James Bay reveals secret art ambitions as he talks new album Leap
FOR almost a decade James Bay has been hitting the charts as a singer – and today marks the release of his third album Leap.
But he has now revealed he has a side-hustle — the star has taken up life-drawing.
James halted work on his songwriting during lockdown and instead spent all his time sketching, and he told how he even got his girlfriend Lucy to pose for him.
Now he hopes to devote more time to his art, and eventually hold an exhibition.
In an exclusive chat, he told me: “I got heavily back into drawing. I have always been one to draw. Right before the pandemic started, I did a life-drawing class, and pre-pandemic I liked to do classes now and again.
“It was this continuous line-drawing where you put your pencil on the page and you drew what was in front of you with one line that never left the page — but you would never look at the page.
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First-time dad
“It would make all these mad, abstract, trippy drawings. I got really into it so I spent a lot of time in the pandemic looking into a mirror but never looking at the page. Or drawing my girlfriend.
“It is a bit of a dream to hold an exhibition one day. I just need to do a lot more drawing.”
Leap, his first album since 2018’s Electric Light, was ready by the middle of 2020.
But while waiting until Covid restrictions eased to release it, he wrote a load of new songs which knocked many others off the finished record.
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Several came from a dark moment for him personally after a fallout with a close mate.
Referencing the song We Used To Shine, he says: “There are a couple of moments on the album that touch on that subject and it’s a difficult one to talk about.
“It is a friendship which . . . it is half the reason I wrote that song and a few others.
“I know it still has a chance. But in the last couple of years we’ve disagreed on a few things and I wrote that song and one or two others on the album because I believe that it’s a long and rich history that I share with this person, and it doesn’t all need to end in an instant.
“I wrote Give Me The Reason about the same thing, like: ‘Give me one reason to keep on fighting for it and I’ll do it.’ It’s been a difficult one but there’s still hope — and that’s what the rest of the album is about.”
There is also another change that has altered James’s outlook on his work — he became a first-time dad last October.
The Hold Back The River singer said: “Of course it has changed me. It’s made me more ambitious and driven.
“I need to give as much time and energy to my work as I possibly can — this time for the sake of my family, not just for the sake of the work. It’s all a little overwhelming but utterly wonderful at the same time.”
But it hasn’t swayed him and Lucy into walking down the aisle — despite a hint on the album that they will. On the track One Life, James sings: “Will you marry me?”
But he says: “I remember writing that lyric and it was one of those moments where you have the opportunity to say something which, in the context of the song, feels perfect. Does it resonate with reality entirely? No, not necessarily. But I don’t want to rule anything out.
“We’ve been together a very long time but it’s not at the top of our list.”
Olivia's Nat on her own
OLIVIA RODRIGO proved exactly why she is one of the most exciting artists in the world right now at the first of two sold-out shows at London’s Eventim Apollo.
The Good 4 U singer wore a tiny top and matching frilly purple skirt before switching into a sparkly minidress.
She told her audience: “It’s so surreal to be here singing my songs in front of you guys.”
As Natalie Imbruglia came on stage for a duet of her 1997 tune Torn, the US teen revealed it is “one of my favourite songs of all time”.
Olivia had rehearsed the track on Sunday when she hopped on stage at Manchester dive bar Bunny Jackson’s to sing it.
Weirdly, Natalie has never recruited me for a duet after I sang that tune at karaoke.
WARE ON AIR FOR RADIO 2
JESSIE WARE is used to having her songs played on the airwaves but you’ll soon be hearing more than just her music on the radio.
I’ve learned she has been eyed up by Radio 2 as a new presenter and will host her first show on the station next week.
She will cover for Jo Whiley on the station from 7-9pm on Monday evening.
The Spotlight singer said: “I’m a massive fan of Jo and her show, so to be invited to take the reins for one night is an absolute treat. I can’t wait!”
It is a promising sign for Jessie who also has a hit podcast called Table Manners, which she hosts with her mum.
