Passenger: “Let Her Go selling a million copies is a huge surprise!”

Mike Rosenberg chats to OfficialCharts.com about Let Her Go becoming one of the UK’s biggest selling singles of all-time.

Last week, Passenger’s Let Her Go broke through the million copies sales barrier to become one of the UK’s biggest selling singles of all-time.

It became the fourth million-selling single to be released this year, following hot on the heels of Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines, Daft Punk’s Get Lucky and Avicii’s Wake Me Up. Interestingly though, not only is Let Her Go the first million seller by a British artist this year, it’s also the only million seller released in 2013 not to have gone to Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart!

We caught up with Passenger, AKA Mike Rosenberg, to find out how it feels to have a million-selling single...

Congratulations on scoring one of the UK’s biggest selling singles not just of 2013, but of all-time! How does it feel?

“Thanks very much and, wow! I had no idea that was the case. It feels wonderful but completely ridiculous if I'm honest, (laughs). For the last five years I’ve been busking and playing tiny gigs in pubs, so for one of my songs to suddenly get so popular is not only a dream come true, but also a huge surprise.”

While it has topped the charts all around the world, Let Her Go is the only UK million seller to have charted this year not to have actually reached Number 1 on our shores (it peaked at Number 2 in April). You were kept off the top of our very own Official Singles Chart spot by two little-known robots called Daft Punk. Do you feel robbed?

“I know! Those pesky robots! As I said in the answer to the previous question, all of this success has come as such a surprise, that I was over the moon to be anywhere near the charts, let alone at Number 2. Of course it would have been nice to have an Official Number 1 in the UK, but you never know, maybe one day. Plus Get Lucky is a massive tune!”

Let Her Go spent 30 weeks bubbling away inside the Top 40, so is clearly well-loved by the British public. Are you surprised by the song’s longevity this year?

“Yeah, surprised and that’s actually one of the most pleasing things about it; it wasn't a song that shot to the top and then, two weeks later, was nowhere to be seen. As you say, it hung around for a long time, which suggests that people weren't getting sick of it. I think, and hope, that is a really good sign.”

How did the track come about? Is it autobiographical? Was it written about one of your lost loves?

“Actually yes, a lot of my songs are stories about people I have met along the way but this one was very personal. I feel very lucky that I can put all of those feelings in to music and turn a sad situation in to a song that hopefully can help myself, and others going through similar things. I think that’s been one of the most rewarding things about this song - getting messages from people saying that it has helped them through a situation.”

You’re on tour in Australia at the moment, are you flying back to the UK any time soon? And how will you be spending the holidays?

“Yeah ,this is the last leg of what has been a very long year! I’ve got two more shows before flying back to the UK to spend Christmas with my family and friends. I can't wait to see them all!”