Whats On: James Bradshaw Headlines at Night & Day Cafe

Jessica Ward | 31st July 2018

 

The UK-born singer and songwriter discovered his love of music at an early age. Inspired by a myriad of different genres he began learning the piano at 12 years-old. At 15, he was selected to join the classical music program at Royal Northern College of Music in the UK. Nurtured by his classical music training, his soulful voice began garnering attention as it developed into a smooth, soul-infused baritone.

 

We caught up with James in an exclusive VIVA interview:

 

What inspires you the most when you are song writing?

 

I find that inspiration comes in many different forms, but, in short; other people. Whether it’s the relationships I have with others and conversations I may have with them about thoughts and feelings or the music that others create and the way that they have portrayed their personal message. But mainly, inspiration comes from either hearing music or words.

 

How long have you known you have wanted to be a singer and why?

 

I don’t think there is a definite point where I can say ‘I knew I wanted to be a singer’. If I am totally honest, I feel like I fumbled my way into the music industry… but the reason for that is because I never really had a plan for anything that I have done musically; each step I have taken and every decision made has always been based on my enjoyment for the art.

 

I taught myself to play piano because I was infatuated by an upright piano that came with a house that my family moved into, then singing followed naturally and became more formalised when I began singing in school concerts around the age of 15 and then I started studying at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music and subsequently the senior college due to the fact that I continually enjoyed developing my knowledge of music and performing and meeting other people who shared that passion. My determination to become a singer/songwriter came when I felt I had received enough feedback to suggest that I was capable of to making the thing I enjoyed doing materialise into a full career.

 

Which artists inspire you the most and why?

 

The list of artists who inspire me grows and changes on a daily basis. I am always listening to new sounds and different styles of writing both out of enjoyment and to help inform my own writing (…I have hundreds of songs saved on different playlists for different times of the day)! However, there are a few key influences who I connect with on a slightly deeper, more spiritual level, I think; the likes of Sting, Stevie Wonder, Foy Vance, Bon Iver and Adele (to name a few), for some reason, have portrayed their personal messages in song with a certain level of musical and lyrical nuance, that I find it hard not to feel emotional when listening to their music.

 

How would you describe your style of music?

 

I would describe my music as moody, emotive soul/pop (without sounding overly pretentious…). I would align myself with the likes of Kwabs, Freya Ridings and Adele.

 

Where would you like to be career wise in the next 5 years?

 

I would like to have released an album of my own material and have toured those songs in as many countries as possible. My aim is to continue writing and keep figuring things out about myself along the way. I find the whole process very exciting, especially as I don’t know exactly what the end result is going to be, in terms of where I am going to be in the world, what my music will sound like or who I am going to meet in the process.

 

What else do you have lined up?

 

Amidst all of this, I am continuing to gig around the UK both playing piano and singing, before heading back to Los Angeles for just over a month in September to work on some new songs, which I will then promote and perform over there.

 

Check out his cover of “Earned it” from the Fifty Shades of Grey Soundtrack below.

 

 

Night & Day Cafe,

26 Oldham St,

Northern Quarter,

Manchester

 

Doors open from 8pm and you can click here to buy tickets.