James Smith at Gramercy Theatre

Since his time during the eighth season of Britain's Got Talent, James Smith is leaving people swooning with his soulful voice and easygoing vibe. It has been a long time since his stint in the famous competition, and he has become an established artist. Pop, alt, and indie rock are his chosen specialties. He has released many songs and charted in some of them. As a rising artist, there is much to expect from this boy next door.

James Smith grew up in Essex, England. He mastered many instruments at a young age, but his favorite is the guitar. Soulful singers and guitarists like Johnny Cash, Stevie Wonder, Paolo Nutini, and Mark Ronson are his influences. At only 15, the young musician decided to audition for Britain's Got Talent. He became famous for singing Nina Simone's "Feeling Good." He advanced to the semi-finals and slayed through the finals, ending at the sixth spot at the end of the season. His time in the competition brought him significant opportunities to proceed with his music career.

In 2018, he released his heartbreak single "T-shirts." The song gave him mainstream attention. Critics were impressed with his honesty and powerful vocals, which were only experienced with artists like James Arthur and James Bay—the song warmed-up listeners to his EP "Little Love," released later that year. A track from the EP entitled "Tell Me That You Love Me" followed the success of "T-shirts." Both songs gained more than 200 million streams afterward. This double success led to him signing with the record label Virgin EMI. In 2020, his sophomore "An EP by James Smith" went public. In its tracklist are four songs, namely "Rely On Me," "Say You'll Stay," "Hollow," and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." The following year, his third EP, "District Line," broke out due to the popularity of the songs "I Don't Wanna Know" and "My Oh My."

James is moving overseas to perform for his fans in North America this year. Watch his concert at the Gramercy Theatre on Friday, December 8. Buy tickets now!