Other celebs to have bagged shows on Radio 2 in recent years include Rylan Clark and Claudia Winkleman.
If this one goes smoothly, there could well be a regular slot for Jessie, too.
It's one Nell of a clan
THE sister of Normal People hunk Paul Mescal is following in the actor’s showbiz footsteps.
I can reveal younger sibling Nell is launching a music career and has signed a top management deal to make her a star.
The singer-songwriter from Maynooth in Ireland has been snapped up by Q Prime Management, which also looks after the careers of Metallica, Muse and Foals.
She will release her debut single Graduating next Friday after getting career advice from Paul’s US singer girlfriend Phoebe Bridgers, who has worked with the likes of Taylor Swift.
A source said: “Nell has an incredible voice and is a brilliant songwriter so she has earned the deal in her own right, regardless of the link to her brother.
“She has been working on her music for years and has posted loads of covers on YouTube and social media, including performances with Paul.
“After years honing her talent, she now feels ready to let the world hear what she has been working on.
“Her voice she has been compared to Kate Bush, so there are high hopes.”
Paul has proved he has a good set of pipes on him, too, after singing with pal Dermot Kennedy in 2020.
They’re certainly not short of talent in the Mescal household.
ROD THE WEB MOD
ROD STEWART has brought himself into the 21st Century by launching a state-of-the- art new website.
His is the first to feature a museum of song, music and picture memories, stretching from his birth in the UK to his time in the States and the present day.
The site, , now features almost 1,000 pictures of the star.
That probably puts even his own photo albums to shame.
Nicki to fly solo
NICKI MINAJ won’t have her husband Kenneth Petty by her side when she headlines Wireless Festival in London tomorrow.
He has been sentenced to three years’ probabtion and a year under house arrest in the US after failing to register as a sex offender.
He pleaded guilty to the federal charge last year but was sentenced this week and ordered to pay a £46,000 fine.
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The music exec was convicted of attempted rape in 1995 and served four and a half years in prison but failed to register as an offender when he moved to California with Nicki, which was a condition of his sentence.
The Super Bass rapper wed him in 2019 and they share a 21-month-old son.
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HARRY AND ED RULING CHARTS
AT the halfway point of the year, Ed Sheeran and Harry Style are ruling the Top Ten roost.
AT the halfway point of the year, Ed Sheeran and Harry Style are ruling the Top Ten roost.
The Official Charts Company has published its lists of the biggest records of 2022, with Harry’s As It Was – which spent ten weeks at No 1 – the top-selling tune of the year so far, with 885,000 sales.
It overtook the Encanto cast’s We Don’t Talk About Bruno, which had claimed the top spot after the first three months of the year.
His third record, Harry’s House, is the second- biggest album of the year, behind Ed’s Equals.
Miraculously, Ed’s 2017 album Divide is still clinging on too, at No 8 on the list.
Ed is doing well with his singles as well.
Peru with Fireboy DML is at No 2, Bad Habits is at No 4 and Shivers is at No 6.
SINGLES
1. As It Was – HARRY STYLES
2. Peru – FIREBOY DML & ED SHEERAN
3. We Don’t Talk About Bruno – ENCANTO CAST
4. Bad Habits – ED SHEERAN
5. Where Are You Now – LOST FREQUENCIES & CALUM SCOTT
6. Shivers – ED SHEERAN
7. Go – CAT BURNS
8. Heat Waves – GLASS ANIMALS
9. Make Me Feel Good – BELTERS ONLY ft JAZZY
10. Starlight – DAVE
ALBUMS
1. Equals – ED SHEERAN
2. Harry’s House – HARRY STYLES
3. Sour – OLIVIA RODRIGO
4. 30 – ADELE
5. Between Us – LITTLE MIX
6. 50 Years: Don’t Stop – FLEETWOOD MAC
7. The Highlights – THE WEEKND
8. Divide – ED SHEERAN
9. Curtain Call: The Hits – EMINEM
10. Dawn FM – THE WEEKND