Passenger

Biography

Michael David Rosenberg (born 17 May 1984), better known by his stage name Passenger, is an English indie folk singer, songwriter and musician. From the 2000s, Rosenberg fronted a band by the same name; he opted to keep the Passenger moniker for his solo work after the band dissolved. Rosenberg is best known for the 2012 song "Let Her Go×Let Her Go24 July 2012 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Let Her Go4:132Let Her Go (Acoustic)4:273Let Her Go (Live Version)4:05", which topped the charts in 16 countries and accumulated more than 4 billion views on YouTube. Because Rosenberg was based in Australia at the time of release (and the clip itself was filmed at the Factory Theatre in Marrickville), it is the most-viewed Australian YouTube video ever. In 2014, the song was nominated for the Brit Award for British Single of the Year, and he received the British Academy's Ivor Novello Award for Most Performed Work.
A prolific singer-songwriter, Rosenberg has released 14 studio albums to date: one with the band Passenger, and 14 as a solo artist. The most recent of these, One for the Road, was released in September 2025.

Early life

Rosenberg was born on 17 May 1984 in Brighton to Quaker parents, English mother Jane and American Jewish father, Gerard Rosenberg, originally from Vineland, New Jersey. He has a sister, and learned classical guitar at a young age, beginning to write songs when he was 14 or 15 years old. He left school when he was 16 years old to pursue a music career, and spent the next few years as a busker in England and Australia.

Early years

Rosenberg did his first performance when he was 16 years old. His father, a film production worker, introduced him to Jamie Catto, a former member of the band Faithless, in 2001; it led to Rosenberg getting a two-song spot at the Free Burma Campaign benefit concert at the Royal Court in London in 2002. That night, he met his future writing partner, Andrew Phillips, and established contact with the IE Music label. Back in Brighton, Phillips and Rosenberg pooled their musical influences (from Simon & Garfunkel to DJ Shadow), and started writing songs at Phillips' in-house studio in Hove. In 2003, they formed the Mike Rosenberg Band, engaging Marcus O'Dair (bass), Alon Cohen (drums) and Richard Brinklow (keyboards) through connections within the Brighton music scene.

2003–2009: Passenger

Rosenberg founded the band Passenger with Andrew Phillips in 2003 in Brighton and Hove. The name of the band was stylised as /Passenger. (with a slash at the beginning and a dot at the end). The five-piece band's only album, Wicked Man's Rest×Wicked Man's Rest1 January 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Wicked Man's Rest4:192Night Vision Binoculars3:423Things You've Never Done4:334Do What You Like3:525Needle in the Dark5:056Four Horses4:107You're On My Mind4:378For You3:249Walk in the Rain5:1710Table for One3:1511Girl I Once Knew2:11, was released in 2007, on Chalkmark. Rosenberg wrote the majority of the album's tracks, with the exception of "Four Horses", which was written by Phillips. The band broke up in 2009.

2009–2010: Solo career and Wide Eyes Blind Love, Divers and Submarines and Flight of the Crow

After the break-up of Passenger, Rosenberg kept the band's name as his personal stage name, and took to busking for a solo music career. In October 2009 he moved to Australia, where he supported acts such as Lior and Sydneysiders Elana Stone and Brian Campeau. He then played at One Movement, a major music industry-focused festival in Perth. This earned him a following in Australia and he was selling out 500-seater venues across Australia. His debut solo album, Wide Eyes Blind Love×Wide Eyes Blind Love20 November 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1The Last Unicorn3:002What Will Become of Us2:183I See Love3:034Rainbows1:415Caravan2:566Wide Eyes2:147Underwater Bride4:188Starlings1:289Blind Love3:1710Snowflakes2:44, was released in 2009. It was produced and mixed by former bandmate Andrew Phillips, who also provided backing vocals, guitar and other instruments, and featured vocals by Isobel Anderson. Rosenberg also played various shows in the United Kingdom during this time, including a support slot for Turin Brakes' tenth anniversary show at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London.
Rosenberg produced a fans-only limited release Divers and Submarines, again supported by former bandmate Andrew Phillips and vocalist Isobel Anderson. His third studio album, Flight of the Crow×Flight of the Crow24 September 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Month of Sundays3:552What You're Thinking2:553Shape of Love3:084The One You Love3:025Golden Thread4:016Rivers3:317Travelling Song2:388The Girl Running3:259Diamonds2:4310Bloodstains3:4511Flight of the Crow3:40, was recorded in Australia and saw him joined in the studio by various Australian artists including Lior, Kate Miller-Heidke, Boy & Bear, Josh Pyke and Katie Noonan.

