Since the release of 2022's 'EP1', Tom’s been quietly levelling up. “Ooh, quite a lot’s happened and there have been a lot of highlights,” he says. “I've mostly been just trying to improve on everything I do - whether that's songwriting, production, social media stuff. I don't really think I'm the same person as that 17-year-old on 'EP1'. I really know who I am and what I'm going to be.”

That self-assurance is stamped all over ‘Fashion’. All jagged guitar stabs and synth-flecked urgency, it’s a bold, immediate slice of alt-rock that sees Tom planting a flag in new sonic territory. The spark? A dose of inspiration from an 80s great. “I watched an interview with Dave Stewart from Eurythmics who spoke about ‘Sweet Dreams’ and how it was just a blues song with synths,” he says. “I thought I’d try it and literally wrote and finished it in a few hours. Everything just flowed so easily. I’m so happy with it. I have no idea what happened with the lyrics - everything just wrote itself.”

Produced by Barry Hyde from The Futureheads and mixed by Ali Chant, the track has become a live staple before it’s even hit streaming platforms. “It has a real edge to it, live - in fairness, so does the recording,” he says. “I think it sounds different to anything I’ve done and really stands out as it is 100% energy.”

That energy reflects a broader creative shift. “I'm just a lot clearer in my mind about who I am and what I like,” he explains. “I think about how something will translate when it’s played live, too. I'm still not gonna let myself be forced into a certain style, but this is where I am at the moment.”

The team-up with Hyde and Chant helped bring that vision into focus. “Barry kindly offered his studio and his time because he absolutely loved the song,” Tom says. “He spent a lot of time helping to get the drums right, and he was just a joy to be around. He has been a mentor to me for about eight years now. I messaged Ali because I loved what he did with Yard Act, and he was a pleasure to work with. He understood me straight away. I definitely want to work with him more.”

With Fiction Records now behind him - label home of The Horrors, Billie Marten, The Mysterines - Tom’s not taking the moment for granted. “I keep having to pinch myself,” he beams. “I think I've looked on their website about 100 times just to see my name next to The Cure and Tame Impala. I have to be good, and I get a buzz from that.”

You get the sense Tom thrives on that pressure. While many artists would be dining out on a Glastonbury slot or an Elton co-sign, he’s always looking forward. “I really appreciate how much I've done so far, but they are one of a few days out of thousands so far,” he shrugs. “I love that I've done them with my best friends, and they have got the same memories. I just want to make more, and I think we will.”

His fan list is wild – Nile Rodgers, Tim Booth, Morrissey. But it’s Sir Elton who left the biggest impression. “I mean, Elton John saying I was going to be a star is cool,” he says. “Miles Kane's advice helped me loads with songwriting, and I’ve had a lot of my heroes being incredibly kind. They're all just people, and there haven’t been any that weren’t really great to speak to.”

That humility underpins his ferocious drive. Whether it’s a Glasto stage or a hometown pub, Tom’s priority is giving people something they’ll remember. “My summer sets are all just energy from first to last,” he says. “I do try and mix up my sets and use different songs, but they're all built to end on a high. I would love people to leave thinking that they'd like to see me again and that every track was different from the next.”

If you’re looking for unexpected trivia, Tom’s got it: “I had my own radio show in Sunderland (Spark FM) for three years. The same show that Jordan North had earlier in his career. I bet most people don't know that!”

That love for the old-school runs deep - whether it’s gear or garms. “I'm really into vintage clothes and vintage recording equipment, basically anything over 30 years old,” he says. “I wish I had the money for some of the stuff I want. But then having a limited amount of stuff can also mean I have to have a certain sound, so that could be a positive too.”

And while ‘Fashion’ feels like the spark of something new, there’s plenty more on the way. “It’s definitely part of a bigger project that will appear soon,” Tom teases. “I've always written with a body of work in mind. I just sometimes haven't used them. I think it's time to ramp up releases and show people what I can do.”

Music might be the main focus, but Tom still makes time for other passions. “Watch Sunderland – and now we are Premier League,” he laughs. “I reckon May was my favourite month ever watching them. After this interview, I think I’ll watch the playoff final again. Just got the new Nintendo Switch and that’s pretty great too.”

Is there anything else he'd like us to know? “If it’s music-wise, then the video for 'Fashion' was filmed in my living room with a 1994 camcorder. If not about music, then my dog just barks continuously at me until I play with him. He then would happily do the same thing on repeat for a whole day. He is pretty irritating.”

If Tom’s “new era” is anything like this first taste, then irritation might be the only thing standing between him and something truly massive. Tom A. Smith's single 'Fashion' is out now.