View this post on Instagram

A post shared by James Bay (@jamesbaymusic)

The lead single from the album ‘Up All Night’ is star studded as it sees contributions from American Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan as well as indie folk legends The Lumineers. The song sees the three take on an americana style for the track with them singing about their dreams and lives with the title lyrics recurring throughout the songs 3 minutes and 23 seconds.

According to NME James Bay talks about the meaning of ‘Up All Night': “‘Up All Night’ is all about navigating the great weight of all the stuff that plays on our minds and keeps us awake at night,” he explained. “I have some great history with Noah and The Lumineers. We manifested this collaboration for a while, and I feel proud we could make it happen!”

The upcoming album will be 11 tracks long and has been produced by Gabe Simon and also sees contributions from various stars including The Killers’ frontman Brandon Flowers, Holly Humberstone, Dan Wilson from Semisonic, Natalie Hemby of The Highwomen, and Kevin Garrett.

Fans can pre-order a copy of ‘Changes All The Time’ here. You will be able to order the album on CD or Vinyl as well as there being an exclusive vinyl LP which will come with an art card signed by the Hertfordshire born singer.

The full tracklist and album artwork for ‘Changes All The Time’ is below:

1. Up All Night (with The Lumineers & Noah Kahan)
2. Everburn
3. Hope
4. Easy Distraction
5. Speed Limit
6. Talk
7. Hopeless Heart
8. Some People
9. Go On
10. Crystal Clear
11. Dogfight

In addition to releasing an album Bay is set to embark on a run UK and Ireland headline tour dates in February next year. The tour will be the first time Bay has toured the UK and Ireland since 2022 and will commence with a show at Glasgow’s O2 Academy before performances in Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester and Dublin. The tour will conclude at the OVO Wembley arena on the 13th of February 2025.

Tickets for these shows will go on general sale on the 26th of July at 10am BST. Pre-sale for the tour will start at the same time on the 24th of July and you can gain access by pre-ordering a copy of ‘Changes All The Time’ from Bay’s official website before 4pm BST on the 23rd of July. You can buy tickets here.

James Bay’s full list of 2025 UK and Ireland tour dates are below:

FEBRUARY
1 – Glasgow, O2 Academy
4 – Newcastle, O2 City Hall
5 – Leeds, O2 Academy
7 – Manchester, O2 Apollo
8 – Birmingham, O2 Academy
10 – Dublin, 3Olympia
13 – London, OVO Arena Wembley

ANNOUNCEMENT

The one and only @JamesBayMusic is headlining @LoFootball this year and we can’t contain our excitement!

Don’t Let It Go and secure your table now!https://t.co/WVkBufHWZfpic.twitter.com/aTRXbpEyZc

— Legends of Football (@LoFootball) July 20, 2022

Nordoff Robbins use music therapists to help some of the most vulnerable and isolated people in our society, working with adults and young people suffering with life-limiting illness such as dementia, mental health issues and learning disabilities including autism and physical disability. Nordoff Robbins began back in 1958 and is the UK’s largest music therapy charity. It was first developed through the 17 year long collaboration of American musician Paul Nordoff and British musician Clive Robbins, who sought to devise a therapy for children with disabilities. The therapy involved immersing patients in music by both listening and learning how to play, and was grounded in the belief that everyone can respond to music no matter how ill or disabled they are. Click here for more information about the charity.

This year, the Brit award winning and Grammy nominated singer-songwriter James Bay will be headlining the event as Gareth Southgate is inducted into the Legends Of Football Hall Of Fame. James Bay recently secured a No.4 album in the UK’s Official Charts for his third record Leap, overtaking Paolo Nutini’s Last Night In The Bittersweet to grab the spot. He is one of Britain’s most successful international exports of the last decade, with his early single “Hold Back The River” going platinum in the United States and 3 times platinum here in the UK.

Speaking about headlining the event, Bay said: “I’m honoured to be headlining Legends of Football 2022. I have always been a huge football fan, Alan Shearer was my hero at the age of six and I’ve been an avid Newcastle supporter ever since, so it’s wonderful to be involved with Legends of Football this year to celebrate Gareth’s stellar career as a player and manager whilst supporting a brilliant charity like Nordoff Robbins.”

