You may be like me, as the first time I heard the name of James Arthur was in 2013 with his cover of Impossible by R’n’B singer Shontelle. Arthur gave another dimension to this song, marking his first global success, and it became a massive hit. Years later, the British singer gave us some beautiful pop ballads as well as some catchy songs which define how important he is on the UK pop scene. Five albums later, I was happy to see in my mailing box that James Arthur was back a couple of weeks ago, and this comeback was with some interesting singles such as Embers and KARAOKE. These prelude tracks are part of his new record Piece,s out now via Columbia.
While photographer Jack Alexander shot James Arthur, we sat down for a chat to discover more about this new era. A major step in his career as without any filters, he talked about the ups and downs of making Pieces and how the music industry may have some side effects, such as mental health issues. Here is our conversation with the brilliant James Arthur below:
James wears Jacket and trousers by Balenciaga, shirt by Officine Générale, t-shirt by Saint Laurent vintage, boots by Alexander Mcqueen, rings by Giovanni Raspini, The Great Frog and talent’s own, necklaces and watch talent’s own
Hello James, how are you, now that your sixth studio album Pisces is out?
It feels good to be back with this new album, as it’s all about finding peace with myself. It sounds different than any other album I’ve done before. It has a huge identity, the concept and the visuals are really distinct from my previous projects. It’s a cool and important era for me. The soundscape is on another level.
Do you think it’s the most personal work of your career?
Yes, it’s a really personal piece of work. I tend to make it in an honest way. It’s sensitive, emotional, and vulnerable. It’s pure art.
Creating Pieces was a human experience, as you’ve been through so many ups and downs. Is this album a mental adventure?
It’s funny because music may feel like a difficult experience. It’s sometimes painful to share things. To make yourself vulnerable. At the end of the day, you have this piece of art which didn’t exist before and you have this satisfaction of finishing it like a therapy. This album was a poetic and therapeutic process. I think that I did all that, and this may change and help someone else’s life.
You have been in this industry for more than a decade. With successful singles and defending your songs all around the world. Is there any pressure to be constantly relevant to maintain your success?
You know, it’s challenging. Making art is looking to connect the people, and at the same time,e you are always searching for a sort of validation. Otherwise, you will just make music for yourself and not share this work with anybody. It’s kind of tricky because when you taste the fact of being successful, it’s addictive. A kind of dopamine that is intense and can be used as motivation. For me, the main issue is to keep a healthy relationship with making music. The integrity of doing the job correctly. For me, it means not making music for the wrong reasons. Especially when you have popularity on a big scale. Now, we can be easily saturated with the new music coming out. You can have the best music in the world, but it’s a question of having the smartest market strategy and the right promotional opportunity. It seems that it doesn’t matter as long as it goes viral now.
So, do you think artists are facing this issue of focusing on finding the perfect strategy to release their music rather than making pure music?
Yes, for me, it’s important to find a balance in how you make music. I guess the main reason I create it easily is that I love catchy melodies and pop music. Pop music is popular because it has a massive hook and catchy melodies. The moment I consider I’ve got this, I know I did something sincere.
How is your process of connecting with other peers to make music?
I love collaborations. It’s the best thing in music when you are surrounded by the best soul. It’s a particular connection as I love the fact of collaborating with people organically. It elevates the music, and this is a cool fact about this job.
You have been travelling a lot. Is the cultural aspect of a city something that might influence you?
It’s so interesting to see a different culture and how different songs impact different territories. There are a couple of songs that just work anywhere I go; that’s the magic of music, to unify people. This is a motivation and a major influence.
Is the process of making an album while being on tour something you can deal with easily?
This new record was created when I was down in 2023, just before going on tour in Asia. I made these songs in my home studio like a therapy. For just three weeks, I was making songs, and I knew it was a particular moment. This approach of making pure music was all about réflexions and questioning myself on different issues I’ve been facing at that time. It was frontal, and I loved this moment.
James wears coat by Burberry, trousers by entire studios, blazer by Balenciaga, t-shirt talent’s own, boots by Alexander McQueen, Rings by Giovanni Raspini, The Great Frog and talent’s own, necklaces and watch talent’s own
You talk a lot about mental health in this new album. Do you think labels need to be more present for artists facing mental issues? The impact of how this industry may be dangerous for some artists, mainly the new ones…
I think talking about mental health now is no longer a taboo subject. For me, it feels important to talk about it with friends and family, to the music community, and to therapists. Sometimes, I just want to share deep feelings, and in the music industry, you always face ups and downs. There’s a lot of emotional impact. One day you are on top, and the next day, you don’t have the same success. You can be a victim of fame, and it’s like a rollercoaster.
Was it a particular moment during making this record where you wanted to give it up?
I had these moments where I didn’t know my state of mind. At the same time, making music removes my anxiety and stress. I’m at this point where I have found my balance and know how to take control of this negativity. This made me become a fighter.
Any social song on this album that you are proud of, as it’s out of your comfort zone musically?
It’s potentially Friends which really excites me just for many reasons, starting with the fact that vocally, I’m not doing classical James Arthur. There’s a different head voice, and that differs from the rest of the track list. A great pop song that I will cherish for a long time.
Talking about comfort zones, do you have any rituals before going on stage?
Yes, as I’m getting older, I recommend avoiding junk foods and alcoholic drinks (laughs)…I’m more into doing boring shit now. It’s kind of a ritual …You need to be healthy when touring. People are paying to see you on stage, so you need to be respectful.
Do you have any advice for the new generation of artists?
Be yourself at 100%…
