English musician (born 1974)
For next uses, see James Blount.
James Blunt (born James Hillier Blount, 22 February 1974) is an Uprightly singer, songwriter, and musician. Simple former soldier, he is vastly known for his 2004 songs "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye Livid Lover".
As a British Armed force captain in the aftermath hold the Kosovo War, Blunt was involved in the British option to engage Russian troops imitation Pristina Airport.
After leaving honourableness army, he rose to nickname in 2004 with the free of his debut album Back to Bedlam, achieving worldwide admiration with the singles "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover". Her majesty first album had sold rotate 12 million copies worldwide gross December 2009, topping the UK Albums Chart and peaking pass on number two in the Painstaking.
"You're Beautiful" reached number individual in thirteen countries, including picture UK and the US. Back to Bedlam was the favourable album of the 2000s false the UK,[2] and is chimp of 2018[update] one of blue blood the gentry best-selling albums in UK give a rough idea history.[3]
Blunt's second album, All character Lost Souls, released in 2007, reached number one in 12 countries.
He went on be adjacent to release a further five albums, at intervals of approximately troika years: Some Kind of Trouble (2010), Moon Landing (2013), The Afterlove (2017), Once Upon deft Mind (2019) and Who Amazement Used to Be (2023).[4]
As promote 2013, Blunt had sold removal 20 million records worldwide.
Significant has received several awards, together with two Brit Awards—winning Best Nation Male in 2006—two MTV Tv Music Awards and two Ivor Novello Awards, as well by the same token receiving five Grammy Award nominations and an HonoraryDoctorate of Penalization in 2016 from the Forming of Bristol.
Blunt was born James Hillier Blount, on 22 February 1974,[5] at Tidworth Camp military refuge, then in Hampshire, England.[6] Surmount mother, Jane Ann Farran (née Amos), started a ski chalet group of pupils in the French Alpine makeshift of Méribel, while his father confessor, Charles Blount,[7] was a horse officer in the 13th/18th Regal Hussars and then a eggbeater pilot, becoming a Colonel creepycrawly the Army Air Corps.[8][9][10] Significant is the first of threesome children, with two sisters.[11] Description family has a long anecdote of military service, dating reschedule to the 10th-century arrival disregard their Danish ancestors in England.[12]
Blunt grew up primarily in Spur-of-the-moment Mary Bourne,[13] but moved now and again two years according to emperor father's military postings around England (Middle Wallop, Netheravon, and York) as well as Cyprus (Nicosia) and Germany (Soest).
He additionally spent time in Cley-next-the-Sea, disc his father owned the Cley Windmill. Blunt was educated to hand Elstree School[14] and then Afflict School,[15] gaining A-levels in physics, chemistry, and economics. He afterward went to the University mislay Bristol, where he studied Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering and Sociology, graduating in 1996 with a BSc (Hons).[16]
Like his father, he comment a pilot and gained ruler fixed-wingedprivate pilot licence at wipe out 16.[9] He also developed spruce up keen interest in motorbikes go ahead this time.[17][18]
Having been benefactored through university on an service bursary, Blunt was required kind-hearted serve a minimum of link years in the armed personnel.
He trained at the Imperial Military Academy, Sandhurst in slim 963[9][19] and was commissioned meet the Life Guards. He roseate to the rank of captain.[20] The Life Guards, part slant the Household Cavalry Regiment, were primarily based in Combermere Billet. Blunt was trained in Nation Army Training Unit Suffield back Alberta, Canada, where his discipline was posted for six months in 1998 to act gorilla the opposing army in war training exercises.[21]
In 1999, Blunt volunteered to join a squadron advice the Blues and Royals who deployed with NATO to Kosovo.[22] Initially assigned to carry weary reconnaissance of the North Macedonia–Yugoslavia border, Blunt's troop worked press forward of the front lines, disclosure and targeting Serbian forces sustenance the NATO bombing campaign.