It’s likely that football is going to be on the minds of many at the moment, with England’s lionesses beating Spain last night in the 2022 women’s Euro’s tournament, and the World Cup fast approaching. So let’s hope there can be many more collaborations between music and football moving forward to help those in need.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Barn On The Farm (@barnonthefarm)

This year, I was lucky enough to play the festival and get a chance to snoop around (I moonlight as a wannabe popstar), and to cut to the chase, was pretty blown away by what Josh and his team have managed to put together over the years. Scattered with 3 stages, Barn, Outdoor, and Main, and accommodating no more than 2000 people, the site is small but bustling with more charm and sincerity than most festivals I’ve attended. Taking advantage of it’s status as a working farm, you can find ostriches, alpacas, donkeys, enormous pigs, and horses casually walking amongst the fields whilst interested and usually inebriated festival goers look on both amused and enamoured. There are hammocks, outdoor beds, orchards, and even the curious new addition of “Grandma’s House” to enjoy as you wonder around the site, the latter being the creation of chief festival designer Harriet Lily. Grandma’s House, a tiny wooden shack with an overgrown lawn and bras and stockings hanging on a washing line, remained a mystery until it’s opening at 19.00 on the Friday night, when it soon became swarmed with people looking to enjoy the late night DJ set that went on inside. Only able to house 15 people at a time, you are allowed to enjoy an aptly designated 15 minutes of dancing before being kicked out for the next batch of clubbers, with 220 Kid even dropping by to play a surprise set this year. Elsewhere James Bay, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Vaccines, Maisie Peters, Easy Life, Maverick Sabre, and Tom Walker headlined across the various stages over the weekend, with Holly Humberstone, Beabadoobee, Griff, and many other hotly tipped rising stars playing just beneath them.

As an artist playing there, the first thing you notice is an overwhelming sense of acceptance and welcome on arrival. The green room is the same for everyone, whether you’re me or Bombay Bicycle Club, everyone is put under one big barn roof that I can only imagine houses tractors during it’s everyday running as a farm. On the first weekend of July every year though, it’s home to hundreds of creatives from around the world as they wait to get on stage. With beer, cider, food, coffee, tea, and even a very friendly man named Tom’s bake off worthy homemade brownies scattered around the room, anything you want- the wonderful green room staff have got you covered.

Unfortunately I only get 500ish words to write this article, so I’m going to have to stop prattling on, however I would highly highly recommend checking this festival out and going next year. I think it’s my favourite I’ve attended so far and can’t sing it’s praises enough. For more info click here.

James continues, “Making this album for the first time – because I’ve made it a few times – I found myself writing from a new perspective. I looked up from my sadness and recognised [my partner] Lucy and friends in my life, who I can be vulnerable with. They carry me when I’m struggling. For the first time ever, I wrote from that vulnerability and that emotion. It’s saying ‘thank you, because when I’m lost you help me find my way.’ These are very difficult places to write from, when you’re trying to be seen to be so strong. All of that informed the writing of the album. It went from what I can only describe as ‘typical me,’ song writing-wise, to working out where and how I was breaking a boundary emotionally. That’s something I want to do.”

The entire album showcases Bay going back to his Nashville roots. In an interview with NME, Bay disclosed that his new album would be stripped-back with guitar sounds taking the lead, similar to his debut album “The Chaos and The Calm”, adding, “It’s a cohesive album, born out of the least cohesive time”. Bay also explained the inspiration for the title – which stemmed from him picking up Julia Cameron’s 1992 manual named “The Artist’s Way” during the lockdown, and coming across the words of John Burroughs (who was an American naturalist and nature essayist), that read, “Leap, and the net will appear” .

For the upcoming album, Bay collaborated with multiple producers and songwriters, during the national lockdown. This includes the likes of, Ian Fitchuk, Dave Cobb, Foy Vance and Joel Little. He told NME, “I got home [from Nashville] on March 21, 2020, and two days later everything shut down,” he explained. “So I stayed home and we mixed and mastered the 12 songs that I had, thinking we were going to put them out. I found out over an excruciatingly long period of months that that was absolutely not going to happen.”

