IT'S been an eventful year for 22-year-old Willow Robinson, who, a little over a year ago, played his first public performance and immediately found himself a manager - the kind of break anyone with an eye on a career in the music industry dreams of. This year, after touring with the Jesus and Mary Chain, Cast and Kula Shaker, he'll be taking to the Telegraph stage at Hay Festival.

Before he first picked up a guitar at the age of 10 Willow had played the piano but given it up. "I'd probably have given up music altogether," he says, "but my parents suggested doing guitar instead. I was quite good at the piano and they were keen on me pursuing it.

"I started by playing classical guitar for two years, but wasn't that inspired because I was more into contemporary and rock music. Then I got an electric guitar. After that I played all day long every day. It really inspired me.

It took a few years to get into, but it completely consumed my life. And living in a rural area, there wasn't a lot else to do. It's very therapeutic and a great way of unwinding and of connecting with your creativity.

"I was probably about 13 when I started writing. I joined a band locally and we wrote all our own songs and I used to love doing that."

Willow reveals that he always has a notebook in which he'll make a note of snatches of lyrics, but it may take a while before they're put to music. "I started singing when I was about 19 and that's when the songs started to fit into place. "I let fate decide which lyrics match which bit of music."

Then, about 15 months ago, having booked a tour, Willow decided he'd better put himself in front of an audience so that he had some sort of experience before the tour. "I played this show at a small venue near Hay-on-Wye and got an amazing reaction. I was very shocked. I'd thought I was going to be bottled and think 'this is the point where I give up singing' but it went down amazingly well." Unknown to Willow there was an industry heavyweight in the audience who was similarly impressed. "Luckily I didn't know Alan McGee (who has managed and promoted bands including Oasis and the Libertines) was sitting there otherwise I'd never have been able to get up on the state, but he was the first to reach me and asked if I wanted a manager. That's how it all happened."

Since then Willow has been on the road as support for Charlie Simpson on his UK tour in January last year, played two shows supporting the Jesus And Mary Chain at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, and joined Killing Joke for four shows on their UK tour as the opening act. He recently supported Cast, announced as headliners for Lakefest at Eastnor in August, on their full UK tour and will be on tour with Kula Shaker this month. His debut single, Stones, and EP are out now.

See Willow Robinson on stage on Friday, May 27 at Hay Festival. To book, visit hayfestival.org or call the box office on 01497 822629.