James Bay (singer)
James Bay | |
---|---|
![]() Bay performing live in Anaheim, California in 2013 | |
Background information | |
Born | 4 September 1990 (age 24) Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England |
Genres | Indie pop, soul, alternative rock |
Years active | 2013–present |
Labels | Virgin EMI, Republic |
Website | jamesbaymusic |
James Bay (born 4 September 1990) is a British singer-songwriter[1][2] and guitarist.[3] He has released a number of EPs and an album, Chaos and the Calm (2015). The album went to number one in the UK and number 15 in the United States. Bay's single "Hold Back the River" peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. Bay grew up in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, and attended Hitchin Boys' School before studying at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music.[3] In 2015, Bay received the Brit Awards "Critics' Choice" award.[4]
Early life
Bay was brought up in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Aged 11, Bay was inspired to play classical guitar after hearing Eric Clapton's Layla. When he moved to study in Brighton seven years later he gained a greater education from playing the city's open mic nights, on which he said, "That taught me a lot about writing and performing on my own and trying to hold my own".[citation needed]
Bay quit BIMM and caught the attention of a Republic Records A&R after a fan uploaded a video to Youtube of him performing at an open mic in London, and within a week he was signed to the label. His first EP, The Dark of the Morning, was released in 2013. Within a year he was selling out his first UK headline tour.[5]
Career
Bay released his debut extended play, The Dark of the Morning, on 18 July 2013. His second EP, Let It Go, was released on 12 May 2014.[6] The Let It Go EP debuted in the Top 10 iTunes album chart[7] and the lead single, titled "Let It Go", peaked at number 62 in the UK charts on 27 September 2014.[8]
Bay has performed live on the Burberry runway and has also recorded a Burberry Acoustic session.[9] Bay toured with Hozier in 2014.[10]
He recorded his debut album Chaos and the Calm at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, with producer Jacquire King.[11]
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [12] |
AUS [13] |
AUT [14] |
BEL [15] |
GER [16] |
IRE [17] |
NLD [18] |
NZ [19] |
SWI [20] |
US [21] | |||
Chaos and the Calm |
|
1 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 15 |
Extended plays
Title | Details |
---|---|
The Dark of the Morning |
|
Let It Go |
|
Hold Back the River |
|
Other Sides |
|
Singles
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [12] |
AUS [13] |
AUT [14] |
BEL [15] |
GER [16] |
IRE [17] |
NLD [18] |
NZ [19] |
SCO [23] |
SWE [24] |
SWI [20] | |||||||||||||
"Let It Go" | 2014 | 52 | 11 | — | 83 | — | 60 | 75 | — | — | — | — | Chaos and the Calm | ||||||||||
"Hold Back the River" | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 18 | 4 | ||||||||||||
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released. |
Other charted songs
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
---|---|---|---|
UK [12] | |||
"Scars" | 2015 | 48 | Chaos and the Calm |
"If You Ever Want to Be in Love" | 96 | ||
"Craving" | 121 | ||
"Best Fake Smile" | 134 | ||
"Running" | 164 | ||
"Move Together" | 171 | ||
"Incomplete" | 179 | ||
"When We Were On Fire" | 181 |
Awards and nominations
Year | Organisation | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | BRIT Awards | Critics' Choice[28] | Won |
MTV | Brand New For 2015[29] | Nominated | |
BBC | BBC Sound of 2015[30][31] | Template:Second |
References
- ^ "New Music - Kimberley Anne, James Bay, Little Bear". Irish Times. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ "BBC Introducing - On the playlist: James Bay". BBC. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ a b Young, Richard (28 May 2010). "Hitchin guitarist "One to watch" says EMI boss". The Comet. Archant Community Media. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ "Brit Awards 2015: Winners list". BBC. Retrieved 26 February 2015
- ^ "Who is James Bay?". 4 December 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ^ "A Name to Remember: James Bay is a voice that you just won't forget". Her. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ "James Bay premieres new single 'Hold Back The River'".
- ^ "James Bay, Artist". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ^ Bayley, Leanne. "James Bay sang at Burberry SS15 show – but who is he?". Glamour Magazine UK.
- ^ Bedian, Knar. "Painted Faces and Fantastic Pipes: James Bay". Sound of Boston. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ^ "James Bay announces debut album". NME. 11 December 2014.
- ^ a b c
- For all except where noted: "James Bay > UK Charts". officialcharts.com. Official Charts Company.
- For "Running": "New Chart Entries > 28.03.2015". zobbel.de. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
- For "Best Fake Smile", "Craving", "Incomplete", "Move Together" and "When We Were On Fire": "New Chart Entries > 04.04.2015". zobbel.de. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
- ^ a b Hung, Steffen. "Discography James Bay". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
- ^ a b Hung, Steffen. "Discographie James Bay". Austrian Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
- ^ a b Hung, Steffen. "Discografie James Bay". Belgium (Flanders) Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
- ^ a b Hung, Steffen. "Discographie James Bay". German Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
- ^ a b Hung, Steffen. "Discography James Bay". Irish Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
- ^ a b Hung, Steffen. "Discografie James Bay". Dutch Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
- ^ a b Hung, Steffen. "Discography James Bay". New Zealand Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
- ^ a b Hung, Steffen. "Discographie James Bay" (select "Charts" tab) (in German). Swiss Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
- ^ "James Bay Chart History" (select "Billboard 200" link). RIAA. Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
{{cite web}}
: templatestyles stripmarker in|work=
at position 1 (help) - ^ a b "Certified Awards Search" (To access, enter the search parameter "James Bay" and select "Search by Keyword"). British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 11 April 2015. Cite error: The named reference "BPI" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Peak positions for singles in Scotland:
- For "Hold Back the River": "Chart Archive – 22nd March 2015". Official Charts Company. March 30, 2015.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "Discografie James Bay". Swedish Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
- ^ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
- ^ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles Chart". ARIA Charts. Australian Recording Industry Association. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
{{cite web}}
: templatestyles stripmarker in|work=
at position 1 (help) - ^ "New Zealand single certifications – James Bay – Hold Back the River". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ "Critic's Choice Winner Announced". Brit Awards. 4 December 2014.
- ^ "MTV's Brand New For 2015 Nominees announced". MTV. 24 November 2014.
- ^ "BBC Music Sound Of 2015 longlist revealed". BBC. 1 December 2014.
- ^ "BBC Music Sound Of 2015: James Bay". BBC News. 8 January 2015.