The album can be pre-ordered here. Check out the album’s tracklist below.

1. ‘Give Me The Reason’
2. ‘Nowhere Left To Go’
3. ‘Save Your Love’
4. ‘Everyone Needs Someone’
5. ‘One Life’
6. ‘Silent Love’
7. ‘Love Don’t Hate Me’
8. ‘Brilliant Still’
9. ‘Right Now’
10. ‘We Used To Shine’
11. ‘Endless Summer Nights’
12. ‘Better’

The Hitchin singer and songwriter will commence the autumn tour at Bournemouth O2 Academy on November 20th. Bay will then touchdown at Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Edinburgh, Dublin, Birmingham and London, before wrapping up the tour at Bristol’s O2 Academy on December 3rd.

UK tour dates:

20/11/2022 – O2 Academy Bournemouth – BOURNEMOUTH
21/11/2022 – Leeds O2 Academy – LEEDS
23/11/2022 – UPON TYNE NX – NEWCASTLE
24/11/2022 – Academy – MANCHESTER
25/11/2022 – Usher Hall – EDINBURGH
27/11/2022 – Rock City – NOTTINGHAM
01/12/2022 – O2 Institute – BIRMINGHAM
02/12/2022 – LONDON O2 Brixton Academy – LONDON
03/12/2022 – O2 Academy Bristol – BRISTOL

It’s been a long time coming but I’m so excited to finally announce that my third album, Leap, is out on July 8th! It’s available to pre-order now. Also, the second single is called One Life and it’s out NOW!

Let’s do this x https://t.co/ASm8DCsWRL pic.twitter.com/iwuXgBBLHp

— James Bay (@JamesBayMusic) May 13, 2022

Last year the 31-year-old artist underwent a life changing experience when his first child was born, Bay has expressed how fatherhood has influenced his third studio album. Bay recently spoke with NME concerning Leap and the inspiration behind his upcoming release, “I’d never written from this perspective before. I’d never written from a place of such joy and positivity. Lucy and I first got together at 16 and have been together ever since. She’s supported me since day one. From open mic nights, right through to my biggest shows. It’s been one adventure after another, but now we’re on the biggest one of all. Raising our beautiful daughter Ada.”

Give Me The Reason, the first single from my third album is finally here. It’s been a long and winding adventure making all this new music, but every moment was worth it. I love this song, hope you all love it too x https://t.co/snSTjXWF5Q pic.twitter.com/tOQW5b4thA — James Bay (@JamesBayMusic) March 24, 2022

The singer has already dropped two singles from Leap, “Give Me A Reason” was the first track to be taken from Bay’s upcoming album. The track was released on 24th March 2022 and was written as a tribute to Lucy Smith his long-time partner and mother of his daughter. The next track to be released from his upcoming album was “One Life”, the track was made available today alongside the announcement of Leap.

Since the release of Bay’s new music fans have responded positively and have likened the new tracks to his initial sound. The singer’s debut album The Chaos And The Calm was released in 2015 and featured a tracklist heavily influenced by such genres as folk, soft rock and the blues, fans are pleased that his new music sees Bay return to his roots with a stripped back sound.

The “Hold Back The River” hitmaker took fans on an adventure with his second studio album which saw Bay experiment with different genres including electronic music. Bay addressed his experimental album within the interview whilst continuing to describe his upcoming new album, “On my second album, I threw a bunch of synths at my music and electronic sounds, and I had a brilliant time pushing the boundaries in that respect. This time I’ve fallen back to the guitar and an even more stripped-back type of sonic.”

Bay continued to describe his lyrical process,  “I’m always going to push boundaries in the music I’m making. The boundaries I’ve pushed this time around have been with the lyrics. I’ve found a way to write from a place of vulnerability that I have not gone to or written from before.”