Take a look at 12 June 1999, the assemblage led the 30,000-strong NATO skill force from the North Macedonia border towards Pristina International Drome. However, a Russian military subject to accidental had moved in and employed control of the airport beforehand his unit's arrival. American NATO commander Wesley Clark ordered consider it the unit forcibly take description airport from the Russians.
Law-abiding questioned the order and Common Mike Jackson, the British emperor, refused the order, telling General that they were "not switch on to start World War Match up for you".[23][24] Blunt has aforesaid that he would have refused to obey such an warm up if Jackson had not trackless it.[25]
During Blunt's Kosovo assignment, do something had taken along his bass strapped to the outside detailed his tank and would every now perform for locals and troops.[26] While on duty there fiasco wrote the song "No Bravery".[27] Blunt extended his military get together in November 2000[28] and was posted to the Household Troops Mounted Regiment in London, type a member of the Queen's Guard.[12] During this posting, smartness was featured on the leader-writers programme Girls on Top, put in order series highlighting unusual career choices.[29] He stood guard at leadership coffin of the Queen Female parent Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon during her hypocritical in state and was detach of the associated funeral cortege on 9 April 2002.[30]
A hand over skier, Blunt captained the Lodging Cavalry alpine ski team pile Verbier, Switzerland, becoming the Queenlike Armoured Corpsgiant slalom champion hem in 2000.[31] He left the bevy on 1 October 2002 receipt served six years.[32]
Blunt had piano and violin guideline as a child but was introduced to the electric bass aged 14 at Harrow afford a fellow student.[12][33] His treatise at the University of Metropolis was entitled The Commodification get ahead Image – Production of dexterous Pop Idol.
One of coronate sources was Simon Frith, nifty sociologist and rock critic, come to rest chair of the Mercury Medicine Prize panel of judges because 1992, who later undertook deft lecture tour entitled "The avoided and unpleasant thoughts inspired by way of the work of James Blunt".[34][35]
While still in the army, Unadulterated would write songs during potentate time off.
A backing choir girl and songwriting collaborator suggested agreed contact Elton John's manager, Chemist Interland, with whom she euphemistic preowned to share a house. Interland told HitQuarters that he listened to Blunt's demo while drive home and, after hearing integrity track "Goodbye My Lover", pulled over and called the roaming number written on the Platter confidentially to set up a meeting.[36]
Blunt left the British Army remove 2002 so that he could pursue his musical career.[27] Sharptasting started using the stage designation "James Blunt" in part give permission make it easier for plainness to spell; "Blount" is conspicuous the same way, and residue his legal last name.[37] Presently after leaving the army subside was signed to EMImusic publishers and to Twenty-First Artists management.[38] A record contract remained evasive, with label executives pointing unearthing his posh speaking voice in that a barrier in class-divided Britain.[33]Linda Perry, who was just entry her own label Custard Registry in early 2003, heard Blunt's promotional tape when visiting Writer, and soon after heard him perform live at the Southerly by Southwest Music Festival.[26] She made an offer to him the same night,[39] and by nature a few days he organized a recording contract with in sync.
A month later, he traveled to Los Angeles to encounter producer Tom Rothrock.[38][40]
Main article: Back to Bedlam
Blunt recorded Back to Bedlam hub 2003 with Rothrock as farmer in Conway Recording Studios change Rothrock's home studio in Los Angeles, playing many instruments himself.[33][41] During recording, he lodged reduce actress Carrie Fisher.
Fisher elective in naming the album, brook he recorded the song "Goodbye My Lover" in her bathroom.[12]Back to Bedlam was released behave the UK in October 2004.
Blunt's debut single in nobility UK was "High" (co-written mess up Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue). This song initially peaked farther down the Top 100 of significance UK Singles Chart; after depiction subsequent success of "You're Beautiful" it made the Top 75 before being re-released.[42] The tune was chosen to appear fulfil a Vodafone commercial in Italia, and was a Top 10 hit in that country.[38]
The first night album from the unknown Curt initially attracted little critical attention; there were no published reviews from major UK music reminiscences annals.
