James Blunt (born
James Merryweather Blount, 22 February 1974), is an
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
singer-songwriterA singer–songwriter is a musician who writes, composes and sings their own material including lyrics and melodies. They often provide the sole accompaniment to an entire composition or song, typically using a guitar or piano...
whose debut album,
Back to BedlamBack to Bedlam is the debut album from British singer-songwriter James Blunt, released by Custard Records in 2004. Much of the album is acoustic-tinged rock and Pop rock. Tom Rothrock produced and mixed the album, he and Jimmy Hogarth produced the track "Wisemen", and Linda Perry produced the final...
, and single releases, especially "
You're Beautiful"You're Beautiful" is a pop rock song co-written by British singer James Blunt, Sacha Skarbek and Amanda Ghost for Blunt's debut album Back to Bedlam . It was released as the third single from the album in 2005. In the UK and Australia the song reached number one and number two respectively...
", brought him to fame in 2005. His repertoire is a mix of
popPop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950s as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. It has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs...
,
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
and
acousticAcoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
-tinged
soft rockSoft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock and roll to compose a softer, more toned-down sound for listening. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships...
. Recording for
Linda PerryLinda Perry, born April 15, 1965, in Springfield, Massachusetts, to parents of Portuguese and Brazilian descent, is an American rock musician, songwriter, and record producer...
's independent American label
Custard RecordsCustard Records is an American record label, best known for its success with English singer-songwriter and Number 1 recording artist James Blunt. The label is run by former 4 Non Blondes member Linda Perry and has a partnership with Warner Music Group's Atlantic Records division...
, Blunt won two
BRIT AwardsThe Brit Awards, often simply called The Brits and stylized as The BRIT Awards, are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British" or "Britannia", but has subsequently become a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
and two
Ivor Novello AwardsThe Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They are presented annually in London by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and were first introduced in 1955.Nicknamed The Ivors, the awards take place...
, and was nominated for five Grammy Awards in 2006. He released his second album
All The Lost SoulsAll the Lost Souls is the second studio album by James Blunt, released on September 17, 2007. It is the follow-up to his hugely successful 2004 debut album, Back to Bedlam....
, in 2007.
Prior to embarking on a career in music, Blunt was an officer in the
Life GuardsThe Life Guards is the senior regiment of the British Army. With the Blues and Royals they make up the Household Cavalry.They originated in the four troops of horse guards raised by Charles II around the time of his restoration, plus two troops of horse grenadier guards which were raised some...
, a cavalry regiment of the
British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
, and served under
NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
in
KosovoKosovo is a disputed territory in the Balkans. Its majority is governed by the partially-recognised Republic of Kosovo , a self-declared independent state which has de facto control over the territory; the exceptions are some Serb enclaves...
during the conflict in 1999. While posted to Kosovo, Blunt was introduced to the work of
Médecins Sans FrontièresMédecins Sans Frontières , or Doctors Without Borders, is a secular humanitarian-aid non-governmental organization best known for its projects in war-torn regions and developing countries facing endemic disease....
(Doctors Without Borders). Since then, Blunt has supported MSF by holding meet-and-greet auctions at many of his concerts.
Blunt's primary residence is now on the
SpanishSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
island of
IbizaIbiza is an island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Iberian Peninsula Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses...
.
Early life
Blunt was born at an army hospital in
TidworthTidworth is a town in south-east Wiltshire, England with a growing civilian population. Situated at the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain, it is approximately 10 miles west of Andover, 12 miles south of Marlborough, 24 miles south of Swindon, 15 miles north by north-east of Salisbury and 6 miles east...
,
WiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in the south west of England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers 3,485 km²...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the first child born to Jane and Charles Blount. Blunt spent his early childhood living in
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
,
CyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon....
, and
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
, where his father, a Colonel in the British Army Air Corps, and military helicopter pilot, was posted at various times.
He has two younger siblings. His father instilled in his son a love of flying, and Blunt earned his pilot's licence at age 16. The Blount family has a long history of military service, dating from the 10th century.