Last week, Bay debuted his new material during a London show within his Give Me The Reason tour. During a set at London’s O2 Kentish Town Forum the singer announced news concerning his new album, Bay confirmed that his upcoming full release will feature more upbeat musical and lyrical themes. Whilst speaking to NME, Bay also spoke about his songwriting, “I think the bridge between what is ultimately more positive songwriting than I’ve ever delivered before and my usual sadness is typically as emotional as it’s ever been, just in a different way and from a different place in me, a place of hope and thanks and joy, and there’s a more positive anticipation of the future,”

Bay is currently finishing his Give Me The Reason tour and will next perform at Sheffield’s Leadmill on 13th May 2022. After the performance, the singer will begin a series of festival appearances in the UK and Europe. Bay’s first festival appearance of the season will take place on 20th May 2022 with a set at Liverpool’s Radio City Hits Live 2022 event.

James Bay UK live dates

13/05/2022 – Leadmill – Sheffield
20/05 – Radio City Hits Live 2022 – Liverpool
28/05 – Neighbourhood Weekender – Victoria Park, Warrington
02/06 – Big Stage @ 1886 – Isle Of Man
05/06 – Wild Roots Festival 2022 – Sligo, Ireland
11/06 – Worcester Racecourse – Worcester
01/07 – Barn On The Farm 2022 – Gloucester

Click here for tickets.

Click here to pre-order Leap.

Elsewhere Sir Rod Stewart, who scored a hit in North America with his 1987 cover of Cooke’s hit Twistin’ The Night Away, paid tribute to the soul legend on Twitter, calling the artist “my one and only influence.” The Maggie May singer posted: “How many thousands of hours I spent trying to sound like you and never came close. Without Sam, there may not have been a Rod.”

Happy Birthday, my one and only influence.
How many thousands of hours I spent trying to sound like you and never came close.
Without Sam, there may not have been a Rod.
Just think if you were still alive we could have been mates.

– Sir Rod Stewart CBE
#ToastToSamCooke pic.twitter.com/QtPLOG5CwK

— Sir Rod Stewart (@rodstewart) January 22, 2021

Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1931, Cooke’s early forays into music were encouraged by his father, a minister. Like so many other musicians from a Baptist background in the American south (from BB King, Chuck Berry and Little Richard to Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner), he translated his roots in gospel music into the burgeoning new frontier of blues, rock, pop and soul.

Cooke would go on to become one of the pre-eminent songwriters of the late 1950s and early 1960s; penning a plethora of stellar hit singles including Chain Gang; Cupid; Bring It On Home To Me; Wonderful World; Having A Party; You Send Me, Twistin’ The Night Away; and perhaps his most poignant and compelling number – A Change Is Gonna Come. Inspired by his own experiences of racism in the segregated south, it would go on to become an anthem of the Civil Rights Movement, and in 2007 was selected for formal preservation in the US Library of Congress, with the American National Recording Registry deeming the song to be of “cultural, historic or aesthetic importance.”

A number of British and Irish artists have reaped the benefits of Cooke’s back catalogue over the years. Isle of Wight-born singer and former milkman Craig Douglas scored a UK number one single with Cooke’s track Only Sixteen in 1959, before Manchester beat-poppers Herman’s Hermits scored a top ten on both sides of the Pond with their cover of Wonderful World. Elsewhere Cat Stevens enjoyed a transatlantic of his own with Cooke’s classic ode to post-romantic doldrums Another Saturday Night in 1974; while You Send Me has been covered by the likes of Van Morrison, Steven Houghton and Fairground Attraction, as well as aforementioned Sam Cooke superfan Rod Stewart.

Cooke’s death in mysterious circumstances in 1964 deprived the industry of a seismic but flawed talent at the age of just 33. However, his rich musical legacy has lived on. The vocalist’s granddaughter Nicole Cooke-Johnson – who helped introduce the #ToastToSamCooke on social media this weekend – told People magazine that she was overwhelmed by the tributes that had been paid to her grandfather ahead of his 90th birthday, saying: “The people who were responding to participating in his toast for his birthday this weekend — I was shocked. To see all of the artists, all of the people who were influenced by him… I wish I could tell you all the countless stories I had about how his music has impacted people or influenced them.”

