James Vickery is ready to bare his soul to the world. His stunning new album, simply titled JAMES., is a remarkably assured statement – one that introduces a whole new sound to his audience. And from the Hollywood flurry of strings that heralds “Hotel Lobby” to the woozy beat on “Higher”, each track is testament to Vickery’s fantastic voice, honed from a time where it seemed like he might not be able to sing at all.
“Something I realised a while ago was that a lot of people didn’t necessarily understand where the music comes from,” the South London artist says. “I had a story that I was always a little bit ashamed of, which is sad in a way, but there was never much representation for people with my condition in the music industry.”
Vickery is completely deaf in one ear. Aged eight, he was diagnosed with a non-cancerous growth of skin cells called a cholesteatoma, which was in his ear and growing towards his brain. Without surgery, he might have died within two months. The operation saved his life, and a vocal coach brought in to help him with his speech would soon discover his astonishing singing abilities.
He opened up about his journey in the moving 2021 documentary, Louder, which also shone a light on his fascinating heritage. Born to a Welsh father and South African mother, Vickery, who is white-passing, has occasionally struggled with misconceptions from strangers.
“I think my whole career, I was really trying to be accepted by different communities while being afraid that they would reject me,” he says. “I would make music to try and impress people without realising it.” Somewhere along the road, though, he found an inner peace, and with it the idea to self-title this latest work: “Because it’s real, it’s me.”
Still, Vickery has a back catalogue most artists twice his age would envy. There’s the famous COLORS SHOW, which to date has racked up close to 40 million views and (Vickery’s fans tell him) soundtracked the conception of at least a dozen babies. His debut album, Songs That Make Me Feel – featuring collaborations with R&B legend Musiq Soulchild and Atlanta hip-hop duo EarthGang – saw him hailed as the new face of UK R&B.
Meanwhile a recent independent release, the Sheet Music EP, demonstrated his impressive versatility as an artist. His collaboration with SG Lewis on the 2020 track “Pressure” has attracted over 40 million plays on Spotify alone, while more recent songs such as “The Reason” – a gorgeous concoction of deep bass grooves and muted keys – have achieved millions of streams apiece.
“I think a part of me was ready to move away from a strict R&B sound – that was a really conscious decision,” Vickery says of JAMES., which incorporates funk, hip-hop and pop elements. He joined forces with longtime collaborator JD Reid (Mahalia, Mabel, Sinead Harnett), along with producer Larrance Dopson (Kendrick Lamar, Ella Mai, Justin Timberlake) and Grammy-nominated LA songwriter/composer Jonah Christian (Beyonce, Normani, Tems).
Written in LA, “Hotel Lobby” dances along a bossa nova rhythm, conjuring visions of palm trees, white sand beaches and azure waters. Influenced by artists such as Daniel Caesar or Sabrina Carpenter (think “Bed Chem”), its carefree sound belies the sensual lyrics, delivered in Vickery’s breathy, mellifluous vocal.
Single “Butter” was actually composed by Vickery with the intention of pitching it to other artists, until his label persuaded him that he had to sing it himself. “There was this person at the time I was thinking about a lot – so this song was written about that kind of yearning,” Vickery says with a bashful grin. Over melting keys and a luxuriant rhythm, he finds himself “wishing it wasn’t a fairytale… ‘cos with every hour that passes I’m wishing that I could be yours.”
We hear, quite literally, a different side of Vickery on “Right Side”, a bold slice of funk with a hidden meaning. “I love the idea of something being disguised as a love song, so this was inspired by the fact that I always have to be on the left side of someone due to my deafness,” he explains. “But of course that’s quite a niche thing to write about, so I put a different spin on it.”
It’s a particular talent of Vickery’s, that he can take such a deeply personal experience and still make it relatable to his listeners. “I don’t want to be a sad story,” he says. “I’m very proud of going through what I have and coming out the other side. Hopefully you hear that euphoria in the chorus.”
One thing is certain, Vickery is never afraid of taking himself out of his comfort zone. On “Higher”, we hear him put his amazing voice to the test on a bouncing, Eighties-influenced anthem. Synths swirl across the track like constellations, glimmering bright as Vickery raises his voice to the heavens.
He strips everything away for the tender “Fall In Your Arms”. Delivered over sombre piano chords, it’s a heart-rending ballad on which Vickery pleads with his lover to stay with him just for a moment longer. “I finally feel safe/ ‘cos you’re here by my side,” he sings. “I need it night and day/ And all my problems drift away.”
Those dramatic strings swoop in, rising and falling into a crescendo of drums that crash like waves against the cliffs. It’s a full-circle moment, calling back to those cinematic violins that open “Hotel Lobby”, representing the extraordinary journey Vickery has been on.
“This album has been the most authentic version of me that exists, right now,” Vickery says. “What’s amazing to me is that these songs came so naturally – the music flowed out of me – and I’m really proud of that.” It’s the strongest statement the young artist has made to date, melding his classic R&B influences with Seventies funk and soul, and the late Nineties and Noughties pop he grew up on.
“The soul is always going to be there,” he says. “The record feels like a natural progression from my earlier work, and completely represents who I am and what I’m about.” Vickery is a born star, and a rare one – his fearlessness and conviction when it comes to his music are unparalleled.