24-year old Hertfordshire singer-songwriter and BRIT Awards Critics Choice winner James Bay, is set to release his debut album Calm And The Chaos on Monday, March 23. After falling in love with playing guitar from the age of eleven after listening to Eric Clapton’s “Layla”, Bay decided to move to Brighton to pursue his dream of making music, and to study at the Brighton institution of modern music. From busking on the streets, and gigging in various venues, Bay suggests he received a greater education from playing the city’s open mic nights saying, “that taught me a lot about writing and performing on my own and trying to hold my own“.
Bay was fortunate enough to receive the attention of a Republic Records A&R after a fan uploaded a video of him performing to YouTube, and was then unbelievably signed later that same week. Lucky guy, right? But nonetheless, very well deserved. As well as this, his “chizzled cheekbones, wide-brimmed hat and long black hair“, along side his featherlight vocals had landed him a performance at Burberry’s Fashion Week show that following September, and a first-ever session on BBC Radio One’s Live Lounge only seven days later. The station’s continued support saw him enter the UK iTunes Top 10 chart with fan-favourite “Let It Go”, and a sold-out UK headline tour, all within a year.
Bay is now set to release his long anticipated debut album on the 23rd of March. The fact that his album Chaos and the Calm was recorded at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, with three time Grammy award winning producer Jacquire King (former Kings of Leon and Buddy guy engineer) will for me at least, make it worth the wait. James is most definitely one for fans of First Aid Kit and Ed Sheeran, pre-order his album here.
#Peace.Love.JamesBay
