If staring intently into a camera lens without feeling a little awkward is a skill, then James Bay has it down to a fine art.
The 27-year-old is back with his second album and a new music video Wild Love, featuring Stranger Things star Natalia Dyer.
If you were not a fan of James’ acoustic sound on his first album, then this laid-back pop may do it for you.
Not to mention you feel like he’s singing only to you when Natalia is off-screen.
The video opens with James singing before a black background while blue butterflies float past him.
He spots Natalia in a crowded nightclub and makes his way over to her and the pair lock eyes.
James, who won Best Male Artist at the 2016 BRIT awards, admitted he was a little star struck by the 21-year-old actress.
He said: ‘It was such a pleasure to work with Natalia on the Wild Love set. She’s a lovely person, a huge talent and it was great hanging with her while making this video. I’m also a massive Stranger Things fan so tried everything in my power not to fan boy too hard.’
Released on 8 February, James’ new sound has been well-received by fans and Wild Love’has already reached 4 million streams on Spotify.
The singer’s first album, Chaos and Sound, was released in 2015 and went to number one on the UK charts, becoming the biggest selling album of the year with 345,000 copies sold.
James has confirmed UK festival gigs this summer at Isle of Wight and TRNSMT and he has sold out an upcoming gig on March 15 at London’s Electric Brixton.
Speaking to the Evening Standard about his change in sound, James told how he did not want his new music to be a repeat of his debut.
‘The little mantra going through my head as I was making this music was, “If I’m not moving forward I’m standing still”,’ he said.
‘For all I achieved on the first record and everything it means to all the fans, I’m not going to make Chaos and the Calm Two.
‘The people that fell in love with my music the first time around are not the same people they were three years ago. They won’t expect me to be the same either.
‘I’ll try and bridge the gap between albums one and two.’
Don’t worry James, you haven’t lost any of us.
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