lipa and Nicola Roberts are just a few of 21-year-old Billy Claytons fans.
The singer, who posts his music online, hopes to raise £200,000 for life-saving therapy, after living with cancer for more than three years and seeing no results from chemotherapy.
His mum Rebecca Lawrence, a part-time nurse, said: Growing up, Billy was always singing in his room and playing music.
He knew he wanted to perform and show the world what he could do with music, but our lives were turned upside down when Billy started to have a pain in his right leg when he turned 18.
Listen to my second EP 'Bloom' HERE: https://t.co/j5l3uHqptq cover art by @sigggnasty // Please Listen/Like/Share/Enjoy <3
— ????? ??????? (@4BILLY4) September 10, 2017
It was initially dismissed as a pulled muscle, but after he had an MRI scan we discovered that he had Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. My knees buckled underneath me and I could see Billy bravely holding back his tears.
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However, the singer hasnt let it hold him back. After posting his second EP, Bloom, on Twitter, he revealed that he wrote/produced/recorded it alone.
He now hopes that he can raise enough money for personalised immunotherapy treatment at the Cegat clinic in Germany so as he can continue with his music career free of his condition.
As its not available on the NHS, Billy is having to crowdfund and, with a little help from his celebrity fans, has raised more than £80,000.
This has kick-started some treatment, such as being able to get his tissue samples sent to Germany for testing – but we still have a long way to go, Rebecca explained.
Charli, having been a fan of Billy since 2016, is also organising a benefit concert in Los Angeles on 30 November.
Charli has been an angel, Rebecca added. She has supported Billy not just because of his cancer, but because she really believes he is a great artist.
All I know is that we need to do things as quickly as possible with his treatment, though. My panic is leaving it too late and Billy not surviving, because we couldnt get him the best treatment quick enough.
While some think that music began as a coping mechanism for Billy, hed actually been writing songs for years.
However, his mother first noticed the extent of his musical talent following his initial diagnosis.
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Hed spend hours on his computer in his bedroom alone – I was worried that things might have been getting to him, Rebecca mentioned.
But one afternoon I heard loud music blaring from his room, only to later realise the beautiful cover I was hearing of Sky Ferreiras Sad Dreams was actually Billys voice.
As he started to post his music online, the supportive comments started to roll in – as did the celebrity admirers.
Speaking about her admiration for the young musician, Charli said: Billy is a really unique and special artist. His sound is very emotional, and he cares a lot about every aspect of what he does.
I was really attracted to his dedication to his art. Hes just at the beginning of what could be a really brilliant and amazing career as an artist. I cant wait to see what he does next.
After creating his own unique sound, and writing lyrics from his hospital bed, Billy was offered a place on the Access College Creative Course in September 2017, graduates from which have included Ed Sheeran and Rita Ora.
Hes still a little overwhelmed by the support: Its really nice and kind that people are donating to me. It gives me a lot of faith in people, especially those who dont even know me, but are donating just because of what theyve read online.
More: Rita Ora
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However, as always, hes focusing on his passion for music, saying: I want people to see the music side of me and not just the cancer. A lot of people ask me if I use music as a coping mechanism, but that isnt the case – Ive been song writing for years anyway.
Regardless of the cancer situation, I would be doing music. The illness has just landed in the way and been a massive obstruction – Im waiting and eager to continue now, without the cancer.
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