The Soundcheck: Andrew Cushin lifts the lid after first live performance trackside

As singer-songwriter Andrew Cushin prepares to take to the stage with us at the British Grand Prix, he reflects on his intimate gig atop the Aston Martin Aramco House in the heart of the Imola paddock and reveals what fans can expect from him at Silverstone as The Soundcheck series comes home.

Formula One and music go hand in hand. From the intricate guitars and thumping drums of Fleetwood Mac's The Chain – synonymous with the BBC's coverage of the sport – to modern crossovers involving the Ed Sheeran, Tate McRae et al. on the soundtrack for F1: The Movie, our sport runs to a unique rhythm.

This season, we've collaborated with a number of leading artists: Grammy award winner Tems helped unveil the AMR25 at F1 75 Live with an elegant and breathtaking performance, and our launch of I / AM DROPS – a collection of ultra-limited and once-in-a-lifetime fan experiences – has seen us team up with The Rolling Stones, Dom Dolla, and Santan Dave – with more collabs on the horizon.

We're also bringing live music to the Formula One paddock. Following the successful launch of The Soundcheck, which saw rising star Andrew Cushin take to the stage at the AMR Technology Campus last year as we aim to promote and champion new and emerging artists and grassroots music, the Newcastle native joined us in Imola for an acoustic set.

Fresh from playing in front of paddock guests, Formula One media and members of our team at the Aston Martin Aramco House in Imola, Andrew gave us the lowdown on his intimate performance, his Grand Prix weekend experience with the team, and what we can look forward to from him in the near future.

Andrew, you headlined the first-ever trackside instalment of The Soundcheck. How did you find it?

"I really enjoyed it. Obviously, it was quite different to what I've done before in terms of being in the Formula One paddock, but fundamentally it was still an acoustic set which I've done loads of before. It's your bread and butter as a musician and I love doing them.

"In a sense, the set took me back to when I was first starting out as a musician, playing to an audience that perhaps didn't know me all that well. I love the challenge of trying to get people's attention and getting more people listening to my music. That's the beauty of The Soundcheck, it's a cool initiative anyway, but it's also a chance for people to hear new music and for artists like me to get my records heard by new audiences.

"People came over afterwards and said they enjoyed it and that they would be checking me out on Spotify because they'd not listened to me before. As a musician you come across people from all different walks of life and you're trying to pull them in as fans. It was a great night, a friendly environment, and I'm really pleased how it went."

The sheer scale of the sport is monumental. I've got friends who are crazy about Formula One and I'm beginning to see why.

It was also your first Grand Prix weekend. What have you learned about Formula One?

"My mind was blown to be honest. The team really treated me with a behind-the-scenes tour around the paddock and garage; it was like going to a football match for the first time and sitting in the dressing room with the players.

"I felt a bit spoilt, and it was very surreal. I didn't realise the scale of Formula One before I arrived in Imola, but seeing how much goes into making these cars go fast was incredible. The sheer scale of the sport as an operation is monumental. I've got friends who are crazy about Formula One and I'm beginning to see why."

We last spoke in December at the launch of The Soundcheck at the AMR Technology Campus. What have you been up to since then?

"I've been touring a lot to promote my new album which was my highest charting so far. It went in the top 40 in the UK which was huge. My first album made the top 75 and we've outsold that by more than four times which is brilliant.

"We've got some more touring to come. We'll be going back to the United States, doing some more sets in Europe and the United Kingdom, and we'll finish with something really big in my hometown of Newcastle. It's similar to Formula One in a way, with all the travelling and performing. It's the best job in the world."

You'll be with us at the British Grand Prix. What can we expect from you?

"I'll be doing another acoustic set at the team's Silverstone campus so hopefully we'll get another good turnout and I will get to meet some of the team's partners and guests. Maybe even see some familiar faces from Imola.

"Over the weekend, I'll also be performing with my band at the team's lawn event. In Imola it was just me and my guitar but in Silverstone we'll be able to bring a different kind of performance which is brilliant."

The team is taking the sport into new spaces and bringing it to new fans.

Aston Martin Aramco has immersed itself in music this year, bringing fans new experiences not normally associated with Formula One. As a musician, how exciting is it to see?

"I've not seen anyone doing what Aston Martin Aramco is doing in terms of The Soundcheck.

"Initiatives like this put upcoming musicians in front of brand-new audiences and bring a lot of music fans, who maybe aren't aware of the sport, into the world of Formula One.

"When I was preparing before the performance, people in the paddock were walking past and looking up to see what was going on, so that just showed how different The Soundcheck is. There were people who came to the show who've been to hundreds of Grands Prix, but they had never really seen something like it before.

"The other collaborations the team has done as part of I / AM DROPS and with Tems at F1 75 Live are really exciting. The team is giving fans something different, something exciting. It's taking the sport into new spaces and bringing it to new fans; I'm incredibly proud to be part of that.

"In a few years, I imagine everybody's going to be trying to do what Aston Martin Aramco is doing. The beauty of it is you guys were first."

The Soundcheck