Who better to take part in our 15th birthday celebrations than Winter Roberts, the singer-songwriter and Radio Two smash hit who used to serenade vendors? He tells Big Issue founder John Bird why the magazine represents 'the future'

I met Winter Roberts in Café Nero in Mortlake west London. It was a dark overcast day and I was late, but Roberts had been expecting me and had been told about the John Bird theory of the permanent elasticity of time.
Roberts had spent a wet cold night in Islington in north London, serenading Big Issue vendors while they ate their post-Christmas Christmas dinner. He went down a storm. The vendors loved his repertoire, his deep sonorous voice, his repartee, and his sense of commitment. I had to meet this guy, whom I knew nothing about but who had been so serious in his dedication to the people who sell The Big Issue.

Sidewalk 7 is the name of the record company that Roberts has been signed by. His arrival at a contract involved many years of writing, music making and living an up-and-down life. As we sat in Café Nero, Roberts told me about that journey.
He had just released the track 'Head in Your Cloud' and as we talked, thousands of people throughout Britain were listening to it as it was played on Radio Two.
'Head in Your Cloud' is a strong song. It is difficult to describe Roberts' unique take, but he is definitely a consummate songsmith. Thousands, if not millions of listeners wanted to hear it played again and again. Roberts had not only tapped into the hearts and soul of Big Issue vendors but had followed it with a record that offered something to a vast audience.

Born in Ibiza, Roberts' early life was no rave. His father deserted the family when he was nine and upon returning to England, the family had to learn to survive many reversals of fortune.
Music was his saving grace. Being fatherless, in a way the guitar became his foundation. He began the long, slow development of his creativity.
Roberts' personality is to be found stamped upon his face, and in the lines and music of his songs.
"I suppose my big issue became apparent to me on the streets of Hamburg. I ended up in Germany and found my way to performing on the streets. I had to get away from the death of my sister, and all the reverberations that were triggered by her passing"

Roberts' nine long years of street life could in some senses be seen as his apprenticeship. He would be the first to agree that misfortune and chaos, despair and suffering can sometimes lift you to another place, transforming your life and your music.
We sat for two hours, and by the end of it I had to know more about Roberts' music. Even though I'd only just met him it was obvious that he had made me want to know more.
Roberts came to our Vauxhall offices to explain what had happened in the five months since we first met. He had begun to put together the open mic programme, which is to open The Big Issue's 15th birthday celebrations. He was excited to be working with us. He looked forward to the buzz around the risk that goes with open-mic events.

"I know it will be a fascinating afternoon and I think it fits in with the importance of15 years of The Big Issue. It's a privilege for me to help kick off your birthday celebrations. The line up is still being put together but it looks great."
Roberts' new single 'Sha La La La in My Life' comes out on July 24th, and in addition Roberts has offered a track Don't Lose Your Home as a free music download, for all Big Issue readers.
"I want to give your readers something that hopefully they will enjoy. It should lead to other artists giving you support in this way. Downloads are the future and The Big Issue in my opinion is the future, not just for homelessness but also its creative commitment."
Roberts is a man of all seasons. His music is lyrical, informative, balladic, and at times raw. You sense the artist has lived in the music, and the music has lived in him.
Listening to 'Sha La La La in My Life' and 'Head in Your Cloud', I could see why Roberts' popularity increases with each stage of his produced work.

It is so refreshing to meet an artist who will chew the cud over things other than his own personal career. Roberts is a man of all seasons because he knows what it's like to be out in the cold, but looks forward o the first rays of sun.
Interestingly, that is how he describes one of the songs - a dark, brooding, moody piece that suddenly turns a corner to witness a fleck of sun break out.
As well as being a favourite of some of the best people on earth i.e. Big Issue vendors, he has been taken by others. Prince Andrew is inspired by Roberts, along with Madonna and her husband Guy Ritchie. So from poverty to plenty, Roberts' voice is quite obviously universal.

His new album - released August 21st - will do more to reinforce the power of his artistry. Even in the short time we have known him you can see the power grow in him. 'DayMaker' will get the plays and get the interest of the public, largely because of Roberts' creative voice.
The cold wet night in January when Roberts performed to The Big Issue troops is still talked about. Vendors want to know when they can have a bit more of Roberts.
They look forward to the open mic event and any other gigs they can get to.

Roberts left, but not before telling us about a more recent project working with Big Issue vendors in Bournemouth.
"John, you've got a lot of talent out there on the streets and in The Big Issue, and we should be doing more with their music. I certainly hope to see some of the people who performed with me do more with their music."
I wish that I'd been at that performance but due to the permanent elasticity of time I was stuck in an airport lounge on my way to somewhere.

- John Bird

Free Download Track!

The Big Issue has teamed up with Winter Roberts to offer readers a free music download of his track 'Don't Lose Your Home'. Roberts says of the track: "I wrote the song whilst I was in Hamburg. I was going through a low period at the time, I felt homesick, but not only that - I felt I no longer had a home to go to, because there was no home there.
"Half the problem when you're feeling down is losing your sense of belonging - home isn't so much a place as a state of mind. I feel honoured one of my songs will be the first Big Issue music download ever and hope the readers enjoy listening to the song."
In keeping with our new online focus, we will be inviting all bands and artists featured in forthcoming issues of The Big Issue to donate a free reader music download and we hope to bring you a diversity of exclusive tracks over the coming months. To get hold of your copy of 'Don't Lose Your Home' simply visit The Big Issue website at www.bigissue.com, and click on the Free Music Download banner.

* A Digital Music Download is an electronic file that you can store on your PC, Mac, or portable music player. When downloads are played, they deliver a quality of sound that is almost as good as an audio CD, but without the need to store the very large files associated with music in audio CD format.