James Bay
James Bay
James Bayis a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean, of which James Bay is the southernmost part. It borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bayare part of Nunavut. The James Bay watershed is the site of several major hydroelectric projects, and is also a destination for river-based recreation. Several communities are located near or alongside James Bay, including a number...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionRock Singer
Date of Birth4 September 1990
CityHitchin, England
When I'm writing, I need to amplify my thoughts and feelings on just a conversation that I might have had with somebody - somebody close to me. It's often the case that the people closest to me are the people on my mind the most.
Growing up, when I was at live shows, I was always hoping someone would come out on stage and say, 'The guitarist is sick and couldn't make it... does anybody know how to play all the songs?' That was always my little dream. It was a massively inspiring thing to be in a space with live shows.
My songwriting process, and maybe loads of other people's, is just this sort of smashing together of emotions and stuff to make some music. It's kind of simple and really complex at the same time and, as you can see, incredibly hard to explain.
I hope to have a long career, and I don't want to be defined by things that aren't the music.
I write about personal experiences. I write about things that have happened to me and the people around me, so you just sort of keep this antenna up and on the lookout for things to say.
How I set myself apart is by creating the sort of real and honest music, which is who I'm also trying to be.
Some of my songs are about the feeling you belong somewhere else. But there's also something grounding about coming from a small town.
I'm still like an excited kid playing guitar in front of the bedroom mirror.
I used to dress up like Michael Jackson. I didn't have the glove, but I had a red jacket like in 'Thriller.'
I love the intimate, single spotlight, troubadour-y quiet, delicate moments. But I also love Springsteen and screaming and shouting.
It's silly to call me the new Ed Sheeran. He can fill stadiums as a solo artist, but I'm not like that.
And you don't have to care, so don't pretend. Nobody needs a best fake friend.
I spent two years playing open mic nights in Brighton, and I heard more and more people saying, You should give it a go in London.
When I was 15, if anything, I thought I was going to be a Delta bluesman, which is so ridiculous.