James Bay

I'd heard the name James Bay a while back somewhere on the grapevine, probably via twitter and I'd meant to head on over to YouTube to check out his sound. For some reason I never got round to it until today. I'm not a frequent radio listener as I'm almost always plugged into my iPod, so I'm aware I've been living under a rock and unbeknownst to me, I've been missing out BIG TIME! 

This morning I was catching up on some magazine reading and there in the middle of the January issue of Nylon (that I subscribe to from across the pond) was a full page featuring James Bay. They described his sound as; folksy guitar melodies fused with soulful vocals for a gorgeous stripped down, familiar-yet-fresh result that's love at first listen. For somebody who has a soft spot for male singer-songwriters, I immediately had to find out for myself if I'd agree. After hearing only Hold Back The River I was hooked and browsing through his VEVO channel, only made me like him more after each acoustic performance. A man and a guitar, doing his thing in various street locations, decked out in a stylish ensemble and almost always wearing a fedora upon his head. Effortlessly cool! He looks every part the musician before he's even started playing. I love how he embraces the hat. As a fellow hat wearer, I wish more men wore them. They're the perfect style statement and can transform a look in an instant. They're just a rock 'n' roll extra to an outfit. Seriously, if any men are reading this.... Take note please :) 

Anyway, I digress....His debut album is yet to be released but I'm eager to get my ears on it as soon as it's available. People have been comparing him to artists like Hozier, George Ezra and Ray Lamontagne. It's also been said that he's hugely underrated. I kind of get the references but he's a pretty authentic guy. In my opinion, he just sounds like James Bay. Unique in his own right and doing what he appears to have been born to do. I always envy people who get to do that. You can tell he was born to be a musician. I, along with many others have fell in love with his heartfelt lyrics and soulful voice. His raw, emotional honesty is exactly what I look for in an artist and I'm excited that the UK has a new talent that's being recognised on the mainstream scale. With this years Brits 2015 Critics' Choice award in the bag, I'm sure he won't be considered underrated for much longer. I just hope he holds on to his own artistic creativity and remains true to who he is.

So thanks Nylon for giving me the push to discover him (I only wish I'd fully read the magazine when it first arrived, I would've been enlightened weeks ago but never mind) and thanks to James Bay for being James Bay!