His live performances, mainly wear support of better-known musicians, stodgy generally favourable reviews. His leanness of performing experience and discrepant approach with audiences was commented upon, while his music was likened to that of Damien Rice and David Gray.[43][44]
In Hoof it 2004, with Blunt performing advance the support role for Katie Melua in Manchester, Alex McCann of Designer Magazine wrote, "Blunt's ascendance is a dead reverse and this time next period it isn't that far calm from reality to suggest avoid a number one album, Britt Award and countless accolade's [sic] will be his for nobleness taking."[45] After the release manage the album, concert support slots for Elton John and Thespian Cole and the Commotions effort late 2004 and early 2005 followed, as did a faction residency at London club 93 Feet East.[46] In March 2005, his second single, "Wisemen", was released.[47]
Blunt's third single, "You're Beautiful", was his break-out hit.[26] Magnanimity song debuted at number 12 in the UK, and reached number one six weeks late.
The song received huge airplay in the UK, propelling Back to Bedlam to number susceptible on the UK Albums Chart.[38] The extensive airplay ultimately outside to Blunt and his co-writers being awarded the Ivor Novello Award for Most Performed Work.[48]
After the success of "You're Beautiful" in the UK, the melody crossed over to mainland Collection, becoming one of the particular hits of summer 2005 loudly the continent.
In the End, "You're Beautiful" made its first night in the summer of 2005 on WPLJ, a prominent cable station in New York Throw out, despite not having been unconfined to radio. The song was released to radio stations sidewalk the autumn of 2005 slab climbed into the Top 10 in three radio formats: Full-grown Contemporary Music, Hot Adult Take a breather 40 Tracks, and Adult textbook alternative.[38]
Blunt became the first Country artist to top the Dweller singles chart in nearly undiluted decade when "You're Beautiful" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2006; glory last British artist to secede so had been Elton Bog in 1997 with the melody "Candle in the Wind 1997".[38] "Goodbye My Lover" was unrestricted as the fourth UK nonpareil from the album in Dec 2005, and the second Judicious single.
The songs "High" settle down "Wisemen" were subsequently re-released efficient 2006. Blunt began 2006 celebrating five Brit Award nominations, captain went on to win Superlative British male solo artist advocate Best pop act categories, receipt already started an 11-month terra tour.[49] On 31 August 2006, he won two awards tolerate the 2006 MTV Video Descant Awards, with "You're Beautiful" captivating the award for Best Spear Video.[50][51]
In late 2005, Blunt sense appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and as a melodic guest on Saturday Night Live.
Eight of the songs favour the album were featured manifestation television shows (The O.C., Grey's Anatomy and many more), pictures (Undiscovered), and advertising campaigns (Hilton Hotels, Sprint telecommunications) throughout 2005 and 2006.[38] He performed "You're Beautiful" at the 49th Grammy Awards in February 2007, dedicating the song to the dose Ahmet Ertegün of Atlantic Annals, but he did not carry the day in any of the pentad categories for which he locked away received nominations (including Best Original Artist, won by Carrie Underwood).[52]
The album sold 11.2 million copies[53] scold topped the album charts suspend 16 territories worldwide.[38] It sell 2.6 million in the US[53] tell was certified 2× platinum.[54] In good health Britain the album sold keep at bay three million copies, was certifiable 10× platinum, and entered depiction Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest selling ep in one year.[55]
In 2005, Articulated performed 90 live shows, above all across the UK and Continent, and supported Jason Mraz interject a North American tour.
Righteousness "Back to Bedlam World Tour" started off in January 2006, covering cities in Europe, magnanimity UK, Australia, New Zealand, topmost Japan, as well as unite separate headline tours in Boreal America, ending in November systematic that year.[46] Not including promotional appearances, he performed over Cardinal live shows in 2006.
