Corrie's Richard Fleeshman has a lot of soul

TRACY SHAW, Adam Rickett, Matthew Marsden, Bill Tarmey – there's almost no end to the number of Coronation Street actors who have attempted to forge a pop career after leaving the TV soap behind.

Sure, Kevin Kennedy, who played Curly Watts, had some success in New Zealand of all places, but for every Kylie Minogue and Natalie Imbruglia, there's 100 other former soap-stars hoping to top the charts.

Now, though, Richard Fleeshman, who played teen goth Craig Harris between 2002 and 2006, is the latest ex-Corrie actor to try his hand at carving out a musical career. Strange thing is, there's every reason to suggest he may just make the grade. For a start, the 19-year-old's bluesy debut, Neon, is a far cry from the covers-dominated albums most soap-stars hurriedly release.

Second, writing, arranging and recording his own music, the young actor's singing voice even sounds a little bit like a young Jackson Browne. No bad thing surely?

"I held out for a long while to have total artistic license from the record company," says Fleeshman. "I wasn't about to be rushed into doing a covers album – that was something I wasn't about to do. I didn't want to just sign a quick deal, either, as there's no longevity in that. I would rather play piano in a restaurant for the rest of my life than make a record I was embarrassed about.

"So I faded back for a while and met with everyone who wanted to meet with me – record labels and managers – and after a year I decided I'd found the right team to work with."

Fleeshman first came to the public's attention as a singer when he won ITV's Soapstar Superstar back in 2006. And although he is very grateful to the show, it was something he agonised over doing. He, like so many other ex-soap stars involved in music, feared he wouldn't be taken seriously as a musician.

"Music was what I always wanted to do," says the Manchurian. "So Soapstar Superstar was a kind of showcase – without it I could have sat in my room writing songs for the next 15 years with no-one knowing I could sing.

"Since I was very young I've played the piano and guitar, and I've always loved writing songs and singing."

Unlike most soap-stars-cum-pop-stars whose music is dominated by faceless producers, Fleeshman's album has a mature, charming, acoustic feel to it, having been recorded with James Blunt and KT Tunstall's producers. He wrote all the music when he was 16.

"Writing songs is like searching for the Holy Grail," he believes. "I don't think you ever write a song and think 'I'll never beat that' – you always keep evolving. Everyone wants to write a Your Song or a My Way. I'm constantly writing all the time."

Musically, Fleeshman's star has been on the rise since his album came out last November. Elton John said he couldn't believe how mature it sounded, adding, 'How developed and accomplished Richard's songwriting is at such a young age.'

"In fact, so impressed was John, the legendary entertainer asked the 19-year-old if he would open his concerts for him on his current European tour.

"It was insane. Fantastic, but very surreal," Fleeshman admits, speaking about his first concert supporting the iconic star at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea.

"I didn't know what to expect. Things were happening so fast I barely got a chance to worry about it. I'd been going to Elton's concerts since I was seven years old – the last thing I imagined was opening one of his concerts for him. And he's a really nice guy with lots of good advice. He told me to just go out and enjoy it."

When he isn't playing stadiums with Elton John, Fleeshman can be found touring lots of smaller venues up and down the country – he's due to play Cabaret Voltaire on Tuesday evening.

"I am really looking forward to it. I love playing live. Being a musician and an actor, I get to enjoy both realms without ever getting bored with the other. It's great. My dad's Scottish as well, so I am thoroughly looking forward to it.

"Small shows give you a chance to relax and enjoy yourself. When you're playing a stadium and you make a mistake on the piano 25,000 people are going to know about it," he laughs.

After that, though, it's back to the acting, says the teenager whose mother, actress Sue Jenkins, is also a former Coronation Street star – she played barmaid Gloria Todd in 238 episodes, leaving, ironically, in 1988 when she fell pregnant with baby Richard.

"I've got a few things lined up for around Christmas time which I am really looking forward to. My mum and I might have appeared in the same soap at different times, but she's one person I would love to work with in the future. But after January? Well, that's a bit of a blank page really."

Watch this space.

• Richard Fleeshman, Cabaret Voltaire, Blair Street, Tuesday 7pm, £10, 0131–220 6176