When I'm writing, I need to amplify my thoughts and feelings on just a conversation that I might have had with somebody - somebody close to me. It's often the case that the people closest to me are the people on my mind the most. James Bay More Quotes by James Bay More Quotes From James Bay And you don't have to care, so don't pretend. Nobody needs a best fake friend. James Bay fake-friends fake needs I'm not waiting, but I'm willing if you called me up. If you ever wanna be in love, I'll come around James Bay willing ifs waiting 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. James Bay night two years I loved pop music as a little kid. Things like the Black Eyed Peas. If it had a catchy chorus, I was into it. James Bay black littles kids As a little kid, I was obsessed with Michael Jackson. James Bay obsessed littles kids As a singer-songwriter, a solo artist with a guitar, I can only write so many weepie little bedroom songs. James Bay artist writing song I do some solo, acoustic stuff, but I also like plugging in my electric guitar and playing loud with a band. James Bay guitar band stuff 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. James Bay live someone sick space I'm still like an excited kid playing guitar in front of the bedroom mirror. James Bay mirror like bedroom guitar I write about personal experiences. I write about things that have happened to me and the people around me, so you just sort of keep this antenna up and on the lookout for things to say. James Bay say me you people 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. James Bay parents great growing-up easy There was a guitar that my uncle owned and never learnt to play. He sold it to my dad, and when I heard 'Layla', that was the tune that really grabbed me. I said to my dad, 'Wait, there's a guitar, right?' James Bay wait me guitar dad Being exhausted is all part of the fun. I'm cool with it. I'm not going to wish that it would slow down. James Bay down cool wish fun When I was 15, if anything, I thought I was going to be a Delta bluesman, which is so ridiculous. James Bay going anything thought ridiculous I love the intimate, single spotlight, troubadour-y quiet, delicate moments. But I also love Springsteen and screaming and shouting. James Bay single moments quiet love I bought a guitar CD-ROM because we had a new computer, but I had no attention span for that. I spent about three hours on it desperate to be brilliant. Eventually, I got some proper lessons. James Bay new guitar three attention Up until the last minute, it was art and drawing for me. That was the first real and natural thing I thought I was good at and loved to do. But I developed a similar kind of love for music. James Bay good me music love Both Springsteen and Michael Jackson, who had these huge productions, could always scale them back down to just a song and a melody. All of that influences me. I also try to be a fictional writer, and sometimes I get close, but the things that resonate the most with me - and with everyone else - is what's real. James Bay down me song sometimes How I set myself apart is by creating the sort of real and honest music, which is who I'm also trying to be. James Bay myself music real trying 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. James Bay understand cool family proud