At age seven, Blunt was enrolled at
Elstree SchoolElstree School is a English preparatory school. As its name suggests, the school was originally founded in the London suburb of Elstree in 1848. With the outbreak of the second world war, Elstree School was evacuated to Woolhampton House in the Berkshire village of Woolhampton, and has remained...
,
WoolhamptonWoolhampton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. The village is situated on the London to Bath road between the towns of Reading and Newbury...
, before continuing to
Harrow SchoolHarrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London. Harrow has educated boys since 1243 but was officially founded by John Lyon under a Royal Charter of Elizabeth I in 1572....
(Elmfield House) on an army
bursaryA bursary is strictly an office for a bursar and his or her staff in a school or college.In modern English usage, the term has become synonymous with "bursary award", a monetary award made by an institution to an individual or a group to assist the development of their education.According to the...
. From Harrow School he gained an army-sponsored place at the
University of BristolThe University of Bristol is a university in Bristol, England. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876...
, where he first studied Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering and then subsequently read
SociologySociology is the scientific or systematic study of human societies. It is a branch of social science that uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop and refine a body of knowledge about human social structure and activity, often with the goal of applying such...
. He graduated with a BSc(Hons) in Sociology in 1996.
Military career
As the British Army sponsored his university education, Blunt was obliged to serve a minimum of four years in the armed forces. Blunt trained at the
Royal Military Academy SandhurstThe Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is the British Army officer initial training centre...
. He was commissioned as a
Second LieutenantSecond Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.In British English the rank is pronounced second /lɛf'tɛnənt/ , while in American English it is pronounced second /lu'tɛnənt/ ....
in the
Life GuardsThe Life Guards is the senior regiment of the British Army. With the Blues and Royals they make up the Household Cavalry.They originated in the four troops of horse guards raised by Charles II around the time of his restoration, plus two troops of horse grenadier guards which were raised some...
, a unit of the Household Cavalry, where he rose to the rank of Captain. One of his first assignments was to
British Army Training Unit SuffieldThe British Army Training Unit Suffield is a British Army unit located at the vast training area of Canadian Forces Base Suffield in Alberta, Canada. BATUS is the British Army's largest armoured training facility and it can accommodate live-firing and tactical effect simulation exercises up to...
in
AlbertaAlberta is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1, 1905.Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south....
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where his squadron was posted for six months in 1998 to act as the opposing army in combat training exercises.
In 1999, he served as an armoured reconnaissance officer in the NATO deployment in Kosovo. Initially assigned to reconnaissance of the
MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country in the central Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
-
YugoslaviaThe Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY was a federal state consisting of the republics of Serbia and Montenegro from the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , created after the other four republics broke away from Yugoslavia amid rising ethnic tensions...
border, Blunt and his unit worked ahead of the front lines directing forces and targeting Serb positions for the NATO bombing campaign. He led the first squadron of troops to enter Prishtina, and was the first British officer to enter the Kosovo capital. His unit was given the assignment of securing the Prishtina airport in advance of the 30,000-strong peacekeeping force; the Russian army had moved in and taken control of the airport before his unit's arrival. As the first officer on the scene, Blunt shared a part in the difficult task of addressing the potentially violent international incident. There were less intense moments during Blunt's Kosovo assignment, however. Blunt had brought along his guitar, strapped to the outside of his tank. At some places, the peacekeepers would share a meal with hospitable locals, and Blunt would perform. It was while on duty there that he wrote the song "No Bravery".
A keen skier, Blunt captained the Household Cavalry Alpine Ski Team in
VerbierVerbier is a village located in southwestern Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is one of the largest holiday resort and ski area in the Swiss Alps. Verbier is recognized as one of the premiere "off-piste" resorts worldwide and counts among Europe's most famous resorts...
,
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
, eventually becoming champion skier of the entire Royal Armoured Corps. He had extended his military service in November 2000, and after an intensive six-month army riding course was posted to the
Household Cavalry Mounted RegimentThe Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment is a ceremonial cavalry regiment of the British Army. It is classed as a regiment of guards, and carries out mounted ceremonial duties on State and Royal occasions. These include the provision of the Sovereign's Escort, most commonly seen at the present...
in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, England. During this posting, Blunt was interviewed about his responsibilities on the television programme "Girls on Top", a series highlighting unusual career choices. He stood guard at the coffin of the
Queen MotherElizabeth Bowes-Lyon was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 1936 until 1952 as the wife of King George VI. After her husband's death, she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
during the days of her lying in State and was part of the funeral procession on 9 April 2002. Blunt finally left the army on 1 October 2002 having served six years.
