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The rise, fall andredemption ofJames Arthur

20 | May 29, 2014 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News

James Arthur:“I was angry at not having control”JAMES Arthur has obviously been

taken aside and had a word with.And by “had a word with”, I mean

threatened to within an inch of histattooed, talent show winning life.Presumably not by the PR he publiclysacked on Twitter…

Journalistically speaking, it’s agutting state of affairs. No blurting,no swearing, no moaning, nohating on Simon Cowell? TheMiddlesbrough born 2012 X Factorwinner has gone and straightened hisimage out.

It was inevitable really; there’s onlyso much railing against the man andyour record label you can do beforegetting slapped back down.

After feuding online withCowell, ranting on social mediaand badmouthing fellow X Factorwinners, in Arthur’s case, the tippingpoint came last November when hemade a homophobic insult in a disstrack aimed at MC Micky Worthless.As iTunes started offering refundson his album, his record label Sycostepped in, took over his Twitter feedand saved his career.

Preparing to launch the summeroutdoor season at NewmarketRacecourses (“I do like a bit ofa flutter, but I do it more on thefootball than I do on the horses, butit’s always worth a pop,”), when wespeak, the 26-year-old is chastened,polite and humourlessly subdued, alot of his answers falling neatly andwell coached off his tongue. “TheX Factor was a great platformto showcase my abilities asa musician. So yeah, I’mreally thankful, reallygrateful towards The XFactor.” Sure James,sure.

Beating theadorable JahmeneDouglas in theninth seriesof the showunder thetutelageof

Nicole Scherzinger, Arthur wonviewers over with something theshow hadn’t seen too much of before:credibility. Crossing soul, rock andrap, he was pretty cute too, in astubbly, denim shirted kind ofway. With a background ofschool suspensions, fosterhomes and sleepingrough, he was also anunderdog overcomingthe odds, bringing hisfamily back togetherby singing on TV.

It was actually ashame to see himfall so quickly intoa brutish, self-destructive spiral,lashing out andletting fame get tohim.

“I’ve definitely gotto grips with it now,” hesays, admitting: “I was in abit of a dark place beforeand I was a bit angryat not

having control in certain areas butobviously I’ve learnt that I’ve got a lotof work to do before I can really takehold of everything and do everything

myself. You’ve gotta workhard and you’ve gotta

gain the respect ofeverybody.”

So far thisyear there’sbeen noonline spatsand no publicfallings out –although hisjust released

mixtape,All TheWorld’sA Stage,couldchange

that withits terrorism

references andthickly-layered

profanities.“I’ve done

and said things in the last year or sothat have maybe portrayed me asnegative and I’m upset about thatbecause I’m a really positive person,”he says. “I wanna be famous formaking great music, I don’t wanna befamous for being outspoken. I guessI’ve learnt to just do what I know howto do.”

The thing is, slate him for hisbehaviour, but his voice isn’t halfbad. His debut self-titled albumpeaked at Number 2 in the charts,and his singles Impossible and You’reNobody ’Til Somebody Loves You haveenough pop hooks and R&B currentsto properly “get a crowd going”. He’sright in saying “it might be one of thebest albums ever to come out of TheX Factor”.

But Arthur’s adamant that his nextone, with a potential release towardsthe end of this year, will be more him.“The last album was great. But at thesame time I would like to have morepersonal things on there, I’d liketo keep connecting more with thefans. Last time it was full of strong

anthemic songs, maybe this timeit’ll be a lot more personal.”

The last year should givehim a lot to draw on.

“I’m doingit a little bitdifferently thistime, I’ve got my

acoustic guitarand just meand I’m sittingwith a padand pen andwriting, asopposed tolast timewhich wasa bit of awhirlwindforme,” heexplains.

“I was

Music

� James Arthur, supported by Tich, Summer Saturday Live, The July Course, NewmarketRacecourses, Saturday, May 31, after the last race of the day. Tickets £15-£29 from 0844 579 3010 /newmarkettickets.thejockeyclub.co.uk

After a tough year of media storms andcontroversies, what has The X Factorwinner learned? ELLA WALKER finds out

Editor: Paul Kirkley Writer: Ella WalkerEmail: ella.walker@cambridge-news.co.uk

For breaking entertainment news for thecity, visit cambridge-news.co.uk/whatson– plus follow @CamWhatsOn on Twitter

Cambridge News | cambridge-news.co.uk | May 29, 2014 | 21

“I’m a huge UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fan. I really like to watch fighting, it’s a sport but it’s a bit more brutal.”

working with a lot of differentproducers, and although that was areally good opportunity, I wasn’t usedto it. I’ve always written by myself ina bedroom where no-one can hearme. You’re not worrying about peoplejudging you.

“This time round, in order tomake music I’m…” he says, pausinghaltingly as though about to say‘proud of’. “I’m really in love with, Ihave to do it this way.”

Sound-wise, there’ll still bea soulful feel and his knack forvocal improvisation, but Arthur isdefinitely leaning more towardshis rock influences. “The wholething will be guitar based and I’ll beplaying more on the record. I’m reallyinfluenced by [the band] Brand New,I really love them and I’m trying toincorporate that in my writing, so Iguess it’ll be a mix of soul, and post-hard-core punk rock.”

While that sounds like a bit of amuddle, he’s not lost one iota of hisambition. “I wanna write the bestalbum I’ve ever written, so I feel likeI’ve got a lot to prove. I wanna be thebest so I’m going to try and make thebest music there is.”

The fact is, it’s going to take sometime for his bad boy image to drop(Cowell told the press last year:“Somebody should have told himto shut up and just put the recordsout,”), and perhaps impossible forhim to ditch The X Factor baggage.

“That’s notreally in mycontrol,”he agreesdiplomatically,addingconvincingly:“It will alwaysbe there, andI’m proud ofit you know?It gave meso manyopportunitiesso I’m not reallyfussed whetheror not I shake thetag.”

And howeveryou feel abouthim (there hasn’tbeen a spikierdebate on ourfeatures deskover a celebrityinterviewee in along while), he’smade it and hebelieves in himself,whether this wholefame thing is whathe expected ornot. “Growing up,my thoughts ofthe music industrywere probably quitedreamy: you’re richand everything’s glamorous, like the

a lot of competition. It’s obviouslyquite a lucrative business so there is

this side to it thatcan be quite political,but if you’re in the

right place and you’re makingthe right music it can be a goodplace, definitely.”

lf,le

at

,

ryuite movies, but there’s right place an

this side to it that NEW IMAGE: Left, James withTich, who will be supporting

him at Newmarket Racecourses(picture from Tich’s Instagram).

Right, shooting a video atWimbledon Studios