Fast-rising British RnB artist James Vickery delivers his latest single 'Hourglass', out April 14th through Th3rd Brain
DEBUT ALBUM COMING IN 2021
"Rising star James Vickery is pulling out all the stops ahead of the release of his debut album, teaming up with soul legend Musiq Soulchild for his latest track Come To Me." OFFICIAL CHARTS
”James Vickery's voice will grab you from the very first note" COMPLEX
"Vickery was born deaf in his left ear but didn't let the adversity put him off a career in music"
THE FADER
‘Pressure Pt. II’ voted Top 10 best songs of 2020 ROLLING STONE
"The face of British new wave R&B" FLAUNT MAGAZINE
“James Vickery, a 24 year-old R&B singer from London, went viral on YouTube” BILLBOARD
“Spearheading a fresh wave of British R&B talent” CLASH
“South London singer-songwriter James Vickery is the new face of UK R&B.” NOTION
“An emerging talent that’s taking the R&B world by storm” SPINDLE
"Vickery’s buttery smooth vocals grab you at the first note and send you tumbling headfirst into a sultry soundscape filled with captivating lyricism. The raw, textured, and organic sound that characterised the R&B singer’s earlier releases and sets him apart from other artists on the scene is definitely here to stay." WONDERLAND
Following the release of his highly-praised Maths Time Joy-produced single ‘Somewhere, Out There’ and subsequent Musiq Soulchild collaboration ‘Come To Me’ in recent months, which received plaudits from the likes of Wonderland, NOTION, CLASH, Earmilk, Under The Radar, and Hip Hop DX, the fast-rising male face to the UK’s R&B scene James Vickery has now delivered the third cut lifted from his forthcoming as yet untitled debut album, ‘Hourglass’.
Produced by Louis Mattrs, best known for his production of JV's viral hit ‘Until Morning’, and Stint (NAO, Gallant, Sabrina Claudio), ‘Hourglass’ sees him deliver more of that warm and textured R&B sound he has cultivated throughout his career so far. Keeping the pace and rhythm of the track as seductive as possible, his newest release is a dense and captivating aura that plunges itself straight to the heart of his own passionate direction.
Watch the ‘Hourglass’ video, premiered by WONDERLAND, directed by Cam Turnbull and featuring dancer Nqobile Danseur HERE
Speaking about the new offering, James said, "I wrote this song last year with my dear friends Louis Mattrs (who produced “Until Morning”) and J Warner. I then took the demo to Stint - who I’ve been a huge fan of for years due to his work with Sabrina Claudio and Nao. He turned the song into the sultry R&B track that I always wanted it to be! “Hourglass” details a lustful relationship with a past significant other, and serves as an ode to her incredible physique.”
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 24 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 him one of British R&B/Soul Artists to watch out for in 2021.