A former islander has secured his first big step on the way to forging his professional future in music.

Grime and urban artist Toby Caulfield, who performs under the stage name ’99’, heard his latest single, ’Silly Love’, played on BBC Introducing over the weekend.

Now living in York, the 22-year-old MC and rapper has been diligently working hard and, up until the lockdown, was making a name for himself through the clubs and venues around North Yorkshire, and succeeding in getting his single to be played on the national airwaves is the first big breakthrough of his fledgling career.

Toby grew up in the island and lived in Castletown with his Manx mother, Alison Moore, attending King William’s College and St Ninian’s High School.

As the island isn’t well-known for having a thriving grime and dance scene, Toby felt the only way he could make his way in music was to leave the island and forge his own path.

’I have been playing and producing music since I was 16,’ said Toby.

’Obviously I started in my bedroom and I tried all sorts of styles of music.

’My main area is as an MC and a rapper and I mainly make grime and rap music, although I also give other things, like punk and rock, a go.

’I like to try and challenge myself and play and write with as many different types of music as I can.’

’Silly Love’ is a pop-trap song created along side Nottingham-based artist, Jodie Thornley, better known as ’JaeeJaee’.

Toby said that he is one of very few urban artists from the North Yorkshire area to be recognised by the BBC and he hopes it will spur him onto bigger things.

’It was great to have to picked,’ he said.

’I know a lot of friends and fellow musicians who have tried to get through and they never get anywhere.

’It’s hard to get picked , as they get hundreds of songs uploaded each week.

’It was great to sit and listen to the show on Saturday with my mates.

’Hopefully it will generate a bit of momentum and I can attract more people to my music.

’I’ve had a great deal of positive feedback already and loads of my friends from all over, including the Isle of Man have been getting in touch and congratulating me.

’Even though I live in North Yorkshire now, I’m proud of my Manx roots and heritage and I always try to represent it when I can.

’I hope that my success here will encourage others to give it a go too.

’Hopefully people see me, just a guy who grew up in Castletown and think that they can do it too.’