Early career
Blunt took piano and violin lessons as a child, but his first significant exposure to popular music was at Harrow School. There, he was introduced to the guitar by a fellow student, and started playing guitar and writing songs at age 14. At Bristol University, his undergraduate thesis was
The Commodification of Image - Production of a Pop Idol; one of his main references for the thesis was
Simon FrithSimon Frith is a former rock critic and a sociologist who specializes in popular music culture. He read PPE at Oxford and did a doctorate in Sociology at UC Berkeley...
, a sociologist and rock critic, and current chair of the Mercury Music Prize.
Blunt left the British Army in 2002 so that he could pursue his musical career. It was at about that time that he started using the stage name "Blunt", in part to make it easier for others to spell; "Blount" is pronounced the same way, and remains his legal surname. Shortly after leaving the Army, he was signed to
EMIThe EMI Group is a British music company. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm- EMI Music Publishing- based in New York City...
music publishers, and to Twenty-First Artists management. A record contract remained elusive however, with recording label executives pointing to Blunt's "posh" speaking voice as a barrier in class-divided Britain. Linda Perry, who was just launching her own Custard Records label in early 2003, heard Blunt's promotional tape when visiting London, and soon after heard him perform live at the South by Southwest Music Festival. Within a few days, Blunt signed a recording contract with Perry, and one month later he was in
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
working with producer
Tom RothrockTom Rothrock is an American record producer, composer and musician. Tom Rothrock has produced albums with James Blunt, Badly Drawn Boy, R. L. Burnside, Yonder Mountain String Band, Athlete, Sloan and Roman Carter....
.
Back to Bedlam
Blunt recorded
Back to BedlamBack to Bedlam is the debut album from British singer-songwriter James Blunt, released by Custard Records in 2004. Much of the album is acoustic-tinged rock and Pop rock. Tom Rothrock produced and mixed the album, he and Jimmy Hogarth produced the track "Wisemen", and Linda Perry produced the final...
in 2003 with producer Tom Rothrock at Rothrock's home studio, using session musicians and performing on many different instruments himself. While in Los Angeles, he lodged with actress
Carrie FisherCarrie Frances Fisher is an American actress, screenwriter and novelist. She is most famous for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy and her bestselling novel Postcards from the Edge.-Early life:...
, whom he had met through the family of a former girlfriend. Fisher was very supportive of Blunt's aspirations, suggesting the name of the album and providing use of a bathroom in her home for Blunt to record the song "
Goodbye My Lover"Goodbye My Lover" is a pop rock song written by British singer James Blunt and Sacha Skarbek for Blunt's debut album Back to Bedlam . The song was produced by Tom Rothrock and Jimmy Hogarth and received a mixed reception from music critics...
".
Back to Bedlam was finally released in the UK in October 2004.
The debut album from the unknown Blunt attracted little critical attention, and there were no published reviews from major UK music journals. His live performances, mainly in support of better known musicians, received somewhat mixed but generally favourable reviews. Blunt's lack of performing experience and inconsistent approach with audiences was commented upon, while his music was likened to that of
Damien RiceDamien Rice is an Irish singer/songwriter and musician. As a musician he plays the guitar, cello, violin, piano and drums.
...
and
David GrayDavid Gray may refer to:*David Gray , Scottish poet*David Gray , rugby league player for the Connecticut Wildcats*David Gray , British singer-songwriter*David Gray , Scottish footballer...
. In March 2004, with Blunt performing in the support role for
Katie MeluaKetevan "Katie" Melua is a Georgian/British singer, songwriter and musician. She was born in Georgia, but moved to Northern Ireland at the age of eight and then relocated to England at the age of 14. Melua is signed to the small Dramatico record label, under the management of songwriter Mike Batt,...
in
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
, Alex McCann of Designer Magazine wrote, "Blunt's ascendance is a dead cert and this time next year it isn't that far removed from reality to suggest that a number 1 album, Brit Award and countless accolade's
[sic] will be his for the taking."