2011–2013: All The Little Lights

Rosenberg's fourth album, All the Little Lights×All the Little Lights24 February 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 20 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Things That Stop You Dreaming3:352Let Her Go4:133Staring at the Stars3:244All the Little Lights3:565The Wrong Direction3:416Circles3:127Keep On Walking4:088Patient Love3:119Life’s for the Living4:3410Holes3:3311Feather on the Clyde5:0212I Hate (live from The Borderline, London)3:33Disc 21Let Her Go (acoustic)4:272Staring at the Stars (acoustic)2:443All the Little Lights (acoustic)3:194Circles (acoustic)3:085Keep on Walking (acoustic)3:556Patient Love (acoustic)3:197Life’s for the Living (acoustic)4:298Feather on the Clyde (acoustic)3:46, was released in the summer of 2012 in North America on Nettwerk Records. Recorded at Linear Recording in Sydney, Rosenberg worked with a core Australian band that included Boy & Bear drummer Tim Hart, jazz bassist Cameron Undy, and keyboards player Stu Hunter, from Katie Noonan and The Captains. During the summer and autumn of 2012, Rosenberg toured the UK, opening for Jools Holland and Ed Sheeran, the latter of whom he had known since Sheeran was about 15 while living in Cambridge. He joined Australian acts the John Butler Trio, and Josh Pyke with a co-headlined UK tour. He also opened for Ed Sheeran's 2012 North American tour and also in Paris. He also opened for Ed Sheeran on four of his five sell-out dates in Ireland in January 2013 and in Australia and New Zealand in early 2013, and supported Sheeran in his Brighton dates and in Reading. Rosenberg performed "All the Little Lights" at the Children in Need Rocks concert at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, broadcast on BBC One on 14 November 2013.

2014–2015: Whispers and Whispers II

On 24 March 2014, Rosenberg unveiled "Whispers×Whispers4 August 2014 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Whispers4:02", the title track of his new album, as part of his set at the Teenage Cancer Trust charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London where he also performed alongside Ed Sheeran. On 26 March 2014 Rosenberg announced details of his fifth studio album. He released Whispers on 9 June 2014. Talking to Digital Spy about the album, he said: "This is easily the most 'up' album I've ever made, it's quite cinematic. There are lots of big stories and big ideas. There are also some sombre moments about loneliness and death but hey, it wouldn't be a Passenger album without those". He released "Hearts on Fire" as the album's lead single on 14 April 2014.
Rosenberg recorded Whispers II at the same time as recording Whispers. Whispers II was released on 20 April 2015. All profits from the album go to the UNICEF UK initiative to help children in Liberia.

2016–2017: Young as the Morning, Old as the Sea and The Boy Who Cried Wolf

On 16 June 2016, the music video for "Somebody's Love" was uploaded to his YouTube channel, thereby announcing his seventh album, Young as the Morning, Old as the Sea. A second track from the album, "Anywhere×Anywhere19 August 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Anywhere (acoustic)3:15" was released on 19 August 2016. Young as the Morning, Old as the Sea was released on 23 September 2016, and became Passenger's first UK number one album.
On 25 July 2017, at the end of his Young as the Morning, Old as the Sea tour, Rosenberg announced via the Passenger Facebook page that his performance on Sunday 23 July would be "my/our last gig for a while". The following day, he announced that his eighth album, The Boy Who Cried Wolf×The Boy Who Cried Wolf28 July 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Simple Song3:482Sweet Louise3:573The Boy Who Cried Wolf3:174Walls3:425Setting Suns4:176And I Love Her2:437Someday4:088In the End3:059Thunder and Lightning1:4510Lanterns5:01, would be released two days later on 28 July 2017. The album was announced with a livestream of the album performed live in its entirety, broadcast from Passenger's studio simultaneously to YouTube and Facebook. The album charted at number 5 in the Official UK Charts.

2018: Runaway

On 18 May 2018, Passenger released the song "Hell or High Water×Hell or High Water18 May 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Hell or High Water3:40". It was recorded in a variety of different national parks across Utah, Nevada, Arizona and California In the following days, he also announced an autumn European tour and teased fans through social media with a cover for a new album.

On 25 May 2018, he formally announced his ninth studio album, Runaway×Runaway31 August 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Hell or High Water3:422Why Can’t I Change3:113Heart to Love3:184Let’s Go3:155He Leaves You Cold3:226Ghost Town5:137Runaway3:108Eagle Bear Buffalo3:249To Be Free4:4810Survivors4:59Disc 21Survivors (live from Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park, CA)4:442To Be Free (live from Dauphin Rd, Vineland, NJ)4:423Eagle Bear Buffalo (live from Canaan Mountain Wilderness Area, UT)3:284Runaway (live from Joshua Tree National Park, CA)3:225Ghost Town (live from Michigan Theatre, Detroit, MI)4:236He Leaves You Cold (live from Unityville, PA)3:247Let’s Go (live from Trough Rd, State Bridge, CO)2:508Heart to Love (live from a Rooftop in Manhattan, NY)3:179Why Can’t I Change (live from Tahkenitch Landing Campground, Gardiner, OR)3:1610Hell or High Water (live from Santa Monica Beach, Los Angeles, CA)3:10, and released a live acoustic version of "Hell or High Water" recorded in Venice, Los Angeles. Passenger described Runaway as a concept album, as he realised many of the songs had a strong sense of Americana. He also believed the songs would work well accompanied by American visuals and thus, alongside long-time collaborators Jarrad Seng, Stu Larsen and Chris Vallejo, embarked on a three-week-long road trip through the United States to film videos for each track. Additionally, they recorded acoustic videos for each track, filmed in a variety of different locations. Rosenberg plans to release a song every three weeks, sharing both the official and acoustic videos, plus behind-the-scenes footage. Runaway was released on 31 August 2018.