#ToastToSamCooke STARTS NOW with a special message from Sam’s granddaughter and steward of his legacy, Nicole Cooke-Johnson! pic.twitter.com/HH8O2yM6ud — Sam Cooke (@OfficialSCooke) January 22, 2021

Cooke’s legacy was also celebrated in Regina King’s 2020 drama One Night In Miami, which depicted a fictionalised meeting between the soul icon, Muhammad Ali, American Football star Jim Brown and Malcolm X, who is portrayed on screen by London-born actor Kingsley Ben-Adir. It became the first film directed by a female African-American director to premiere at the prestigious Venice Film Festival, and received overwhelmingly-positive critical reviews, with The Guardian hailing an “electrifying directorial debut” from King.

View this post on Instagram

Having spent 2020 very much as a solo performer, I can’t wait to reunite with my band and play music from a venue as legendary and iconic as Shakespeare’s Globe. It’s such an honour to get to play this show for everyone! Tickets on sale now via the link in my bio x

A post shared by James Bay (@jamesbaymusic) on Oct 4, 2020 at 8:35am PDT

The ‘Let It Go’ singer performed many of his most popular songs as well as new material, and for those who purchased higher tier tickets, his debut EP ‘The Dark of the Morning’. Fans were able to help choose the songs on the setlist by covering their requests and sending them to the artist online using the hashtag #JBGlobe – the three winners were given free access to the show.

Furthermore, many met Bay at a virtual meet and greet, and ticket-holders received special merchandise made and sold exclusively for the event. Prior to the livestream, the artist spoke to Associated Press in a video interview, in which he explained his plans. He commented, “I’m really excited for what people are gonna see at this show – obviously the globe is a stunning venue, like completely legendary, historic space. And I’m really gonna try and use as much of it as I possibly can.”

After playing solo and acoustically throughout lockdown, Bay got back on stage with his band, telling ABC News Radio, “It has been completely euphoric, genuinely, to be in a space and rehearse with the band.”

Today (22nd October), he posted to his Instagram page to tell his followers how much he misses meeting them and playing live for them. But, it’s not all bad; Bay also revealed that he has partnered with Communion Music to set up two live shows in London this year. The first will be at The Clapham Grand on 26th November 2020, and the second will be at Hackney Church on 4th December.

The event is part of Communion Presents, in which a number of artists will play at the same venues, including Lianne La Havas, Jack Garratt, The Staves, and Bear’s Den. Each show will have a limited number of tickets as social distancing rules will need to be in place, as well as other guidelines for Covid-19 safety. Tickets for all shows will go on sale tomorrow, Friday 23rd October at 10am.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

Words I didn’t expect to be saying in 2020… I’m playing a couple of real life shows! Tickets will be extremely limited to ensure these shows are strictly compliant with all current government restrictions, as everyone’s safety is of the utmost importance. I can’t wait, looking forward to seeing your faces in real life! Pre-sale tickets are available NOW from link.dice.fm/james-bay-2020 using the password ‘jamesbay2020’, with general sale from 10am Friday. When buying tickets, remember that your group must be from the same household or support bubble. James x

 

A post shared by James Bay (@jamesbaymusic) on Oct 22, 2020 at 2:00am PDT

The event will see James Bay reunited with his band for the first time since the covid outbreak where he was confined to recording alone with his phone, and performing as an ensemble in a unique and historical venue. This marks another case in the growing trend where artists are using modern technology to work around the coronavirus restrictions and continue to deliver live music in a different way. The event will stream at multiple times in order to be available at 8pm in various time zones including the East and West coasts of North America.

View this post on Instagram

Under two weeks to go now until my worldwide livestream from Shakespeare’s Globe! Been busy planning an unforgettable night. I’ve now added a ‘Special ticket bundle’ which means meet and greets are available to buy with any of the streams. Link in my bio! x @benxcole

A post shared by James Bay (@jamesbaymusic) on Oct 8, 2020 at 9:09am PDT

According to ABC News Radio Online, James Bay states that ‘I’m sad that I can’t have an actual audience in the Globe with me, but so excited that we get to create this show for people all around the world to see.‘ The increasing number of artists providing online events to fans still under heavy restrictions on their lives, and with many parts of the country still under local lockdowns, it is a promising sign that the industry is starting to respond with innovative ways to keep creating experiences. Still, with socially distanced gigs starting to be organised in venues such as the O2 arena which hopes to fill ‘an audience of just 4,700 in the 20,000-capacity venue.’ 