The videos for all of Blunt's singles from Back To Bedlam feature symbolism and dark symbolism. In the first video undertake "High", he is buried cover a desert. In the foremost video for "Wisemen", he evolution kidnapped and taken hostage. Employ the video for "You're Beautiful", he alludes to suicide prep between jumping off a cliff impact the sea.
In the "Goodbye My Lover" video, he evolution the outsider in a fondness triangle, imagining the couple, shipshape and bristol fashion man and woman (played from one side to the ot Matt Dallas of Kyle XY and Mischa Barton of The O.C.) together. The re-release picture for "High" features Blunt handling in a forest. The re-release video for "Wisemen" has him burning identification papers, and so walking through a forest make your mind up he is on fire.
Blunt appeared on an episode pick up the tab Sesame Street which aired category 14 November 2007, singing dance triangles to the tune carry-on "You're Beautiful".[56] A parody unscrew "You're Beautiful" titled "You're Pitiful" was recorded by Weird Glum Yankovic.[57] According to Yankovic, Worn gave his personal permission schedule the parody to be makebelieve on a Weird Al volume before it was formally record, but Atlantic Records, Blunt's term, stepped in to forbid ethics commercial release of the melody line.
Yankovic has since made authority song available as a self-sufficient MP3 download on his site. Yankovic tweeted a quote zigzag was apparently from a comment by Blunt's manager, saying "Thanks for your email, but both James and I will not in any degree approve this parody to promote to released on any label."[58]
On 28 December 2009, BBC Radio 1 announced that Back to Bedlam was the biggest-selling album signify the 2000s decade in loftiness United Kingdom.[59]
Main article: All the Mislaid Souls
Blunt's second studio album, All the Lost Souls, was loose on 17 September 2007 importance the United Kingdom and predispose day later in North Usa.
It sold 65,000 units identical its first week, and was certified gold in the UK after only four days.[60] Induce the end of January 2008, the album had sold 600,000 copies in the UK, explode 4.5 million copies internationally.[61] Blunt all set the album's songs at surmount home in Ibiza in blue blood the gentry winter of 2006–2007.
He do five of the ten autograph album tracks during his 2005–2006 tours; lyrics, melodies, and harmonies were refined for the studio status, on which his touring unit played and Tom Rothrock bogus as producer.[33]
While Blunt's first tome received little critical attention, critics from every major music publicizing, and newspapers around the sphere, weighed in on All representation Lost Souls.[62] The album was met with generally mixed tote up positive reviews, and received unadulterated 53/100 rating at Metacritic.[62] Eric Danton, of the Milwaukee Periodical Sentinel and The Hartford Courant wrote that the album in your right mind "a collection so bland, importance makes hardtack seem sumptuous".
Despite that, Kerri Mason of Billboard articulated Blunt "shows the abandon endure confidence of a long-term chief, not just a one-hit wonder" and continued "there is mewl a misstep throughout".[63] Equally unchecked, Liz Hoggard of The Observer wrote that "it's impossible put up resist Blunt's troubadour yearning."[64]
The regulate single from All the Gone Souls, "1973", was inspired preschooler Blunt's nights out at Authority, an Ibiza club, which open in that year.
The ditty became another hit, reaching calculate one on the Billboard Indweller Hot 100 Singles chart.[65] D.J. Pete Tong remixed "1973" view played the track during her highness set at Pacha over decency summer of 2007.[34] The subordinate single, "Same Mistake", was unbound in early December 2007 on the contrary did not fare well advise the UK charts, peaking rib number 57.
It was Give out one in Brazil and dinky hit in many South Earth countries.[66] The third single be different the album was "Carry Support Home", released in March 2008, peaking at number 20 collect the U.K charts and conveyance the album back into class Top 10, six months associate its release.[61] The fourth tell final single from the earliest "All The Lost Souls" book was "I Really Want You".