James Blunt's debut single in the UK was "
High"High" is a pop rock song written by British singer James Blunt and Ricky Ross for Blunt's debut album Back to Bedlam . The song was produced by Tom Rothrock and Jimmy Hogarth and received a mixed reception from music critics...
" (co-written with
Ricky RossRicky Ross is a Scottish singer-songwriter, most famously for his work with the rock band Deacon Blue.-Biography:...
of
Deacon BlueDeacon Blue are a Scottish pop band. Their name is rumoured to be taken from the title of the Steely Dan song "Deacon Blues", whose lyrics seem to reflect the group's early outlook:...
). This song peaked below the Top 100 of the UK Singles Chart. However, the song was chosen to appear in a Vodafone commercial in
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
, and was a Top 10 hit in that country. Concert support slots for
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single, Candle in the Wind 1997, has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the...
and
Lloyd Cole and the CommotionsLloyd Cole and the Commotions were a popular British indie pop band of the mid-1980s, based in Glasgow, Scotland.-Band history:Formed in 1982 and signed to Polydor in 1984, the band was known for combining Neil Clark's encyclopedic, yet often twangy, guitar savvy with Lloyd Cole's low-key singing...
in late 2004 and early 2005 followed, as did a band residency at London club
93 Feet EastInteresting as an architectural conversion of part of the Old Truman Brewery, 93 Feet East is a popular live music venue on Brick Lane in East London that provides a platform for new and established acts...
. In March 2005, his second single, "
Wisemen"Wisemen" is a pop rock song written by British singer James Blunt, Jimmy Hogarth and Sacha Skarbek for Blunt's debut album Back to Bedlam . The song was produced by Tom Rothrock and Jimmy Hogarth and received a mixed reception from music critics...
," was released.
Blunt's third single "
You're Beautiful"You're Beautiful" is a pop rock song co-written by British singer James Blunt, Sacha Skarbek and Amanda Ghost for Blunt's debut album Back to Bedlam . It was released as the third single from the album in 2005. In the UK and Australia the song reached number one and number two respectively...
" was his breakout hit. The song debuted at number 12 in the UK, and rose all the way to the number one position six weeks after its debut. The song also received massive airplay in the UK, which helped propel
Back to BedlamBack to Bedlam is the debut album from British singer-songwriter James Blunt, released by Custard Records in 2004. Much of the album is acoustic-tinged rock and Pop rock. Tom Rothrock produced and mixed the album, he and Jimmy Hogarth produced the track "Wisemen", and Linda Perry produced the final...
to number one on the UK Albums Chart. The extensive airplay ultimately led to Blunt and his co-writers being awarded the Ivor Novello Award for Most Performed Work. After the success of "You're Beautiful" in the UK, the song crossed over to mainland Europe, becoming one of the biggest hits of summer 2005 across the continent. In the U.S., "You're Beautiful" made its debut in the summer of 2005 on
WPLJWPLJ is a radio station in New York City. WPLJ is the flagship FM station of Citadel Broadcasting Corporation. WPLJ shares studio facilities with sister station WABC and former sister stations WEPN and WQEW in midtown Manhattan, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building...
, a prominent radio station in New York City, despite not having been released to radio yet. Once the song was released to radio stations in the fall of 2005, the song climbed into the Top 10 at three radio formats: Adult Contemporary, Adult Top 40, and Adult Alternative. Blunt became the first British artist to top the American singles chart in nearly a decade when his song "You're Beautiful" reached number one on the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in 2006; the last British artist to do so had been
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single, Candle in the Wind 1997, has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the...
in 1997 with the song "
Candle in the Wind 1997"Candle in the Wind 1997" is a remake of "Candle in the Wind" by Sir Elton John that was released as a tribute single to Diana, Princess of Wales: with over 37 million copies sold, it is the best-selling single of all time...
