Jay James The full interview

3:21 So yeah I'd like to write with him I think Bill Withers would be an awesome person to write with because he's just so good at some writing. And lyrics and I think there's a song right you've got to try and find the ability to say as much as you possibly can in in the shortest. Amount of words possible or you know and Bill Withers is amazing at that you know so yeah. So when you did x-factor as you would expect your popularity went right through the roof now I've heard quotes I've seen quotes of you apparently. Online so you're not into the whole celebrity thing you don't like the red carp it's the sterile Tea Party's we prefer to walk a dog. Or chill out with your friends so what's there something that happens some kind of celebrity party you went to and yeah anyone touch you what.

4:12 I didn't get half of that swimming can touch she didn't know no and don't touch me no but yeah I don't know I just you know it's. Lovely offices it's lovely to go to those things and be invited but I don't know I suppose like after after doing something like that you kind of you kind of very much feel. Like you can be pulled into very much a celebrity type world and I kind of felt after doing that that I really appreciated the platform. That had given me but I kind of wanted to really focus on music you know look at me getting all adventurous Sony cuz it's step together. I can do it you know chops you don't have to do the chopsticks how many women a proper Chinese though I used to have they're. Like the kids ones I used to have a thing with chopsticks I used to feel like I had to because I was in Chinese restaurant.

5:03 Yeah now just like you know what I like things going in my mouth as quickly as possible that's why she said yeah I just I knew I liked. Yeah I don't like any interruption yeah and with the chopsticks you need to kind of you know be precise you to work it out and you need to eat as little. As you possibly can and they yeah my to do that it's about eating as much as you can in a short space of time as possible. Get in before someone else there's salt welp or someone else Nick's it yeah no you know so nothing really happened I just I just felt like I needed to try. And focus on music really yeah it wasn't like it was amazing the expected was such an amazing experience and obviously an incredible platform. Of which there aren't really that many you know it means so it was great but I definitely felt and to be fair you know Simon.

5:52 Even said to me sort of afterwards you know just you've come out at the same time as Ella Henderson just go and focus on music right. In and and whenever you're ready sort of come back so that's really what you know that's what I've tried to do over the last three years you know you doing some of this yeah. Yeah I love that you like Chinese jade only I'll be anything the only thing I won't eat is the only thing I won't eat it's not a fire chili because the fumes a few years back I did an interview. With The Midnight beast and I got someone from a place called Red Dog saloon to come into the interview have you been down in Hoxton no really great place and they got this hot wing challenge okay. I'm a they coated these hot wings in Naga Viper chilli apparently a few years back you want the records the hottest chilli that you could legally.

6:39 Buy and they were all kind of wimping out with it and everything else like I took a picked up one of chicken wings MIDI nippy. I don't look if I take a big bite you've got to take a big quite as well there are go yeah yeah go mate all right. How would it in hold it in hold it in they whipped out I don't like white eyed one like I was the champion. Minutes after the shoot I was rolling on the floor fetal position in agony no yeah later on the evening I was on the toilet yes. Yeah looking back and easy in one hand sort of paper any other straight for you oh yeah this is incredible by the way this chicken. Is fantastic there we go we've found something you like skin it's good yeah awesome and after going through a website there was an image which really stuck out for me and I really wanted you to explain it cause.

7:30 It really looks like that you're yeah the type of celebrity really likes to get stuck in there I don't like to you know get into with the crowd you don't want his type. To you know push people very far away here's the image. Oh yes this is do you know what this was actually one of the proudest moments. Moments of my career because what's happening here is actually that guy there was called Charlie shivers yeah so I was born in bred in a small. Village in South West Wales called Saunders fur and every year on New Year's they do a New Year's swim newsday swim okay and it's been an age of age-old. Tradition that's been going on for years and years and years now 30 odd years and it gives the opportunity for the whole of the community everybody.

8:27 In the area to sort of come together on New Year's Day and run get dressed up fancy just and run and jump in the sea uh-huh. And they do it to try and raise as much money and awareness as they possibly can but all local charities and it's been going on for so long and yeah. After doing the show I was asked to go and open it and sort of kick it off and all that sort of stuff so yeah. You know that's it that's Charlie shivers and then behind me is the star trying to hold everyone off it looks like you see one bodyguard. Yeah and there's about a million people behind him yeah into Russia and he's kind of like no no wait wait until we get let's take the photo first. Then you can rush him well there was the story behind it is actually we were trying to take a selfie and we were trying to do the biggest.

9:16 Son de swert selfie that had ever been so we were trying to get as many people in in the pictures we possibly can and we did so we did the biggest. Sonisphere selfie ever in history all don't of the world of the world the way yeah that was the that was the picture but yeah it's not lots. Of fun hmm very surprised. Well let me sign up without ruining my mouth charge again I was very surprised to find out that your whole music career span from a drunken. Moment this is right through your military service so I got your guitar one drunk light out what were you doing shooting guns firing grenades night. I played with smoke bombs just with the beers and then BOOM katara career no I was I was so we want to sort of I think. It was a New Year's Eve no it wasn't I think it wasn't I think was day before New Year's Eve and we were sort of revving.