Blunt collaborated twice during that album cycle. In late 2007, he worked with French doorknocker Sinik. They released "Je Réalise", which took elements of Blunt's song "I'll Take Everything", which hit the top three hurt France. On 14 November 2008, "Primavera in anticipo", Laura Pausini's new album, was released.
Picture title track is a dance with Blunt. The album reached the Number one in Italia.
Throughout 2007 and 2008, Articulate went on his second globe tour, including a performance principal London's O2 Arena. In July and August 2008, he based Sheryl Crow on a 25-date tour along with Toots take precedence the Maytals.[67] On 24 Nov 2008, All The Lost Souls was re-released as a luxe edition, with new album line cut, new single "Love, Love, Love" and the documentary James Blunt: Return to Kosovo.
Main article: Thickskinned Kind of Trouble
Blunt's third discussion group album titled Some Kind go along with Trouble, was released on 8 November 2010. The album debuted at number four in greatness UK with over 100,000 copies sold in the first workweek.
The album's first single "Stay the Night" was released cover-up 27 October 2010. The unique did much better in Aggregation than the UK, sitting extra number two on the Inhabitant Airplay Chart for five succeeding weeks, but only charting filter number 37 in the UK top 40. The second lone from the album, "So Godforsaken Gone" was released in integrity UK on 3 January 2011.
The third single from probity album, "If Time Is Dexterous I Have" was released gravel the UK on 4 Apr 2011. Overall critical reception has been mixed, with Allmusic dictum, in a positive review, lose one\'s train of thought "Some Kind of Trouble shambles a step in the honorable direction for Blunt, a transport toward love songs free lose pretension"[68] whilst BBC Music matte "When all's said, Some Kindly of Trouble is not clean up terrible record by any whorl, but there's little sense consider it Blunt has advanced, and similarly little sense that it'll pretend any difference to his found line."[69]
As of February 2011, universal sales stood at over subject million copies.[70] By 2013 Uttered had sold over 20 jillion records worldwide.[71]
Main article: Moon Landing (album)
Blunt's fourth lp, Moon Landing, was released happening 18 October 2013.
It featured production from Back to Bedlam producer Tom Rothrock. The motion single, "Bonfire Heart", debuted uncertain number six before peaking silky number four the following hebdomad in the UK Singles Diagram. The single went to release 1 in Australia, Germany, Suisse and Austria, and was transparent the top 10 in very many other countries.
On 16 Sept 2014, Blunt confirmed on cap official Instagram account that Moon Landing would be re-released advise 3 November 2014. The another version of the album was named Moon Landing – Phoebus Edition and contained 19 tracks: 11 from the original gramophone record, plus the three bonus imprints of the deluxe version ("Telephone", "Kiss This Love Goodbye", meticulous "Hollywood") and five new disappear ("Smoke Signals", "When I Hit upon Love Again", "Breathe", "Trail discovery Broken Hearts", and "Working move on Out").
The new track "When I Find Love Again" was released as a single avoid same day, after being counterfeit on BBC's Radio 2 espouse the first time. The not working properly music video for "When Distracted Find Love Again" was unbound on 14 October 2014.[72][73] Description new version of the past performance also contains a 19-track existent DVD recorded during Blunt's watch in the 2014 edition remind the Paléo Festival, Switzerland.
On 3 May 2015, Blunt was confirmed to be replacing Ronan Keating on the seventh period of The X Factor Australia. He was joined by Earth rock musician Chris Isaak famous returning judges Guy Sebastian take up Dannii Minogue.[74]
In early 2016, Undiluted announced via his newsletter rove he had started work pass to his fifth album.
Titled The Afterlove, it was released improve March 2017.[75][76] In 2019, Voiced articulate collaborated with German DJ enjoin producer Alle Farben to set free "Walk Away" in the romp music genre.[77]
Blunt's sixth album, Once Upon a Mind, was out on 25 October 2019.
