James Bay (singer)

James Bay
Bay performing live in Gibraltar in 2015
Background information
Birth name	James Michael Bay
Born	4 September 1990 Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England
Genres	Indie rock folk rock soul blues pop rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter guitarist
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano drums
Years active	2013–present
Labels	Virgin EMI Republic
Website	jamesbay.com

James Michael Bay^[1] (born 4 September 1990) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist.^[2][3][4] In 2014, he released his single "Hold Back the River", which has been certified platinum, before releasing his debut studio album Chaos and the Calm (2015). The album went to number one in the UK and number 15 in the US. In February 2015, Bay received the Brit Awards "Critics' Choice" award.^[5] At the 2016 Brit Awards he received the award for Best British Male Solo Artist.^[6] Bay also received three nominations at the 2016 Grammy Awards, including for Best New Artist.^[7]

Early life

Bay was brought up in Hitchin, Hertfordshire and attended Hitchin Boys' School. Aged 11, Bay was inspired to play classical guitar after hearing Eric Clapton's "Layla".^[8] and he used a guitar he found in the cupboard in his house.^[9] 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". "I'm trying to make songs that make people feel something, and if I'm lucky, even move them,".^[8] Bay 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.^[8]

Career

Bay performing at the Glastonbury Festival on 26 June 2015

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.^[10] The Let It Go EP debuted in the top 10 iTunes album chart^[11] and the lead single, titled "Let It Go", peaked at number 10 in the UK charts.^[12] Bay has performed live on the Burberry runway and has also recorded a Burberry Acoustic session.^[13] Bay toured with Hozier in 2014.^[14]

Bay recorded his entire debut studio album Chaos and the Calm at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, with producer Jacquire King.^[15] It debuted at number one in the UK charts and has been certified platinum. His single, "Hold Back The River" peaked at number 2 in the UK charts and has been certified platinum.^[16]

Bay performed on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival in June 2015.^[17]

At the 2016 Brit Awards in London on 24 February, Bay received the award for Best British Male Solo Artist, and also performed "Love Yourself" with Justin Bieber at the ceremony.^[6]

Gear

Bay endorses and plays Tone King amplifiers, a boutique amplifier brand of Premier Builders Guild.^[18]

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Details	Peak chart positions										Certifications
		UK [19]	AUS [20]	AUT [21]	BEL [22]	GER [23]	IRE [24]	NLD [25]	NZ [26]	SWI [27]	US [28]
Chaos and the Calm	Released: 23 March 2015 Label: Republic Formats: CD, digital download, LP Producer: Jacquire King	1	3	2	10	3	1	5	6	1	15	BPI: 2× Platinum[29] ARIA: Gold[30] BVMI: Gold[31] IFPI AUT: Gold[32] IFPI SWI: Gold[33] RMNZ: Gold[34] RIAA: Gold[35]

Extended plays

Title	Details
The Dark of the Morning	Released: 18 July 2013 Label: Universal Republic Formats: Digital download, 10"
Let It Go	Released: 12 May 2014 Label: Republic Formats: CD, digital download
Hold Back the River	Released: 21 November 2014 Label: Republic Formats: Digital download
Other Sides	Released: 13 January 2015 Label: Republic Formats: Digital download

Singles

Title	Year	Peak chart positions											Certifications	Album
		UK [19]	AUS [20]	AUT [21]	BEL [22]	GER [23]	IRE [24]	NLD [25]	NZ [26]	SWE [36]	SWI [27]	US [37]
"Let It Go"	2014	10	8	45	73	22	21	15	10	82	94	16	BPI: Platinum[29] ARIA: 2× Platinum[38] MC: 2× Platinum[39] RMNZ: Platinum[40] RIAA: 2× Platinum[35]	Chaos and the Calm
"Hold Back the River"		2	4	4	7	4	1	12	8	17	4	—[upper-alpha 1]	BPI: 2× Platinum[29] ARIA: 3× Platinum[41] BVMI: Gold[42] RMNZ: Platinum[43] RIAA: Gold[35]
"Scars"	2015	48	40	—	—	—	71	—	—[upper-alpha 2]	—	—	—	BPI: Silver[29]
"If You Ever Want to Be in Love"[45]		96	—	—	57	—	—	29	—	—	—	—
"Best Fake Smile"	2016	54	—	—	—	—	87	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released.

Other charted songs

Title	Year	Peak chart positions	Album
		UK [19]
"Craving"	2015	121	Chaos and the Calm
"Move Together"		171
"Incomplete"		179
"When We Were on Fire"		181
"Running"	2016	60

Songwriting and other appearances

Song	Year	Artist(s)	Album	Contribution
"Raging"	2016	Kygo (featuring Kodaline)	Cloud Nine	Co-writer guitarist
"Two Way"	2016	KT Tunstall	KIN	Co-writer guitarist singer

Tours

Headlining

• Chaos and the Calm Tour (2015–16)^[46]
• Boardmasters (August 2016) - Cornwall

Opening act

• Toured with Kodaline UK and Ireland (2013)
• Toured with Hozier North America (2014)
• Taylor Swift – 1989 World Tour (Europe) (2015)^[47]

