Following a series of EPs carrying bone-shattering sub-bass and broken vocal refrains, he ‘came out’ as a distinguished pianist and songwriter on his 2011 eponymous debut set, picking up his first Mercury Prize nomination in the process.
His second long player, Overgrown, introduced more gospel and blues elements to his stripped back songwriting, as James experimented with off-kilter R&B melodies and cinematic production.
It brought the 25-year-old Londoner to a wider audience and also earned him his first industry award at the Mercury Prize 2013.
We were on hand the Roundhouse, north London, last night to catch him at the press conference after his picked up the gong...
How do you feel about winning the 2013 Mercury Prize?
Very strange. I feel jubilant, confused…
Why confused?
It’s the moment you don’t really expect to happen to you. In fact you even bet against it if you’re British!
How did it feel when your name was read out?
You know those dreams you have when you’re punching through water and then eventually, if you’re lucky, that dream ends and hits you right on the nose. That’s what it feels like – what you thought wasn’t going to happen just did, so it was very surreal.
You nearly forgot your award on stage tonight didn’t you?
Yes, but I don’t know how to do these things! I haven’t done this before.
What are you going to do with the dosh?
Erm, I can tell you what I’m not going to do with it. I’m not going to piss it up the wall. I’m going to make sure it gets put to some good use. But at the moment I’ve got no idea. I didn’t really think in those terms when I picked up the award to be honest!
How do you feel about beating David Bowie?
I don’t think I beat him, I don’t think that’s how this prize works. He’s amazing to be in the running after so many albums. A lot of people do their best work when they are young and its always disappointing to me when people don’t continue innovating. I think David Bowie is an example to people like me who would like to continue in that vein.
People seem to struggle to describe your music sometimes. Can you describe your winning album Overgrown?
No! Because that will come right back at me.
Is there a description that you’ve heard that is spot on?
No, it keeps changing because I keep writing new music.
So you were surprised to win but you feel like you deserved to win?
I feel like I deserved to win as much as anyone else did to be honest. That’s the right answer isn’t it? No, I think there were a lot of great people involved but I also happened to have a lot of great people helping me to get where I am.
Was it a relief to win it for your second album than your first because the pressure is now off?
Yes!
Why do you say that?
Because at that point I don’t think I’d have been able to handle the pressure. But now I’m of the mind that I can make more music and have people expecting less.
Some people struggle to carry the weight that comes with one of these awards – is that something you think might bother with?
No, I think I’ve been quite lucky – people have gone with me so far.
You said you like how David Bowie innovates. Are we going to see something radically different from you next?
Yeh, I’m going to stand up on stage.
Have you any thought on what this might lead to or what new audience this might expose you to?
I think people might be louder at gigs. That’s what I relate everything back to at the moment because I’m tour.
What’s your favourite part of it all? Is it writing, performing…
I don’t know. I think I like to be able to do all of it at different times. I go in and out of phases – I’m like that with everything. Music or hobbies or anything. I get really into stuff for a while. The fact that people let me do all of it is a real bonus to me.
Have you been doing much writing lately?
Yeh I have. I’ve been doing as much as I can on a laptop and a pair of headphones. I’ve been able to write a lot of lyrics so I hope to be able to extrapolate on those when I start making music again.
How many awards have you won?
This is the first one I’ve ever won, apart from a tennis trophy when I was about 12 years old at school! And I hold them both in equal esteem. I’ll be displaying them both together.
Will this award change you?
No.
Why not?
It’s a question that warrants a simple answer I think – it’s because the thing that got me hear in the first place is not trying to bend to outside pressures.
What is the first thing you want to do when this press conference is over?
Get drunk!
His second long player, Overgrown, introduced more gospel and blues elements to his stripped back songwriting, as James experimented with off-kilter R&B melodies and cinematic production.
It brought the 25-year-old Londoner to a wider audience and also earned him his first industry award at the Mercury Prize 2013.
We were on hand the Roundhouse, north London, last night to catch him at the press conference after his picked up the gong...
How do you feel about winning the 2013 Mercury Prize?
Very strange. I feel jubilant, confused…
Why confused?
It’s the moment you don’t really expect to happen to you. In fact you even bet against it if you’re British!
How did it feel when your name was read out?
You know those dreams you have when you’re punching through water and then eventually, if you’re lucky, that dream ends and hits you right on the nose. That’s what it feels like – what you thought wasn’t going to happen just did, so it was very surreal.
You nearly forgot your award on stage tonight didn’t you?
Yes, but I don’t know how to do these things! I haven’t done this before.
What are you going to do with the dosh?
Erm, I can tell you what I’m not going to do with it. I’m not going to piss it up the wall. I’m going to make sure it gets put to some good use. But at the moment I’ve got no idea. I didn’t really think in those terms when I picked up the award to be honest!
How do you feel about beating David Bowie?
I don’t think I beat him, I don’t think that’s how this prize works. He’s amazing to be in the running after so many albums. A lot of people do their best work when they are young and its always disappointing to me when people don’t continue innovating. I think David Bowie is an example to people like me who would like to continue in that vein.
People seem to struggle to describe your music sometimes. Can you describe your winning album Overgrown?
No! Because that will come right back at me.
Is there a description that you’ve heard that is spot on?
No, it keeps changing because I keep writing new music.
So you were surprised to win but you feel like you deserved to win?
I feel like I deserved to win as much as anyone else did to be honest. That’s the right answer isn’t it? No, I think there were a lot of great people involved but I also happened to have a lot of great people helping me to get where I am.
Was it a relief to win it for your second album than your first because the pressure is now off?
Yes!
Why do you say that?
Because at that point I don’t think I’d have been able to handle the pressure. But now I’m of the mind that I can make more music and have people expecting less.
Some people struggle to carry the weight that comes with one of these awards – is that something you think might bother with?
No, I think I’ve been quite lucky – people have gone with me so far.
You said you like how David Bowie innovates. Are we going to see something radically different from you next?
Yeh, I’m going to stand up on stage.
Have you any thought on what this might lead to or what new audience this might expose you to?
I think people might be louder at gigs. That’s what I relate everything back to at the moment because I’m tour.
What’s your favourite part of it all? Is it writing, performing…
I don’t know. I think I like to be able to do all of it at different times. I go in and out of phases – I’m like that with everything. Music or hobbies or anything. I get really into stuff for a while. The fact that people let me do all of it is a real bonus to me.
Have you been doing much writing lately?
Yeh I have. I’ve been doing as much as I can on a laptop and a pair of headphones. I’ve been able to write a lot of lyrics so I hope to be able to extrapolate on those when I start making music again.
How many awards have you won?
This is the first one I’ve ever won, apart from a tennis trophy when I was about 12 years old at school! And I hold them both in equal esteem. I’ll be displaying them both together.
Will this award change you?
No.
Why not?
It’s a question that warrants a simple answer I think – it’s because the thing that got me hear in the first place is not trying to bend to outside pressures.
What is the first thing you want to do when this press conference is over?
Get drunk!