". "Goodbye My Lover" was released as the fourth UK single from the album in December 2005, and was later the second US single. The songs "High" and "Wisemen" were subsequently re-released in 2006. Blunt started off 2006 celebrating five BRIT Award nominations, going on to win Best British male solo artist and Best pop act categories, having already started an 11-month tour that would take him around the world.
There was extensive promotion in the United States starting in the fall of 2005, with Blunt making appearances on
The Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey Show is a United States syndicated talk show, hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey, and is the highest-rated talk show in American television history...
and as a musical guest on
Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a weekly late-night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in New York City. It made its debut on October 11, 1975, under a slightly different title. The show features a regular cast of comedy actors, joined by a guest host and musical act...
. Eight of the songs on the album were featured in television shows (
The O.C.The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 22, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
,
Grey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series. It follows the lives of five surgical interns, later residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital in Seattle, Washington. The pilot episode, "A Hard Day's Night" premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC...
and many more), films (
UndiscoveredUndiscovered is a 2005 film directed by Meiert Avis. The plot is about a group of aspiring entertainers who intend to establish their careers in Los Angeles. Released on August 26, 2005, the film received a largely negative reception - as of January 8, 2008 the film had a 7% rating at Rotten...
), and advertising campaigns (
Hilton HotelsHilton Hotels is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by the Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels are either owned, managed, or franchised to independent operators by the Hilton Hotels Corporation. there are 533 Hilton branded hotels across...
,
SprintSprint Nextel Corporation is a telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas.The company owns and operates the third-largest wireless telecommunications network in United States, with 49.3 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility.Sprint is a global Internet carrier ...
telecommunications) throughout 2005 and 2006. Blunt performed "You're Beautiful" at the 49th Grammy Awards in February 2007, dedicating the song to the late
Ahmet ErtegünAhmet Ertegun was the Turkish American co-founder and executive of Atlantic Records and chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum, described as "one of the most significant figures in the modern recording industry"...
of
Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm & blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, but he did not win in any of the five categories for which he had received nominations.
The album eventually sold 11 million copies and topped the album charts in 16 territories worldwide. It sold 2.6 million in the U.S. and was certified 2x platinum. In Britain the album was certified 10x platinum, sold over three million copies, and entered the Guinness Book of Records for the fastest selling album in one year.
In 2005, Blunt performed in 90 live shows, mainly across the UK and Europe, ending the year supporting
Jason MrazJason Mraz is an American singer-songwriter, born and raised in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Mraz's stylistic influences include reggae, pop, rock, folk, jazz, and hip hop....
in a North American tour. The "Back to Bedlam World Tour" started off in January 2006, covering cities in Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, as well as three separate headline tours in North America, ending in November of that year. Not including promotional appearances, Blunt performed over 140 live shows in 2006. He enjoys the touring experience, saying in July 2006 that he and his band were having the time of their lives going to new places every day.
The videos for all of Blunt's singles released from
Back To Bedlam feature symbolism and dark imagery. In the first video for "High", he is buried in a desert. In the first video for "Wisemen", he is kidnapped and taken hostage. In the video for "You're Beautiful", he alludes to suicide by jumping off a cliff into the sea. In the "
Goodbye My Lover"Goodbye My Lover" is a pop rock song written by British singer James Blunt and Sacha Skarbek for Blunt's debut album Back to Bedlam . The song was produced by Tom Rothrock and Jimmy Hogarth and received a mixed reception from music critics...
" video, he is the outsider in a love triangle, imagining the couple, a man and woman (played by
Matt DallasMatthew Joseph Dallas is an American actor, best known for his main role on the ABC Family series, Kyle XY.-Personal life:Dallas was born in Phoenix, Arizona and briefly attended Arizona School for the Arts...
of
Kyle XYKyle XY is an American drama television series filmed in the Vancouver, British Columbia, area. The show revolves around a boy named Kyle , who awakens in a forest outside Seattle, Washington, suffering from amnesia. The series follows Kyle as he tries to understand the mysteries of who he is and...
and
Mischa BartonMischa Anne Marsden Barton is a British-American film, television, and stage actress, perhaps best known for her role as Marissa Cooper in the American television series The O.C....
of
The O.C.The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 22, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
) together. The re-release video for "High" features Blunt running in a forest. The re-release video for "Wisemen" has Blunt burning identification papers, and then walking through a forest while he is on fire.
