Tom Odell was born in Chichester, West Sussex. His father works as an airline pilot, while his mother is a primary school teacher. Tom also has an older sister.
He spent part of his childhood in New Zealand because of his father's work. He attended a public school, Seaford College, where he met his friend and future collaborator Ian Miller.
At a very young age, Odell studied classical piano and began writing songs at the age of thirteen, but thinking he was not good enough and for fear of not being understood musically, he did not show his lyrics to anyone. At the age of eighteen he dropped out of university and tried to find a position as a teacher at a music school in Liverpool. He performed on the piano in a nightclub but was unsuccessful, worked as a barman to support himself but was fired and after a year returned to his native Chichester. Tom Odell does not give up and often travels to London in his mother's car to try to find his own way in the music world, he drops out of music school and finally manages to move to London to play in a band, Tom and the Tides. The adventure with the band is short-lived because he himself decides to become a soloist.
Odell has a contract with the record company Columbia Records. He was discovered by Lily Allen, who stated that 'his energy on stage reminds her of David Bowie'. He released his first EP Songs from Another Lovein October 2012. He made his television debut by participating in Jools Holland's show.
Tom Odell's music has been used at numerous Burberry fashion shows.
Odell's debut album, Long Way Down, was released on 24 June 2013, and reached number one in the UK sales chart.
The second album, Wrong Crowdwas released on 10 June 2016 with 11 previously unreleased tracks. The release Deluxeof the album contains four more tracks.
On 22 June 2018, he announced the release of his third album, entitled Jubilee Road, for the following 26 October. On 27 July 2018, the video for the track that gave the album its name was released, Jubilee Road.
The singer-songwriter's third studio album consists of 10 tracks on vinyl, the CD version contains an additional track If You Wanna Love Somebody (sigle version).
The fourth studio album, entitled monsters, was released on 9 July 2021. The album consists of 16 tracks, the sounds used are affected by the closure period related to the COVID-19 pandemic and take on a more electronic and intimate feel.
On 28 October 2022, the fifth studio album is released under the title Best Day Of My Life consisting of 12 tracks.
Tom Odell's latest album is Black Fridayreleased in January 2024.
