NEWPORT’s very own blue-grass four piece are looking forward to an exciting 2014 as they begin a new project backed by American Idol presenter Ryan Seacrest’s website.

The Beef Seeds’ bluegrass cover version of Avicii’s Wake me Up was picked up by Ryan Seacrest after it was played on the radio in America.

It then joined 14 other covers of the song, from which members of the public voted for their favourite. The votes were cast and the Newport musicians were announced the winners in December.

Lead vocalist Peet Morgan said: “A few days after we won, we had a phone call from a chap in LA and have been talking to him ever since. We’re now working with some guys who have broken some high-profile acts.”

The band is now working on a project with the American music website to create a medley of some of the most popular tracks of 2013.

Mr Morgan, 30, said: “We’ve already covered quite a lot of them, but there are a few we missed.

“We’re bouncing ideas back and forth and learning what would be appealing to an American market.”

Assuming it’s up to the mark, ryanseacrest.com will then be used as the launch pad for the video project.

“They really like what we do. We never expected anything like this. It’s still a bit weird when the phone rings,” said Mr Morgan.

The band started just last year. Mr Morgan lives with other band members Becky Johnson, Scott Bowman and Adam Beale on Malpas Road in Shaftesbury. Their rehearsal studio is in their back garden and their videos are recorded in the Albany Industrial Estate, Crindau.

The group’s 20 videos include covers of Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball, Katy Perry and Toto, which have attracted thousands of views online. Beef Seeds ended 2013 by reaching 800,000 views on their YouTube channel.

“We just need the views to keep increasing,” said Mr Morgan, who hinted a party may be in order when they hit the one million mark.

“We’re really aiming to get to the States in 2014. It’would be a dream come true. So many people are asking if we are going to go and offering us places to stay.” he said.

Despite being evacuated from their Crindau studio last Friday due to flood warnings, the band continued to work practise and record over the weekend, with the help of some homemade sand bags, releasing a new video online last night of Eminem and Rihanna’s hit single, ‘Monster’.