Jamie T is to start a covers band with his friends.

The British singer - who kicks off his rescheduled tour next month after postponing it because he was ill with laryngitis - plans to get together with two of his childhood pals and perform as a covers group so he can have a break from writing music.

He told BBC 6Music: "I seem to spend a lot of time talking about starting a covers band at the moment, which I'm thinking of doing with a couple of friends. We've done a lot of music over the past year, we've written a lot and I think we are coming to the end of a phase of that I suppose.

"Maybe it's time to stop writing for a bit as strange as that sounds sometimes you need to collect your thoughts a bit before writing so I think a covers band might be fun.

"They're all mates that love music at the moment, just close friends of mine."

However, the 23-year-old 'Sticks 'n' Stones' singer doesn't expect to record with the new group but hopes to perform several "fun" live shows.

He explained: "I think we're just going to play some shows. I think it's just more for the sake of having fun and going out and playing it. I don't think anyone's got any ideas that big about recording them."

Jamie was forced to postpone his 2009 shows after he fell unwell during the Australian leg of his tour in September.