James Vickery returns with the first single from his debut album – ‘Somewhere, Out There’
Following the recent release of his outstanding EPs ‘Overture’ and ‘Until Morning’, which received plaudits from The Fader, Complex, Rolling Stone, CLASH, and Billboard, as well as garnering more than 80 million streams across all DSPs and countless airplay across BBC Radio 1 and 1XTRA, the fast-rising male face to the UK’s R&B scene James Vickery has returned to deliver his stunning Maths Times Joy-produced single ‘Somewhere, Out There’, the first single from his forthcoming debut album.
What has really set James apart from many other artists at the moment is his ability to create a truly raw and organic sound within his aesthetic, and this is exactly what we experience once again on ‘Somewhere, Out There’. With his rich and uplifting vocals layered amongst a subtle blend of lo-fi beats, subtle production, and warming atmosphere, this new release gives us an insight into what we can expect from his long-awaited debut LP, which is set to land later this year.
Speaking about his new offering, James said, "There's never been a better time to release this song... It feels like it has such relevance in the world right now, England is suffering a national lockdown. I wrote this song for the people in the world who are unable to see their loved ones in this dreadful time, in the hope that there is some light at the end of the tunnel... 'Somewhere, Out There' is a song for anyone who misses their significant other right now."
With the UK plunged into lockdown throughout the majority of 2020, his new studio full-length intends to encapsulate the feelings that many of us began to experience throughout last year. With so many separated from their loved ones and worried about what the future holds, James is looking to take these uncertain times and reflect them back to us with a rich and vibrant collection that looks to bring some much needed warmth and joy to our lives.
South London's James Vickery is the new face of UK R&B. Following the enormous success of his hugely popular COLORS session, which amassed more than 22 million views, James caught the attention of many admirers internationally, subsequently leading to the London-born songwriter inking record and publishing deals with TH3RD BRAIN and Roc Nation respectively despite being born deaf in his left ear. Speaking about his pre-existing medical condition Vickery told Fader:
“Growing up in and out of hospital with a hearing impairment was extremely tough for me... If I hadn't started going to speech therapy at a young age, I’m not sure I would have ever found my voice. The truth is I found out I could sing, almost accidentally because of speech therapy, and never looked back since…”
In March 2020 Vickery released ‘Overture’, his first body of work since becoming a signed artist. The six-track EP featured collaborations with Kenny Beats (Dominic Fike), SG Lewis (Clairo), Pomo (Anderson. Paak), Sad Money (Sabrina Claudio) and Maths Time Joy (Mahalia). The project showcased the full spectrum of Vickery’s R&B capabilities from sultry bedroom slow jams to uptempo electronic hits. Listen to ‘Overture’ HERE
It’s clear that James Vickery has conquered more struggles than your average singer, but isn’t letting this hold him back as he releases regular unique content (see his LIVE from London series on Youtube) and puts the finishing touches to his debut album due for release later this year.
So what can we expect from Vickery moving forward into the album campaign? He tells us:
“I look up to artists like Nao who has stuck with her sound from day one, and has crafted her own lane. I'm definitely trying to do that myself as a UK Male R&B Singer. I want to cover all bases of R&B and experiment with all the subforms with it, keep people guessing what they can expect from me next- with the one thing that ties it all together, the vocal.”
JV's distinctive voice and look, combined with his incredible vision for how his voice fits into a song allows for a completely unique take on R&B and makes his one of British R&B/Soul Artists to watch out for in 2021.
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