British singer-songwriter James Vickery is entering a new era in his musical artistry with the upcoming release of his self-titled album ‘James’, out on September 12. Known for his soulful ballads and rich R&B vocals, he described his upcoming album as deeply personal and genre-bending–combining musical exploration with emotional depth, personal growth, and sense of identity.
With his album ‘James’, Vickery pivots towards something greater where he embraces the artistic freedom to evolve and explore. “I’m at this point in my life where I exhausted all avenues, explored every sound that I need to make, ” Vickery said. “I think it represents me not just as an artist but also as a man growing up in London.”
For Vickery, this album is the best representation and most authentic version of himself and he is proud of it.
Introducing himself with this self-titled album is a freedom from expectations and a commitment to growth that didn’t happen overnight. “I really don’t want to be one of the artists who just drops the same album every two years”, Vickery explained. Sharing his journey as an artist, Vickery also shared that he is open to evolving sounds while writing songs that he can sing without any limitations.
“It was definitely a tough decision and it took me a long time to write this,” Vickery expounded.
As Vickery steps into a new decade of age, introspection and personal journey led him to choose this title that feels rooted and authentic. “I want this to be the defining project that when I look back in 20 years, this is who I was and hopefully this is still the representation of the core essence of my personality.”
Releasing and naming this album after himself felt like the right moment for Vickery, both as an artist and as a person. “I’m much more mature now to look back and I want this to define where I am,” Vickery shared.
The result of his artistic exploration manifests with the album that traverses genres– from classic R&B to ‘70s funk and soul, synth-pop, and the pop sounds of the late ‘90s and early 2000s, where he turned to the music that shaped him especially with musical influences from Westerman and Vandross. “In order to get the true, authentic sound from things that inspired you, you have to go back and listen to the people before you and pay homage,” said Vickery.
Amidst all his musical and personal journey, Vickery remains grounded as he marks a turning point in his sound. “I would always call myself a soul singer but right now, I am more than that,” Vickery affirmed as he indicated that the thing he is not afraid to do is to experiment with sounds that are around him. And together with the people that surrounded him from growing up, he shared that it grounds him because people still believe in him.
Over the years, James Vickery’s music has been grounded in passion and built on emotional truth and resilience. His experiences have refined his songs into translating messages he hopes to resonate with the listeners. “To write authentically is to write about things that are passionate to you,” Vickery said while stating that being true to yourself is the way to get the best music.
Pre-Save and stream James Vickery’s upcoming self-titled album JAMES, this September 12 and experience a journey of his sound, self, and soul.
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Words and interview by Leana Infante, a Communication Arts major in Speech Communication at the University of the Philippines Los Baños