Blunt appeared on an episode of
Sesame StreetSesame Street is an American educational children's television series and a pioneer of the contemporary educational television standard, combining both education and entertainment. Sesame Street is well known for its Muppets characters created by Jim Henson. It premiered on November 10, 1969, and...
which aired 14 November 2007, singing about triangles to the tune of "You're Beautiful".
A parody of You're Beautiful titled "
You're Pitiful"You're Pitiful" is a parody of "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt written and recorded by American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released exclusively online in June 2006....
" was recorded by Weird Al Yankovic. James Blunt gave personal permission for this parody to be included on a Weird Al album, but Atlantic Records, Blunt's record company, stepped in to forbid the commercial release of the song. Weird Al has since made the song available as a free MP3 download on his website. In a request by Yankovic to include the song on an upcoming compilation CD, Blunt's manager replied via email, "Thanks for your email, but both James and I will never approve this parody to be released on any label.".
All the Lost Souls
Blunt's second studio album,
All the Lost SoulsAll the Lost Souls is the second studio album by James Blunt, released on September 17, 2007. It is the follow-up to his hugely successful 2004 debut album, Back to Bedlam....
, was released on 17 September 2007 in the United Kingdom and one day later in North America. It sold 65,000 units in its first week, and was certified gold in the UK after only four days. By the end of January 2008, the album had sold 600,000 copies in the UK, and 3.5 million copies internationally. Blunt completed the album's songs at his home in
IbizaIbiza is an island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Iberian Peninsula Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses...
in the winter of 2006–2007. He performed five of the ten album tracks during his 2005–2006 tours; lyrics, melodies, and harmonies were refined for the studio recording, on which his touring band played and Tom Rothrock worked as producer.
While Blunt’s first album received very little critical attention, critics from every major music publication, and newspapers around the world, weighed in on
All the Lost Souls. The album maintains a 53/100 rating at
MetacriticMetacritic is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which the website describes as "mixed or average reviews." Eric Danton, of
The Hartford Courant wrote that the album is "a collection so bland, it makes hardtack seem sumptuous", while
Rolling Stone said that the album contains "forgettable ballads that make
ColdplayColdplay are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1998. The group comprises Chris Martin , Jonny Buckland , Guy Berryman , and Will Champion .Coldplay's early material was compared to acts such as Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, U2, and Travis...
seem like the
Arctic MonkeysArctic Monkeys are an English alternative rock band from High Green, a suburb of Sheffield. Formed in 2002, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders .Arctic Monkeys achieved chart success with their second single, "I Bet You Look Good on the...
." Yet, in her review of the album, Kerri Mason of
Billboard said Blunt "shows the abandon and confidence of a long-term artist, not just a one-hit wonder". And of the album, Mason wrote, "there is not a misstep throughout". Equally effusive, Liz Hoggard of
The Observer wrote that "it’s impossible to resist Blunt’s troubadour yearning.”
The first single from
All the Lost Souls, "
1973"1973" is the first single released from James Blunt's second studio album All the Lost Souls.-Background:"1973" is written by Mark Batson and James Blunt. "He was trying to write an English singer-songwriter song, and I was trying the Dr. Dre end of the scale," says Blunt...
", was inspired by Blunt's nights out at
PachaPacha is a clubbing franchise with headquarters in Ibiza. The first Pacha club was opened in Sitges outside Barcelona in 1967. The Ibiza club, however, is the most well-known and prestigious venue today and is one of two of the island's top clubs located in Ibiza Town, the other being El Divino...
, an
IbizaIbiza is an island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Iberian Peninsula Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses...
club, which opened in that year. The song became another hit for Blunt reaching number one the Billboard European Hot 100 Singles chart. D.J.
Pete TongPeter "Pete" Tong is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for...
remixed "1973" and played the track during his set at Pacha over the summer of 2007. The second single, "
Same Mistake"Same Mistake" is the second single from James Blunt's album All the Lost Souls. It was released in the United Kingdom on December 3, 2007. Radio play began on November 1, 2007 on selected stations in the United Kingdom and Europe, and shortly thereafter in North America.The song was edited for...
