James Bay

Bio:
James Bay (born James Michael on September 4, 1990 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England) is an English singer-songwriter. James attended the Hitchin Boys’ school. At age 11, he heard Eric Clapton’s “Layla,” which inspired him to learn how to play guitar. When studying in Brighton, he began performing at the city’s open mic nights, learning better how to perform while developing his guitar skills. After a fan uploaded a video of James’s performance to YouTube, he gained the attention of a Republic Records executive, who signed him to the label. His first EP, The Dark of the Morning, was release din 2013. He followed that up with a second EP, Let It Go, in 2014, which debuted at the Top 10 iTunes album charts. The title track from the EP peaked at No. 10 in the UK charts. He recorded his debut album, Chaos and the Calm, at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. It was released in March 2015 and entered the UK charts at No. 1. It went on to be certified Platinum. That year, James played a handful of high-profile dates in America, including South By Southwest. In February 2015, Bay received the Brit Awards “Critics’ Choice” award and in Dec. 2015, he received three Grammy Award nominations, including for Best New Artist. James performed on Saturday Night Live in March 2018.

Best Known For:
James Bay is best known for his hits “Let It Go” and “Hold Back the River.”

Personal Life:
James also cites Van Morrison, Miles Davis and Bruce Springsteen as influences. In addition to performing, James is an artist. He continues to sketch, draw and paint, even while on tour. James has been with his girlfriend, Lucy Smith, since they were teenagers.