James Bay Announces New Album – Leap
James Bay is the UK singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer behind the iconic, heartfelt tracks "Let It Go" and "Hold Back the River" from his debut album “Chaos and the Calm”. In 2018, he released his second album “Electric Light” and followed it up with a more deconstructed EP with “Oh My Messy Mind” a year later, hitting nearly 550 million global streams. With massively successful collaborations with artists such as Julia Michaels for "Peer Pressure," Maisie Peters for "Funeral," and opening for Ed Sheeran on his 2019 stadium tour, James Bay has created an unforgettable legacy for himself across pop and singer-songwriter genres and has quickly become a household name.
Q: What's something new or surprising that you've discovered about yourself either as an artist, a songwriter or person during the making of this new album?
James: So first thing that comes to mind, it's probably the best answer is that it's not as scary to be more vulnerable, with my lyrics and my songwriting. Not as scary as I thought it was. And so what I mean by that is I've gone to kind of a new depth of reality. 99% of my songs are written from a very personal experience. And I was always writing in a more abstract way, but because I was always afraid to just say it, whatever the thing may have been that I was writing about, and I've tried to do that a lot more this time because I wanted to face the fear that I felt I had. So I discovered it's not quite as scary and it resonates with people, and the music is about connecting. And that's what I love about music.
Q: At this stage of your career, how would you define improvement as an artist and how is Leap allowed you to work through those feelings of impostor syndrome?
James: It's got something to do with directness. For me it is to be direct in what I'm trying to say as a lyricist. But I have to acknowledge delivery, not just what is said but how it is said. It’s so kind of paramount in songwriting for me. There are some brilliant songs in existence, where the lyrics are so conversational, it feels like they were just taken from a conversation and placed in a song. But when I think about Paul Simon, or Carole King, or trying to think of some really classic writers who just deliver words so well. They're never overly busy. Because that's what my favorite music does for me. It moves me immediately. You know, when you go, “Oh, my goodness” sort of thing. That's what I'm kind of looking for and trying to do. As I go on and write and write more.
Q: If you could choose 3 scents, or fragrances to describe the essence of the album, what would you choose?
James: I don't know why I want to say Sandalwood because everybody loves it. I love it. And it's inviting. And I think that's what I want this music to do. I want this music to kind of lift your chin. It is rooted in the phrase “keep your chin up”. I have been dealing with some sort of darkness and emotional sort of times. And I decided to make a stand and find a way I can plane down a runway I was moving with, and then I was taking off away from feelings I didn't want to feel anymore. So you know there's a warmth in an inviting sort of sensory experience. So that Sandalwood smell that seems to have been in so many things in the last 510 years. Or maybe longer. For another sense, dawn light, the first light in the morning. The one that’s glowy-soft light that is so fresh. That's there in this music for me. And then the sense of kind lying on the floor and ceiling the ground stability. No, you know, if there's even some balance involved in sitting on a couch or a chair, but go lower than that to the floor where all your limbs and everything can touch the same level surface. That sense is there that security, that sturdiness and then that freedom that comes with that. You know, you going to probably be okay, you might hit a wall but you'll be alright.
Q: Was it difficult to portray duality through your lyrics?
James: I was making music from an emotionally dark and sad place. And I've done that before in the past. I felt like to some degree I've become known for sad songs. I, very intentionally, was trying to push that boundary and change that or just sort of evolve from it. And I wanted to make songs that could be anthems of hope. And not just because of the recent times. I wrote so many of these songs before any pandemic even arrived, but that became a detail in the journey. Creating this music became a factor. And I just knew that I wanted to make music that gave people something to stay hopeful, to use to stay hopeful. So with that in mind, I felt like I walked the tightrope. I guess, that was just a very important detail. For me as an artist.
Q: Having collaborated with multiple producers and songwriters while creating Leap, what is the process like working with different people and influences when it comes down to the album versus how is it different from songwriting on your own. And in which do you prefer?
James: Everybody is kind of chasing writing and creating all on their own. Everybody's chasing that. At some point everybody's trying to to be the only name in the credits. I've been there. I'll probably be there again. I have my moments. And it's exciting when it comes off. Collaboration is kind of a spice of life. Whether you're co-writing or co-producing or in between that. For me, writing on my own and releasing songs that I've written just on my own – it's slower. I'm all I have is until I show some kind of finished product to somebody else. And unless they love it, there's only a few people I'll show it to, who actually would tell me the truth.
But collaboration is for spicing up the process, shaking up when necessary or just digging in on one thing together as a team, whether it's two of you or more. There's sort of nothing like it in terms of bouncing. So there are so many differences. They're very different experiences, but both are great.
Q: What would you recommend is the best way to listen to your new album? Should it be consumed while driving in the car or drinking a cup of coffee while on a walk? Or maybe any other way that comes to mind?
James: I mean, you're driving in the car is one of my favourite way for me to listen to records, so I would probably recommend that. I'll be honest, like sitting down, making sure you've got nothing else to do and just kind of staring at the speakers, while listening, can be quite an intense way to digest music, especially new music. So I always think traveling or maybe going for a walk is the best way. Get on a train. Listen, I don't know if you guys are on the train much or a plane. This is nuts because when we get 30-40,000 feet in the air, everybody's emotions go wild. So I would recommend listening in transit because that's the moment that we all kind of get to spend time thinking about other stuff in our lives, I suppose. And I feel like songs pair well with life circumstances, whatever they are, just to kind of keep thinking outside the box. So yeah, I think being in the mood is a good way. It's the way I love to listen to new music that I don't know yet. Or any music really.
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