", was released in early December 2007 but did not fare well in the UK charts, peaking at number 57. It was Number 1 in Brazil and a hit in many South American countries. The third single from the album was "
Carry You Home"Carry You Home" is the third single from James Blunt's second album All the Lost Souls. The single was released on March 24, 2008 in the UK. CD1 features a live cover of Peter Bjorn and John's hit single "Young Folks". "Carry You Home" peaked at number 20 on the UK Singles Chart...
", released in March 2008, peaking at number 20 in the U.K charts and bringing the album back into the Top 10, six months after its release.
In the end of 2007, Blunt worked with French rapper
SinikThomas Idir a.k.a. Sinik is a French-language rap artist of Kabylian ethnicity. His father is Algerian while his mother is French.His meeting with Diam's at 14 was the turning point of his career...
. They released "Je Réalise", which took elements of Blunt's song "I'll Take Everything", in France the same year and became a top 3 hit.
Throughout 2008, Blunt toured the world to promote the album. After the successful spring leg of the tour in smaller venues in the UK, Blunt also announced several arena concerts in the UK to be performed during the first two weeks of October.
Blunt's latest single from the album is 'I Really Want You'.
On November 14, 2008, "
Primavera in anticipoPrimavera in anticipo is the tenth studio album by Italian singer - songwriter Laura Pausini. Two language versions of the album were released by Warner Music in 42 countries....
",
Laura PausiniLaura Pausini is an Italian pop singer, popular in several European, Latin American, and Middle Eastern countries, famed for her powerful voice, her romantic adult contemporary ballads and love songs. She is fluent in several languages and has recorded songs in Italian, Portuguese, Spanish,...
new album, was released. The title track is a duet with Blunt. The album reached the Number 1 in Italy.
On November 24, 2008, James Blunt re-released his newest album
All The Lost Souls in the United Kingdom as a deluxe edition, with new album artwork and the new single "Love, Love, Love" and the documentary "Return To Kosovo". It was released November 17 elsewhere, but there is not a release date for the U.S. version yet. The single EP for "Love, Love, Love" was released on US iTunes on November 18.
Personal life
Blunt says that he has become closer to his family since his musical success; his father manages his finances, and his mother arranged for the purchase of his principal residence in Ibiza, where Blunt has holidayed since he was a teenager. Blunt also owns a châlet in the Swiss town of
VerbierVerbier is a village located in southwestern Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is one of the largest holiday resort and ski area in the Swiss Alps. Verbier is recognized as one of the premiere "off-piste" resorts worldwide and counts among Europe's most famous resorts...
, which he purchased in February 2007, and he was named "godfather" of one of the town's new ski lifts.
Blunt was instrumental in introducing his sister to her eventual husband after offering her for "sale" on
EbayeBay Inc. is an American Internet company that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide. A majority of the sales take place through a set-time auction format, but subsequent methods include...
. She was having difficulty obtaining transport to a funeral in Ireland, and Blunt listed her as a "damsel in distress." The winner provided helicopter transportation. Blunt's sister and the winner subsequently began a relationship and eventually married.
The musician's social life has been the subject of significant commentary, particularly in the tabloid press; he is well known to enjoy nightclubbing and socialising with other celebrities. Blunt has, in the past, been romantically linked to Dixie Chassay, casting director for the
Harry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter, together with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his friends from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
films; Camilla Boler, musician and daughter of the late Stephen Boler; and supermodel
Petra NemcovaPetra Němcová is a model, television host, author, and philanthropist. She is also the founder and president of Happy Hearts Fund. In December 2004, she was injured in Thailand by a tsunami resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake; her then-fiancé, photographer Simon Atlee, was killed in...
. Blunt himself has found the degree of interest in his personal life to be bizarre, stating that "fame and celebrity is something that other people have constructed that I'm not really party to."
Philanthropy
Blunt has raised funds for
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)Médecins Sans Frontières , or Doctors Without Borders, is a secular humanitarian-aid non-governmental organization best known for its projects in war-torn regions and developing countries facing endemic disease....
