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Soon May the Record Deal Come

Nathan Evans, in all his seafaring glory.
Nathan Evans, in all his seafaring glory. Photo: @nathanevanss/TikTok

In the year of our lord 2021, people have turned to 19th-century tunes to get them through the day, and it looks like that coping mechanism won’t be going away anytime soon. TikTok star Nathan Evans, one of the creators of the sea shanty trend, announced today that he has signed a record deal with Universal’s Polydor Records. For the rest of us mere mortals, the singer also released two versions of the popular New Zealand tune “Wellerman” with the label — a classic cover and a remix perfect for any seafaring social gathering (a Wellerman is apparently an employee of the 19th-century whaling company the Weller Bros., who would probably be pleased with their viral success 200 years later). The Scottish Royal Mail worker turned musician went viral after recording the song in late December, scoring over 8 million views. Let’s just pray Evans collabs with the guy whose brother drives to sea shanties next.

Soon May the Record Deal Come