Awards and nominations

Year	Organisation	Award	Work	Result	Ref.
2015	BRIT Awards	Critics' Choice	Himself	Won	[48]
	MTV UK	Brand New for 2015	Himself	Nominated	[49]
	BBC	BBC Sound of 2015	Himself	Nominated	[50][51]
	MTV Video Music Awards	Artist to Watch	"Hold Back the River"	Nominated	[52]
	MTV Europe Music Awards	Best New Act	Himself	Nominated
		Best Push Act		Nominated
	GQ Men of The Year	Breakthrough Solo Artist	Himself	Won	[53]
	Q Awards	Q Best New Act	Himself	Won	[54]
2016	Grammy Awards	Best New Artist	Himself	Nominated
		Best Rock Album	Chaos and the Calm	Nominated
		Best Rock Song	"Hold Back the River"	Nominated
	BRIT Awards	British Breakthrough Act	Himself	Nominated
		British Male Solo Artist		Won
		British Single of the Year	"Hold Back the River"	Nominated
		British Album of the Year	Chaos and the Calm	Nominated
	Echo Music Prize	Best International Newcomer	Himself	Won	[55]
	Ivor Novello Awards	Most Performed Work	"Hold Back the River"	Won	[56]

Notes

1. "Hold Back the River" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 1 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
2. "Scars" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 4 on the NZ Heatseekers chart.^[44]

References

1. Bay, James Michael. "Songwriter/Composer: BAY JAMES MICHAEL". Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI). Retrieved July 4, 2015.
2. "New Music - Kimberley Anne, James Bay, Little Bear". Irish Times. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
3. "BBC Introducing - On the playlist: James Bay". BBC. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
4. Young, Richard (28 May 2010). "Hitchin guitarist "One to watch" says EMI boss". The Comet. Archant Community Media. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
5. "Brit Awards 2015: Winners list". BBC. Retrieved 26 February 2015
6. "Brit Awards 2016: Adele dominates with four awards". BBC. 25 February 2016.
7. "58th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
8. "Who is James Bay?". 4 December 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
9. Maeve Quigley (9 October 2015). "Modest James Bay not carried away with his quick-fire success". irishmirror.
10. "A Name to Remember: James Bay is a voice that you just won't forget". Her. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
11. "James Bay premieres new single 'Hold Back The River'".
12. "James Bay, Artist". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
13. Bayley, Leanne. "James Bay sang at Burberry SS15 show – but who is he?". Glamour Magazine UK.
14. Bedian, Knar. "Painted Faces and Fantastic Pipes: James Bay". Sound of Boston. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
15. "James Bay announces debut album". NME. 11 December 2014.
16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 (29 March 2015 - 04 April 2015). Official Charts. Retrieved 21 July 2015
17. "James Bay, Glastonbury, review: 'One Direction didn't steal the show'". The Telegraph. 26 June 2015.
18. "'Chaos and the Calm': James Bay Talks Songwriting, Opening for the Stones and More:". Guitar World. 12 June 2015.
19. • 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.
20. Hung, Steffen. "Discography James Bay". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
    • "Scars": Ryan, Gavin (5 September 2015). "ARIA Singles: 'What Do You Mean?' Justin Bieber Is No 1". Noise11. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
21. Hung, Steffen. "Discographie James Bay". Austrian Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
22. Hung, Steffen. "Discografie James Bay". Belgium (Flanders) Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
23. Hung, Steffen. "Discographie James Bay". German Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
24. Hung, Steffen. "Discography James Bay". Irish Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
25. Hung, Steffen. "Discografie James Bay". Dutch Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
26. Hung, Steffen. "Discography James Bay". New Zealand Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
27. Hung, Steffen. "Discographie James Bay" (select "Charts" tab) (in German). Swiss Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
28. "James Bay Chart History" (select "Billboard 200" link). RIAA. Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
29. "Certified Awards Search" (To access, enter the search parameter "James Bay" and select "Search by Keyword"). British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
30. "James Bay - Timeline Photos - Facebook". facebook.com.
31. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank". Retrieved November 16, 2015.
32. "IFPI Austria - Verband der österreichischen Musikwirtschaft". ifpi.at.
33. Steffen Hung. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community". Swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
34. "New Zealand album certifications – Adele – 21". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
35. "The Recording Industry Association of America – Searchable Database: James Bay". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
36. Hung, Steffen. "Discografie James Bay". Swedish Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
37. "Bubbling Under Hot 100 July 11, 2015". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
38. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
39. "Canadian singles certifications – James Bay – Let It Go". Music Canada.
40. "New Zealand single certifications – James Bay – Let It Go". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
41. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles Chart". ARIA Charts. Australian Recording Industry Association. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
42. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank". Retrieved June 6, 2015.
43. "New Zealand single certifications – James Bay – Hold Back the River". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
44. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 2 November 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
45. "James Bay posts 'If You Ever Want to Be in Love' video - watch". NME. 29 October 2015.
46. "Chaos And The Calm Tour Dates Announced! - James Bay". James Bay. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
47. "Taylor Swift Announces James Bay And Vance Joy As Support For 1989 Tour | MTV UK". MTV UK. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
48. "Critic's Choice Winner Announced". Brit Awards. 4 December 2014.
49. "MTV's Brand New For 2015 Nominees announced". MTV. 24 November 2014.
50. "BBC Music Sound Of 2015 longlist revealed". BBC. 1 December 2014.
51. "BBC Music Sound Of 2015: James Bay". BBC News. 8 January 2015.
52. "2015 MTV Video Music Awards Nominees Revealed: Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran & More". Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
53. "BREAKTHROUGH SOLO ARTIST: JAMES BAY". GQ. 8 September 2015.
54. "Bay picked up Q Best New Act, presented by Orange Amplification". Q Magazine. 20 October 2015.
55. "James Bay wins the ECHO for International Newcomer". ECHO Awards. 15 April 2016.
56. "Winners Announced for the 61st Ivor Novello Awards". The Ivors. 19 May 2016.