Rag'n'Bone Man heads 1,500-strong 'brand Britannia' delegation at SXSW

Award-winning singer Rag'n'Bone Man will join the UK's largest ever delegation at the South By Southwest Festival (SXSW) as the Government attempts to help British music and business break new markets.

The double Brit-winner and Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood are part of the 1,500-strong "brand Britannia" team travelling to Austin, Texas for the world's largest creative festival.

Led by the Department For International Trade, the UK will have the largest presence outside the US at SXSW as it prepares to leave the European Union.

Representatives from more than 70 British tech and digital businesses, including a company whose street paving generates electricity from footsteps, will travel to the festival as they attempt to broker deals and break new markets.

Rag'n'Bone Man, real name Rory Graham, will follow in the footsteps of British bands such as Bastille and The 1975 by performing at the festival in a bid to achieve wider acclaim.

International trade minister, Greg Hands, who is travelling to Austin, said the UK's huge presence "shows the strength of brand Britannia".

Mr Hands added: "From what we watch and listen to, to the new technologies making our cities better places to live - UK companies and individuals are here demonstrating ground-breaking ideas that are leading the world.

"Last year we helped boost new export opportunities for our home-grown businesses by around £10 million and with our biggest-ever delegation, this year aims to be even bigger and better".