James Michael Bay is a young, prolific and award-winning English singer, songwriter and guitarist who has made a name for himself in the world of music. With his successful debut studio album ‘Chaos and the Calm’ and the hit single ‘Hold Back the River’, Bay has proven his talent and passion for music. Starting his journey at a young age, he developed an interest in classical guitar and began performing at open mic nights in Brighton. It was through a fan-posted video on YouTube that Bay caught the attention of Republic Records A&R, leading to a record deal. Since then, he has released two EPs, ‘The Dark of the Morning’ and ‘Let It Go’, and continued his success with his platinum-certified album and Grammy-nominated single. With chart-topping songs like ‘If You Ever Want to Be in Love’, ‘Scars’, and ‘Let It Go’, Bay’s talent and dedication to his craft are undeniable.
Quick Facts
- Name: James Michael Bay
- Age: 33 Years
- Occupation: Guitarist, Rock Singer
- Height: 6’0″ (183 cm)
- Also Known As: James Bay
Childhood & Early Life
James Michael Bay was born on September 4, 1990, in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. He grew up in Hitchin and attended the Hitchin Boys’ School. At the age of 11, he was inspired to play classical guitar after hearing Eric Clapton’s song ‘Layla’. He found an old guitar with 5 strings in his house and began playing it.
Education and Early Career
At 18 years old, Bay moved to Brighton to further his studies. It was there that he started performing at the city’s open mic nights. This experience taught him a lot about writing and performing his own music. He began writing songs that would move people.
Career
A video of one of Bay’s performances at an open mic in London was uploaded to YouTube and caught the attention of Republic Records A&R. Within a week, Bay signed with the label. In 2013, he released his first EP titled ‘The Dark of the Morning’ and toured with the band Kodaline.
The following year, Bay released his second EP ‘Let It Go’, which debuted in the top 10 of the iTunes album chart. His song ‘Hold Back The River’ was released as the second single from his debut studio album ‘Chaos and the Calm’ and became a success, reaching the top of the charts in the UK and Ireland.
Bay continued to release music, including his third EP ‘Hold Back the River’ and his fourth EP ‘Other Sides’. His first studio album ‘Chaos and the Calm’ was released in 2015 and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. The album received platinum certifications in the UK and Canada.
In 2015, Bay performed at the Glastonbury Festival and joined Taylor Swift on her ‘The 1989 World Tour’ in Europe. He also won several awards, including the Critics’ Choice award at the BRIT Awards and the Breakthrough Solo Artist award at the GQ Men of The Year event.
Bay received three Grammy nominations in 2016 and performed with Justin Bieber at the Brit Awards. He won several awards that year, including the Most Performed Work award at the Ivor Novello Awards and the Best International Newcomer award at the Echo Music Prize.
In 2017, Bay recorded a cover of the Tom Petty song ‘King’s Highway’ for the film ‘Cars 3’. He also collaborated with the non-profit organization WaterAid and released a fashion collection with Topman. Bay is known for playing amplifiers from Tone King and released a customized version of his Epiphone Century guitar.
Bay’s second studio album ‘Electric Light’ was released in 2018 and has received positive reviews from critics.
Personal Life
Not much is known about Bay’s personal life, but it is believed that he started dating a girl named Lucy when they were teenagers.