Born in Hitchin in 1990, James Bay is a singer-songwriter whose music spans indie-pop, blues-rock and soul. He scored a triple-platinum hit in 2014 together with his stadium anthem Maintain Again the River, taken from his debut album, Chaos and the Calm, which received the coveted Brits critics’ selection award. The album went straight to No 1 within the UK charts and was adopted by the R&B-inspired Electrical Mild; a 3rd album is due out later this yr. Bay is at present taking part in small-capacity gigs in assist of Impartial Venue Week; the tour ends on 4 February. A former face of Burberry, he lives in London together with his associate, Lucy Smith, and their daughter.
This picture was taken after I was 17 and sitting in Lucy’s halls of residence in Brighton. I used to be moving into the temper of what the following few years could be: riders stuffed with chips and beer. I’d had lengthy hair since I used to be 12, so chopping it off was fairly an outrageous factor for me to do on the time, particularly because it ended up trying a bit like a mullet. It'd appear to be I used to be that stereotypical man on the occasion with the acoustic guitar, however I wasn’t that naff. I used to be at all times taking part in music, although, or a minimum of at all times making an attempt.
I grew up in just a little city referred to as Hitchin in Hertfordshire. As soon as the right teenage years kicked in, I began to get bored, so I’d break into grocery store automobile parks and skateboard all night time. Within the background was this fixed obsession with music. I first picked up a guitar after I was 11; by the point I used to be 14 I’d found Weapons N’ Roses and Cream, and was totally fixated. As an alternative of posters, I’d draw my heroes, like Jimi Hendrix and Slash, and stick them on my bed room wall.
Though I’d get the occasional particular person shouting “Minimize your hair!” at me, I used to be actually tall, which is a little bit of a godsend on the subject of avoiding bullying. It was fortunate, as I used to be an introverted teenager. Most of all, I used to be my brother Alex’s wingman. Together with another associates, he and I shaped a band referred to as Roadrunner and spent our evenings taking part in pubs or individuals’s residing rooms.
The remainder of the group regarded like Kings of Leon of their bootcuts, previous band T-shirts and layered hair. I used to be extra hippy-like: dishevelled denims and Converse. I didn’t have the heart to drag off cowboy boots or something too extravagant. In consequence, my brother was the lead singer and I used to be the one standing behind him. Finally his confidence rubbed off on me. It was on these journeys to see Lucy in Brighton the place I found the open mic nights within the metropolis. I lastly felt as if I might step into the highlight and do that by myself.
At first I felt stress and anxiousness as a solo artist. There was one bleak night time in Hitchin the place I performed to at least one previous man standing 25ft away from me in an empty room. The man operating the venue was not completely happy: “The place’s the fucking viewers, mate? I’m making an attempt to become profitable on the bar and also you’ve not introduced anyone besides this previous bloke who’s right here day-after-day.”
The tragic experiences made the unimaginable moments when individuals did begin to flip up even higher, although. There was one other present in a pub in Hitchin the place a crowd of fifty individuals have been dropping their minds. The promoter leaned over the audio system and gave me a tenner to do two extra songs. So I did. After which he gave me one other tenner to do two extra songs after that. It was nights like that the place I felt like one thing had shifted.
I nonetheless knock round with the identical gang of associates that I did after I was 15, in order that they know easy methods to preserve me in examine. That’s actually useful when your profession is first taking off. Initially it was a bizarre sensation to have individuals touch upon how I regarded. I used to put on hats, a method that grew to become my signature search for Chaos and the Calm. The press would give attention to my fedora, and so it grew to become central to how I used to be perceived. So today I don’t put on one. I’m glad to have kicked the behavior.
I don’t wish to be unoriginal, however I positively discovered the specter of the second album overwhelming. I used to be amazed by the reception of my debut and whereas it regarded like an in a single day success, I’d been making an attempt to make it occur since I used to be 14. It was 10 years of arduous work after which all of it went in a short time, a extremely loopy trip. It was that transition from being an harmless inventive artist to having this nagging voice in my head – saying, “Are you able to really do that once more? Your new album higher win all of the accolades the primary one did!” – that made me query what I used to be doing.
The stress didn’t cease me from having an excellent time taking it on tour, although. Not that I'm very rock’n’roll. I've to maintain myself; my voice received’t work if I’m hungover.
Opening for the Rolling Stones at Twickenham Stadium in 2018 was among the finest days of my life. It was additionally completely illuminating. They’re essentially the most rock’n’roll band on the earth, and but earlier than the present Mick Jagger was backstage doing a full exercise with 10 private trainers. It made me really feel all proper about all these instances I’ve gone again to the resort alone to get an early night time.
Wanting again at this picture, I see a man who was passionate and pushed, however I had no thought how hungry I’d have to be to stay round. I’ve positively turn out to be extra calm and assured, and my hair’s probably a bit higher. Plus there’s no extra chips and dips on my rider. All the pieces is now in recyclable packaging and is as natural and wholesome as it may well probably be. No medicine, no Jameson. One good bottle of wine, on the very wildest. Let’s not overdo it.
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