Emerging soul singer-songwriter Danny Toeman's name appears on this weekend's Cambridge Club Festival bill alongside Diana Ross, The Jacksons and TLC.

The emerging artist from Camden secured his main stage performance at the Cambourne festival after entering The Cambridge Club's Live and Local contest.

"My name appearing next to the likes of Diana Ross is very very surreal," Danny said.

"I had actually forgotten I put my name down for Live and Local when I received the email so say I made the competition final."

%image(15510135, type="article-full", alt=""My name appearing next to the likes of Diana Ross is very very surreal," said Camden-based Danny Toeman")

Danny won his slot after the Live and Local final at The Graduate Hotel, Cambridge on April 28.

He went up against London-based disco-psych-pop duo Goodvibes Sound, indie singer-songwriter Oscar Corney from Cambridge, and Alex Francis - who has toured alongside the likes of Sting, Stereophonics and Melanie C.

But he's no stranger to performing on some of the country's biggest stages. In 2019, Danny Toeman supported 'Get Down On It' band Kool and the Gang at The O2 in Greenwich.

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He said: "Throughout my whole career, I've worked for all the opportunities, performing where I can.

"These opportunities only come up so often - and when you've performed, the success only lasts so long.

"I've been very fortunate in London to get the invitations to perform at some of the biggest soul venues in the UK.

"But I wasn't half as nervous about performing at the O2 as I am about appearing at The Cambridge Club.

"Sure, I was nervous just before I went on - that's natural - but The Cambridge Club's line-up is massive."

The Cambridge Club - held at Childerley Orchard - staged its first outing in 2017, headlined by Craig Charles and Sister Sledge.

In 2022, the festival is a three-day event with chart-topping headliners from across the globe.

Is soul on the up?

"I don't think there are many people in the world who don't like soul music," he said.

"There are songs which will be popular for all-time, but it's the sort of genre that people dip in and out of.

"I don't think there's a great resurgence or a new heyday, but it's feelgood music and that's what's so great about what I do."

Danny added that producing feelgood music is what inspires him.

He said his 2022 release "Shake the Blue (Outta Your Shoes)" was a much-needed antidote to "all the seriousness" of the 2020s.

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Where are the best places to see live funk, soul and R&B?

"It's a bit unusual to land on the festival circuit," Danny said.

"There are some great venues in Cambridge, including Cambridge Junction.

"The HiFi Club in Leeds is definitely a favourite, but I've had some quirky ones.

"PizzaExpress Live in Holborn is a really interesting experience which I love.

"I played a really intimate gig at No. 84 Tearoom in Gravesend the other week.

"That was a really strange venue but the acoustics were great.

"It only seats 25 or so people so you can really build an interesting relationship with the audience - which is what soul is about in many ways."