Check it out below:

This wasn’t the first livestreaming treat from Bay. Last week, he played a unique performance at the top of the London Eye as part of a surprise performance on The Late Late Show with James Corden. With each bandmember positioned in a separate pod, the iconic London attraction made the ideal spot for a socially distanced gig, as it rotated over London below.

At over 400ft above London, the performance included some incredible views of the city, although Bay did admit on Twitter to being a little unsettled by the heights.

First pic: “no I’m not scared of heights.” Last pic: “yeh I’m really scared of heights.”

Either way, here’s some more awesome snaps from the Eye by Isy Townsend pic.twitter.com/iAMpTDXUZF

— James Bay (@JamesBayMusic) September 2, 2020

Speaking to NME back in July about ‘Chew on My Heart’ and his upcoming album, Bay said: “I’m typically a very private person and this next record is much more personal and vulnerable. My long-term girlfriend and I were just kids when we met; we knew each other before any of this happened to our lives. The album is a bit of a tribute to our journey.”

Throughout the last few weeks of lockdown, Bay hasn’t been quiet. He’s regularly released snippets of himself playing popular tracks on Twitter as ‘Live Lessons’. Many have been short tutorials of his own songs, while others have been covers of big pop classics.

And Bay isn’t letting up anytime soon. This Sunday September 6, Bay will be participating in the ninth edition of charity football event ‘Soccer Aid’. The biggest UK charity football event raises money for UNICEF and will also feature music stars Ollie Murs and and Danny Jones of McFly. The event was originally set to take place on June 6 but was pushed back due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Since the spread of Covid-19 called for social distancing and isolation measures around not only the country, but the world, the arts industries have suffered, with many grassroots venues closing permanently. As musicians themselves, Lovett and Bay feel passionately about this issue, but they also worry about their teams who might not be as well off, and other artists, such as new aspiring acts.

On this topic, they reminisced about their early careers, which both began as so many do, playing in small music venues. Lovett described this, saying it’s “a place to build up a bit of a fan base but it’s also a place to make mistakes.”

View this post on Instagram

Caught up with Ben Lovett of @mumfordandsons, @communionmusic and @omearalondon to discuss the current music venue crisis we’re facing. Hopefully this helps to give you a bit of insight into the effects of Covid-19 on the music industry. If you want to help, you can watch my free online gig from Omeara a few nights ago and donate to Save Our Venues! x

A post shared by James Bay (@jamesbaymusic) on Jul 19, 2020 at 12:52pm PDT

After expressing the urgency of supporting music venues, the pair looked at how to remain positive during this time, and what artists and fans can do to help. Bay recently performed a solo show at Omeara which followers watched via livestream, and he explained that although it feels strange playing without an audience, it’s important for venues to have the business. Although Bay’s gig was free to watch, and is still available on his YouTube channel, he is donating all the income from the video to the #SaveOurVenues campaign. So far, over £4k has been raised.

Taking place on 16th July, the singer played his famous hits along with new single ‘Chew On My Heart’, and included a message to viewers in the description box of the video. He wrote, “We must never live in a world where live music venues don’t exist. They are as important for the artist as they are for the countless visitors and of course the dedicated staff that devote themselves to running those rooms like clockwork.”

Fans are encouraged to watch the video back, and to donate to the campaign themselves, or to Lovett’s Crowdfunder page which was set up in May to fund the workers at Omeara and prevent its closure. Furthermore, Lovett opened his new venue, Lafayette, in February, which the campaign will also support.

Despite the worry that both Bay and Lovett are feeling, they did bring up a hopeful element in their video chat, with Lovett saying, “I think hope is important and we’ve been through a lot as human beings, and through everything music has come through the other side of it.”