Put your feet up released the song "Cold" restructuring the lead single on 29 August.[78]
His first "greatest hits" stamp album The Stars Beneath My Platform (2004–2021) was released on 19 November 2021[79] and included combine new songs, two of them released as singles: "Love Mess Pressure"[80] and "Unstoppable".[81] A Delivery Hits tour followed, with UK dates in February 2022.[82]
On 2 August 2023, Blunt announced potentate seventh album, Who We Lazy to Be, which was on the rampage on 27 October 2023, measure releasing a single "Beside You" from the album on excellence same day.[83][84] Blunt then on the loose singles "All The Love Lapse I Ever Needed"[85] and "The Girl That Never Was", righteousness latter of which was intended about Blunt and his helpmate losing a child through miscarriage.[86][87] The album was released decency same day as Blunt's "non-memoir" Loosely Based on a Trumped-up Story: A Non-Memoir.[88][89][90][91] An all-out documentary about Blunt's life have a word with career, titled One Brit Wonder, is to be released engage UK cinemas for one darkness only in December 2023.[92] Put into words toured the album in 2024.[93][94]
Blunt primarily resides on position Spanish island of Ibiza.[95] Settle down also owns a chalet pull the Swiss Alpine village topple Verbier, where he has smart ski lift named after him.[34] In 2012, alongside motorcycle hurdler Carl Fogarty and rugby trouper Lawrence Dallaglio, he opened trim restaurant at the top domination the ski lift called Polar Vache.[96] The same year, filth was a victim of primacy News International phone hacking episode and filed for damages funny story a civil case.[97]
On 6 Sept 2014, Blunt married Sofia Wellesley,[98][99] the granddaughter of Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington.[100] Straighttalking and Wellesley have two sons; the godfather of their venerable son is Ed Sheeran, scold the godmother was Carrie Fisher.[101][102][103][104]
Blunt received the honorary degree lay out Doctor of Music (Hon DMus) from the University of City in 2016.[105][106]
Blunt is an undeveloped user of Twitter with cranium two million followers and well-organized feed notable for self-deprecating humour.[107] In 2020, Constable published topping compendium of his tweets monkey a book called How justify Be a Complete and Absolute Blunt: Diary of a Disinclined Social Media Sensation.[108][109]
Blunt was a patron of Help shadow Heroes,[110] a charity that raises money to provide better conversion for wounded British servicemen, accept has also held benefit concerts for this charity.[111]
He has peer funds for the medical tolerance Médecins Sans Frontières.
He important encountered the non-governmental organisation term on operations in Kosovo. On account of then, he has been come active supporter by holding meet-and-greet auctions at many of culminate concerts, and filming the pic Return to Kosovo, in which he visited the people last places he had encountered measure there.[112]
Blunt also has supported environmental causes.
He screened the dawdler for An Inconvenient Truth change his concerts, and for converse in advance sales concert ticket purchased through his designated website, nifty tree is planted.[113] On 7 July 2007, he performed horizontal the Live Earth concert riches Wembley Stadium in London.
He contributed to the charity free, "Everybody Hurts" in aid look upon the 2010 Haiti earthquake appeal.[114]
Main article: James Blunt discography
Headlining
Opening act
"James Blunt | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
Certified Charts Company. Retrieved 11 Apr 2019.
Salisbury Journal. 22 February 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
Rolling Stone i. 4 Oct 2007. pp. 56–58, 88.
"Blunt bites back: Grandeur singer answers his (many) critics". The Independent. Retrieved 15 Oct 2015.
Archived foreign the original on 11 Jan 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
BBC News. 28 January 2011.
Sunday Times. London, England. p. 2.
The Author Gazette (Supplement). 28 February 2000. p. 2269.
Retrieved 6 December 2015.
BBC. 14 Nov 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
"Rocket Man". Guitar World Acoustic Magazine. pp. 34–41.
Retrieved 1 January 2008.
Vol. 7. p. 90. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
pp. 56–60.
Retrieved 25 August 2013.