10:12 Up for many years mmm-hmm and we we went on an all-day session so we're all a bit worse for wear and then we were talking about New Year's resolutions. So you know we put out there a few different ideas and you know each of the lads say I'm going to do this I'm going to do this and we walked at that particular point. We walk past this music shop that was an outgrowth in Portsmouth because that was based in hampi and I saw a guitar in the window. And I was like I'm gonna buy that guitar that's what that's what my new year's resolution is gonna be and they were like yeah and I do one as if you will Jay and I as if you were and I was like I'm going to do it I'm gonna do. It now so I just the only reason I bought it was because they said I wouldn't so I bought this guitar christened it Lamar called.

10:58 It Lamar the guitar and then I took it around the pubs for the rest of the day making out I was off to a gig. And all that sort of stuff yeah and then as I was doing it you know as I've C got it it's a way to get ladies yeah. It's a ah it created a bit of female a table yeah but it didn't lie but then because it did I've got us you know to play it and then I couldn't play it so I ended up sort of ripping. Strings off of it that day so I didn't have to play it so it was like hi I'm got any strings yeah I can't play it you know and then about three. Months later I had no interest it went to the corner my room and about three months later I sort of I got injured preparing for the inter-services.

11:38 Rugby league against the army and I got sent on sick leave and then in essence at home my best mate who I live with at the time just been drafted out to Iraq. So you know I just ended up sort of just picking the guitar as a means to focus really and trying to teach myself how to play. And that's how I got into it really there so and some music I was about I was 24 at the time so what point did you know that you were going to resign. From the military and go for music and well it was felt. It was it was like a couple of years you know it was a couple of years and I ended up sort of writing my own music and you know putting. Something out online and then I was doing loads of different gigs and when I put this song out online it ended up going to sort.

12:27 Of number one in this indie store chart and then that created a bit of sort of next thing you know like the Sun newspaper were like you know sort of send. Lots of things and I think it's probably you know yeah I suppose it's better luck really but yeah lots of people sauce starts out in and support. In and and then about you know six months later I ended up sort of sign into a management company in London and then just start to song. Right and and that was it and so what happened relatively quickly I mean it I suppose in the schemes of people who have been involved. In music their whole life you know I had a sort of period of quite an intense three-four years right Lynn's music. Discovered it you know sort of worked on it and then in essence you know was putting music out there so yeah quite quick.

13:23 But at the same time you look back and that there was times when I going ah come on you know I want things that happen. And stuff like that so yeah. It's nuts but I think I got the once there was a bit of national coverage with different newspapers and magazines sort of said some nice things about me. It was probably there where I kind of thought you know I actually my ambition now is not to just be in the Navy it's kind of to make music. And I think the Navy really supported me there they offered me you know it's supposed to leave and they offered me a career sabbatical in order. To go and pursue music and and that was that was awesome really and I did that and then a year later I signed the record. Deal with Decca Records and that was me making my debut album and tour in the UK and all that's what's there so it missed the military.

14:18 Well you know it's I actually you know when I came off of the x-factor as a means to try and find myself I ended up sort of getting. Into broadcasting and radio because I kind of thought when I'm not making music if I can play it out on the right the radio that would be awesome Jonah. I mean and and actually like you know I've spent a bit of time doing radio interviews and tours and I'd I just loved the media. More there I just you know I think that you know broadcasters are very alike songwriters in in the respect that you know you take you take the world around. You you observe it you stick it in through your own creative filter and then you just you say it out on microphone and and you know it's like you're expressing just like you do in a song and it it's really good fun and it's you know it's you're.

15:08 Connecting to an audience that you know enjoy music and the same things that you like some water oh I'm alright thank you so that's really cool you know it's. Really good so I ended up starting to work with forces radio BFBS which is a British forces Broadcasting Service about a year and a half ago now and sort. Of pitched a little show idea and they matched me with this guy called house chair he's hilarious. Don't tell him I said that because he's a maybe a nightmare but and I do a show three times a week on on Forces Radio BFBS. Now which is you know goes out 27 countries around the world is an Armed Forces community and it's amazing so I'm still very connected to that audience. And and the people within the community which is amazing really and that's kind of allowed me to sort of find myself again really okay so yes cool.

15:57 Yes what's next in the grand scheme of things well actually. Today I've just I'm obviously going on tour with Alexander O'Neal which is amazing. In April throughout April but I've just put a a pledged music campaign which is in essence like I want to be able to make music independently. The way that I would like to make music and I've just put the album on pre-order now PledgeMusic calm J James in order for people to maybe go and pre-order the album support. Me making it and being part of it so that's quite exciting to the other them I'm quite you know I'm excited about the idea I've. Been focused for the last few years on I'm trying to do something and now it's kind of like let's do it let's go for it so yeah. It's good may as good times very good time so that's it thanks for watching if did enjoy that clip then please do subscribe to my channel.

16:50 My big goal for the year is to hit 10,000 subscribers as soon as I do I'll turn what I do to watch a show format. By using the YouTube space in London aside from that straight interview that you saw just then I also do pranks and games with celebrities so please do explore. My channel you might find something else that you like not 50/50.