Rising singer Tom Clegg is looking forward to taking the stage at next weekend’s Glastonbury Festival.

Tom, from Burley-in-Wharfedale, is performing with his band Maia, described as a ‘sci-fi folk outfit’. According Tom, they’re all amateur astronomers.

The 23-year-old, who sings and plays guitar and the ukulele, teamed up with fellow musicians Simon Robinson, Joe Haig and Will Fletcher while studying music at Huddersfield University four years ago.

Tom started learning classical guitar at the age of six and played numerous instruments including drums.

He says he always wanted to be a singer and seized the opportunity when he went to university and started a band.

“We all had different interests as well in terms of music, hence the band is a blend of different styles,” says Tom, referring to his fellow bandmates.

Joe, a classically trained pianist who started at the age of four, played with the Buckinghamshire Chamber Orchestra and has played keyboards for national youth music theatre.

Simon sang in choirs including Sheffield Cathedral from a young age and has also performed with classical crossover group, and X Factor runners-up, G4. Drummer Will has played some classical percussion for Canterbury Cathedral.

Combined, their distinctive personalities and acoustic sounds are producing music people want to hear.

Following their first gig in Huddersfield the boys have been playing gigs and festivals up and down the country, mainly in London, and building a loyal following along the way. T

he band, who claim to have invented ‘sci-fi folk’, are fast becoming darlings of the festival scene.

Described as “youthful, spirited, richly atmospheric and intelligently off-centre”, their material is a fun blend of whimsical, upbeat folk and mature songwriting.

With a rapidly growing fanbase and word-of-mouth recommendation, the opportunity to play at the country’s biggest musical festival – this year headlined by the Rolling Stones – is testimony to their burgeoning success.

“We have been building it up slowly but surely and over the past four years things are taking off,” says Tom.

It is understood that the band will play in Glastonbury’s circus tent area. “We played a lot of festivals last year, and the year before, and we always wanted to do Glastonbury. Every band wants to play Glastonbury,” says Tom.

“We’re looking forward to going down there and experiencing the festival as well. We have never been so it’s very exciting.”

The band have performed on Radio Four and eventually hope to tour in Europe and America. “But our ambition is to keep playing and building the fanbase,” Tom says.

After their Glastonbury gig from June 26 to 29, Maia are performing at The Village Green Fair, Burley-in-Wharfedale, on Saturday, July 13, ahead of a string of dates around the country.

For more about the band and details of future music releases visit maiatheband.com.