James Bay
English singer-songwriter and guitarist known for his soulful voice and introspective lyrics.Born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, Bay attended the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. He gained recognition after a 2013 YouTube video of his performance went viral, leading to a record deal. His debut album 'Chaos and the Calm' (2015) topped the UK Albums Chart, won a Brit Award, and featured the global hits 'Hold Back the River' and 'Let It Go'.
- Bay's signature look—long hair and a wide-brimmed hat—became iconic early in his career, though he later cut his hair in 2018 as a symbol of artistic reinvention.
- He won the Brit Awards' Critics' Choice Prize in 2015, joining previous winners like Adele and Sam Smith, signaling major industry expectations.
- Despite early folk-rock success, he experimented with synth-pop on his second album 'Electric Light' (2018), polarizing some fans but showcasing artistic evolution.
- Collaborations include duets with Alicia Keys ('Us') and Julia Michaels ('Peer Pressure'), demonstrating genre versatility beyond his acoustic roots.