James Bay Quotes

I like drawing people in the airport or on the bus or in venues. I like catching people in the moment. It's a similar inspiration for me in terms of songwriting.

I spent two years playing open mic nights in Brighton, and I heard more and more people saying, 'You should give it a go in London.'

My family quite innocently don't understand the ins and outs of it all, but they see things like the Burberry show and the Live Lounge, so they understand the gravity of those things, but they're proud - it's cool.

How I set myself apart is by creating the sort of real and honest music, which is who I'm also trying to be.

I hope to have a long career, and I don't want to be defined by things that aren't the music.

I'm not waiting, but I'm willing if you called me up. If you ever wanna be in love, I'll come around

I loved pop music as a little kid. Things like the Black Eyed Peas. If it had a catchy chorus, I was into it.

My songwriting process is painful. Songwriting is brilliant. It's a load of fun - when it works. It's really difficult as well.

I'm still like an excited kid playing guitar in front of the bedroom mirror.

I like it when things crescendo to a huge moment like 'Hold Back the River.'

My songwriting process, and maybe loads of other people's, is just this sort of smashing together of emotions and stuff to make some music. It's kind of simple and really complex at the same time and, as you can see, incredibly hard to explain.

I do some solo, acoustic stuff, but I also like plugging in my electric guitar and playing loud with a band.

And you don't have to care, so don't pretend. Nobody needs a best fake friend.

When I was 16, I spent a year pushing trollies around a car park, and that wasn't fun. I didn't love working in a supermarket; it wasn't for me. It is for some people, and that's totally cool.

Growing up in Hitchin was comfortable and easy enough. My parents had some great records - and some not-so-great ones - and that's where I got introduced to Motown and the Stones and Springsteen.

Being exhausted is all part of the fun. I'm cool with it. I'm not going to wish that it would slow down.

I love the intimate, single spotlight, troubadour-y quiet, delicate moments. But I also love Springsteen and screaming and shouting.

As a little kid, I was obsessed with Michael Jackson.

I'm going to take each day and each thing and each gig as it comes at me.

When I was 15, if anything, I thought I was going to be a Delta bluesman, which is so ridiculous.

The thing about 'Hold Back The River' that I like is that it's a good starting place, and it was the perfect first single.

Growing up, when I was at live shows, I was always hoping someone would come out on stage and say, 'The guitarist is sick and couldn't make it ... does anybody know how to play all the songs?' That was always my little dream. It was a massively inspiring thing to be in a space with live shows.