2019–2020: Sometimes It's Something, Sometimes It's Nothing at All, Patchwork and world tour

On 18 March 2019, Passenger released the song "Restless Wind" on YouTube. Two more songs, "Helplessly Lost" and "Paper Cut, Chinese Burn", were subsequently released a month later, as well as a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide". On 2 May 2019, Passenger both announced and released his tenth album, Sometimes It's Something, Sometimes It's Nothing at All. Unlike more recent Passenger albums, the record is arranged entirely for vocals, acoustic guitar and a string quartet. All the profits from sales will be donated to Shelter, a UK-based homeless charity.
At the end of January, Passenger announced a world tour including dates in the UK, Europe, Australia, North America, and New Zealand. On 20 March 2020, he announced and released his new single "The Way That I Love You×The Way That I Love You20 March 2020 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1The Way That I Love You2:40" with a video. On 1 May 2020, he released his new single "London In The Spring×London in the Spring1 May 2020 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1London in the Spring2:582The Way That I Love You2:40". On 10 July 2020, Passenger released his eleventh album Patchwork×Patchwork10 July 2020 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Sword from the Stone (Patchwork Version)3:372Year on Year, Day by Day (Patchwork Version)3:273Patchwork2:574Venice Canals3:115Queenstown4:076Swimming Upstream2:267Someone You Loved (Cover)3:058Summer Rain3:17. The album was written and recorded during the coronavirus lockdown alongside producer Chris Vallejo and guest musicians Andrew Phillips (a collaborator of Rosenberg's and formerly of the band Passenger) and Richard Brinklow. The record was released as a funding project for The Trussell Trust, an NGO and charity that works to end the need for food banks in the UK.

2020–2021: Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted

On 8 January 2021, Passenger released Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted. The record was supposed to be released by early 2020, but later delayed due to the coronavirus lockdown. The record's release supports both Ecologi and Eden Reforestation Projects, non-profit organisations aiming to rebuild natural landscapes destroyed by deforestation. A tree will be planted for every physical copy of the album sold via the Passenger store.

2022: Birds That Flew and Ships That Sailed

On April 14, 2022, Passenger released his 14th studio album, Birds That Flew and Ships That Sailed×Birds That Flew and Ships That Sailed8 April 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Bird in Flight2:562Against the Grain3:383Chasing Gold2:364Birds That Flew and Ships That Sailed3:005Blink of an Eye4:336However It Comes, Wherever It Goes2:207New Until It’s Old5:008I Won’t Be There That Day2:409Do What’s Right4:3510Going Going Gone2:42. The album was released independently, without a record label or a press team. The record release supports Plastic Bank, a social enterprise that combats plastic pollution in the ocean. The record debuted at Number 35 on the Official UK Albums Chart, marking Passenger's 8th album to enter the UK Top 40.

2025: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry musical

In February 2025, it was announced that Passenger will write the music and lyrics for the stage musical adaptation of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. The musical premiered at Minerva Theatre, Chichester in May 2025. The show transferred to the West End, starting 29 January 2026. On 10 September 2025, Passenger released One for the Road (Songs from the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry the Musical), including "Song for the Countryside×Song for the Countryside18 July 2025 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Song for the Countryside2:29", featuring Jack Wolfe, who originated the role of the Balladeer and "Walk Upon the Water" featuring The Kingdom Choir. On the same day, tickets for the West End production went on sale.

Personal life

Rosenberg currently lives in Brighton. He is a fan of English football club Arsenal F.C. In a 2021 interview, he said he became an Arsenal supporter despite being from Brighton after watching Arsenal beating Sheffield Wednesday F.C. in the FA Cup Final in 1993. In May 2015, Rosenberg appeared at Arsenal's 'A Night to Inspire' event and played a version of the '49 Undefeated' fan chant.

Studio albums

Wicked Man's Rest (2007)
Wide Eyes Blind Love (2009)
Divers & Submarines (2010)
Flight of the Crow (2010)
All the Little Lights (2012)
Whispers (2014)
Whispers II (2015)
Young as the Morning Old as the Sea (2016)
The Boy Who Cried Wolf (2017)
Runaway (2018)
Sometimes It's Something, Sometimes It's Nothing at All (2019)
Patchwork (2020)
Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted (2021)
Birds That Flew and Ships That Sailed (2022)
One for the Road (Songs from the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry the Musical) (2025)
Wild Love (2026)

Other albums

Sunday Night Sessions (2017)
Passenger (Live from San Francisco) (2023)