, also known as Doctors Without Borders, through benefit concerts and by auctioning meet and greet opportunities at his own shows. He first encountered MSF medical care workers during his tour of duty in Kosovo, and was impressed with their work despite minimal support and limited security.
He also supports environmental causes, screening the trailer for
An Inconvenient TruthAn Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film, directed by Davis Guggenheim, about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate citizens about global warming and inspire them to take action....
at his concerts, and planting a tree for each advance sales concert ticket purchased through his designated website. On 7 July 2007, Blunt performed at the
Live EarthLive Earth is an annual event developed to combat climate change.-Background:The plans for the first Live Earth concerts were announced at a media event in Los Angeles on 15 February 2007 by Al Gore, Kevin Wall and other celebrities...
concert at
Wembley StadiumThe original Wembley Stadium was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007.-History:...
,
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, and is the owner of one of two prototype electric cars made by Hybrid Technologies under a Space Act partnership with NASA.
Blunt, a former soldier, is also a patron of
Help for HeroesHelp for Heroes is a British charity launched in September 2007 to help provide better facilities for wounded British servicemen and women. It was founded by Bryn Parry, a cartoonist and former member of The Royal Green Jackets, after he visited soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham...
, a
charityA charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . The term is relatively general and can technically refer to a public charity or a private foundation. It differs from other types of NPOs in that its focus is centered around goals of a general philanthropic nature A charitable...
aiming to raise money to provide better facilities to wounded British servicemen, and has also held benefit concerts for this charity.
Discography
- Back to Bedlam
Back to Bedlam is the debut album from British singer-songwriter James Blunt, released by Custard Records in 2004. Much of the album is acoustic-tinged rock and Pop rock. Tom Rothrock produced and mixed the album, he and Jimmy Hogarth produced the track "Wisemen", and Linda Perry produced the final...
(2004)
- All the Lost Souls
All the Lost Souls is the second studio album by James Blunt, released on September 17, 2007. It is the follow-up to his hugely successful 2004 debut album, Back to Bedlam....
(2007)
Awards
2005
- MTV Europe Music Awards
The 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards were presented on November 3rd in Lisbon, Portugal. These were the 12th time the MTV Europe Music Awards have been presented. The host was Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat Sagdiyev...
- Best New Act
- Q Awards
Q is a music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, with a circulation of 130,179 as of June 2007.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new...
- Best New Act
- Digital Music Awards - Best Pop Act
2006
- NRJ Music Awards
The NRJ Music Awards, created in 2000 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM...
(France) - Best International Newcomer
- BRIT Awards
The Brit Awards, often simply called The Brits and stylized as The BRIT Awards, are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British" or "Britannia", but has subsequently become a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
- Best pop act and Best Male Vocalist
- ECHO Awards (Germany) - Best International Newcomer
- NME Awards
The NME Awards are an annual music awards show, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine.-History:...
- Worst Album
- MTV Australia Video Music Awards - Song of the Year for You're Beautiful
"You're Beautiful" is a pop rock song co-written by British singer James Blunt, Sacha Skarbek and Amanda Ghost for Blunt's debut album Back to Bedlam . It was released as the third single from the album in 2005. In the UK and Australia the song reached number one and number two respectively...
- Ivor Novello Awards - Most Performed Work and International Hit of the Year
- MTV Video Music Awards
The 2006 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on August 31 2006, honoring the best music videos from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006. The show was hosted by Jack Black at Radio City Music Hall in New York City....
- Best Male Video and Best Cinematography
- World Music Awards
The 2006 World Music Awards were held in London, England and hosted by actress and vocalist Lindsay Lohan on November 15, 2006. Performances included a Thriller recreation by Chris Brown and a children's chorus rendition of "We Are the World" with Michael Jackson...
- Best New Artist in the World and Biggest Selling British Artist in the World
- Teen Choice Awards
The Teen Choice Awards is an awards show presented annually by FOX. The program honors the year's biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, as voted on by teens aged 13–19. The program usually features a high number of celebrities and musical performers...
(United States) - Choice Music Male Artist
2008
- ECHO Awards (Germany) - Best International Male Artist
Further reading
External links