James Bay reveals he’s doing a song with a US superstar and says ‘I tried to keep cool’
JAMES BAY is at his most fragile on his new record.
It’s late morning and over a cup of tea, in a cafe near the singer’s North London home, Bay says: “I’ve found a way to reach a new level with my vulnerability.
“I go into the studio more willing to be more vulnerable, which is a f***ing emotional rollercoaster ride. But when you can lay yourself bare, you get the most from your music.”
On Changes All The Time, Bay, 34, says: “I think I’ve found my own way to reach a new level with that pursuit and that process, and I don’t want to make my vulnerability seem contrived because, trust me, it’s f***ing excruciating, hard and frightening. But I know myself better than before.
“I am more comfortable with myself than ever before, and I am less comfortable with myself than ever before, all at the same time. There’s such an emotional arc to making a record for me.”
Soulful folk pop songs as Talk, Some People, Crystal Clear and Dogfight are Bay’s most honest work and it’s a strong record to celebrate his decade in music.
Bay is also at his most collaborative on this fourth album with Noah Kahan, The Lumineers and Holly Humberstone, as well as having the “unbelievable honour” of working with The Killers’ Brandon Flowers on recent single Easy Distraction.
He laughs: “All the time I was trying to stay focused and keep my cool and not think, ‘I’m making a song with Brandon Flowers’.”
‘It was very prolific and unbelievable’
The alliance came about after Flowers said how Bay’s breakthrough song Hold Back The River had been a big record for him.
Then, more recently, a mutual music friend told Bay how he’d been hanging out with the Las Vegas singer and he’d said how he was keen to write together.
“I said to my friend Rob: “Sign me up as I’d love to have a go. So, he sort of connected the dots, and I was able to go out to Utah which is where Brandon lives and he has a rented ski lodge that The Killers turned into a studio, which is really exciting.
When I first played the track, some people would say, ‘I can hear a bit of Killers in it’ meaning they hear Brandon’s writing input.
“It had this double height hallway where they put drums in that sort of Led Zeppelin way — it’s wonderful. It was very informal and we’d go for breakfast in the morning and Brandon would drive us there.
“When I first played the track, some people would say, ‘I can hear a bit of Killers in it’ meaning they hear Brandon’s writing input.
“But as much as I wanted it to sound ‘Killersy’, because I’m a fan, I’m proud to say that the germ of the idea that started that song is the verse and melody that I took in. That was my homework. I took it in, and I said, ‘What do you think of this?’
“And Brandon had a listen and went, ‘Oh, yeah, let’s give that a go. Let’s see if we can put some lyrics to it.’ And he jumps up on a microphone and gets his phone out and jotted down all his lyric ideas. It was very prolific and unbelievable.”
Bay collaborated with Kahan and The Lumineers on the catchy bluesy Up All Night, a song about being kept awake at night worrying.
“Noah and I have the same A&R person, so we are part of the same musical family. We first met five or six years ago when he came on tour with me.
“He used to open for me, which is funny now as my shows then are so little compared to where he’s at now — he’s absolutely massive.
“It’s so wonderful to witness him doing well all over the world. I got to share the stage with him at Fen-way Park (Boston’s baseball stadium) in July and he’s headlined Madison Square Garden in New York.
“He’s not even 30, only on his third album and he’s reaching these heights. Credit to my producer Gabe Simon for spearheading and pioneering the collaboration on Up All Night because you want to celebrate your own music but also that of your community too.
“With that song, we’re all fans of older bands, like Crosby, Stills And Nash and Traveling Wilburys type of super groups.
“Gabe used to play in the Kopecky band who The Lumineers used to open for ten to 15 years ago. So, Gabe had a connection to The Lumineers and of course Gabe made a lot of Noah’s Stick Season music with him.
‘Playing riffs and guitar solos are what I love’
“I hope we can all perform that song live together one day — let’s manifest it, fingers crossed.”
Bay credits Simon for believing in him and allowing him to make the album he’s always hoped to make.
Working with Holly [Humberstone] was a lovely and really sort of nourishing experience. We poured our hearts out writing Dogfight, it was personal, earnest and heartfelt.
“Gabe helped me be who I want to be and not be afraid on this album,” explains Bay. “It’s very easy for me to present a version of myself that I think everybody’s into, but is only one per cent of who I am.
“I want to at least try and present 20 per cent of who I am. It’s more of who I am as a musician than I’ve ever been before on any record.
“I can get carried away being a noodley guitar player and have been like that since I was a kid. Playing riffs and guitar solos are what I love, but Gabe is not the biggest guitar solo fan and he was incredibly invested in the process so he was really helpful.
“I’m just excited to put this one forward, and it makes me excited to work with Gabe again. Hopefully. Fingers crossed.”
Joining forces with Brit Award Rising Star winner Holly Humberstone on the deeply personal Dogfight was another wonderful experience for the singer.
He says: “Holly is at the other end of the spectrum to Brandon, who is a legend. She’s only got one album out and is still rising.
“The real artist is coming through and her growth will help her be around for more than a blink of an eye.
“Working with Holly was a lovely and really sort of nourishing experience. We poured our hearts out writing Dogfight, it was personal, earnest and heartfelt.
“That song is a real moment for me on the album.
“In the early days of our careers, we’re all trying to earn our stripes as individuals and find out who we are in our style.
“But now I’m enjoying stopping by on the journey with collaborators and gleaning something from their artistry and they glean something from mine.”
In the future Bay says he would like to collaborate with Nothing But Thieves.
He says: “They’re a fantastic band and Conor Mason is a f***ing amazing singer. I listen to them a lot, especially an acoustic version of Tomorrow Is Closed which is gorgeous.”
‘I’m keen to reinterpret some old stuff, too’
With the album out today, he’s looking forward to touring again and having played with Noah Kahan and Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band, who he supported at their BST Hyde Park shows earlier this year in London, he’s got a taste for bigger shows.
“It does makes me very hungry. Bruce is somebody who can really do giant — we watched it in Hyde Park last year playing to 60,000 people. I saw him play Broadway too when he played his solo thing which was so wonderful.
“He’s so invested in what he’s trying to deliver and connects with people. I love The Stones and Paul McCartney, too, I love The Beatles but Springsteen is the big idol for me. No disrespect to Bob Dylan or Joni Mitchell, who I love, too, but Springsteen is the one.”
Next year Bay plays a UK tour including his first arena date in London but next week he begins a solo acoustic tour which he says will be fun.
However, leaving his daughter Ada, who turns three this month, leaves him with terrible dad guilt.
I’m ready for the shows and I’m also keen to reinterpret some old stuff, too, as I like catching audiences by surprise.
Pulling out photos of his cute daughter on his phone, he says: “My wife Lucy brought her out to New York when I was opening for Noah Kahan and she loved it. But she can’t come to them all and I can’t always be home so the guilt is very real.
“Also, I have to do my job with ego and I must turn up and be present for the audience and the artist I am. If you come to my show, there is so much energy.
“I have to pay a lot of attention to that identity which is very different to when I’m home and I’m with Ada.
“I’m as present there as I can possibly be but there is still a small percentage of me that’s thinking about how a show will go and what the setlist will be. But I’m navigating that better.
“I’m ready for the shows and I’m also keen to reinterpret some old stuff, too, as I like catching audiences by surprise.”
Bay says he’s also working on a plan for a project that is “a bit like a podcast but isn’t one”.
He says: “I’m just working on getting it off the ground but I’m hoping it will be ready next year.
“It’s another way to connect with people. I’m not brilliant at social media but I love talking to audiences from the stage so let’s see what happens. I’ve got a lot to look forward to.”