By Monica Dinh
Entertainment Editor

Originating from Brighton, England, Passenger isn’t exactly a “new” band, but their raw and eclectic sounds are drawing in attention from all over the world. During earlier days the band was comprised of mainly Andrew Phillips and Mike Rosenberg along with a few other members. After the release of their first and only album together, “Wicked Man’s Rest” the band broke up when Phillips and the others left.

Mike Rosenberg decided to front the music scene on his own and took up “Passenger” as his stage name. Rosenberg began mainly by writing acoustic music and playing on street corners in England. It definitely hasn’t always been easy for him. In a July 2013 article in USA Today written by Karina Lopez, Rosenberg said, “I traveled on my own, busking for years and staying at the cheapest places, like a shared dorm in a hostel.” It’s not the easiest way of living, but Rosenberg now chooses to live a nomadic life and often finds his inspiration from the different characters he meets.
The style and sound of the Passenger’s first album was a compilation of different sounds. They were still in the beginning stages of finding themselves as a band and when Rosenberg took over, Passenger’s sounds became his thoughts and his feelings.

He adds factors of lightness and airiness to deep set music. The way Rosenberg composes his music allows audiences to understand his lyrics even though the beat of his music runs at a rapid pace; like thoughts are streaming right out of his mind. “I think it’s important to get all of your personality across in the music,” Rosenberg said.

One thing that almost everyone can agree on is that Passenger has a distinctly unique voice that encompasses clearness and peacefulness all at the same time. “The instant I heard the song ‘Night Vision Binoculars,’ I fell in love with their sound. It was something you don’t really hear often and it was so unique,” Meredith Reed, a junior at Neshaminy and longtime fan of Passenger said.

Since their first album Passenger has released a few albums including “Wide Eyes Blind Love” (2009), “Flight of the Crow” (2010), “Divers and Submarines” (2010), and the most recent of the bunch “All the Little Lights” (2012). “All the Little Lights” has been a huge success especially the single “Let Her Go” which topped charts in 16 different countries.

Rosenberg has been working on multiple projects that included as an opening act for UK artist Ed Sheeran as he toured America. Sheeran and Rosenberg played at the Penn’s Landing stage Sept. of 2012. The two sing the song “Hearts on Fire” together, in which Rosenberg will come in during Sheeran’s set every show of their tour last year. Since this tour, both of their careers have skyrocketed- and they have the number one selling records to prove it.

As of right now Passenger is in full swing of a tour that’s ranging from Europe to New Zealand to Australia. Things are really kicking off for the British one-man band and the popularity of Passenger is quickly on the rise.