James Newman (singer)
- Singer
- songwriter
- Vocals
James Richard Newman (born 19 October 1985) is an English singer and songwriter. During the 2014 Brit Awards, he won the Brit Award for British Single of the Year as a co-writer of "Waiting All Night", a song by English band Rudimental.[2] Newman was selected to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song, "My Last Breath" before its cancellation. He instead represented the country in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with the song "Embers”, which came in last place with nul points.[3]
Career
2013–2019: Career beginnings with songwriting
As a child, Newman became interested in music, and he wrote and produced songs with his younger brother John Newman. In his 20s, he established himself as a songwriter in London, and in 2013 he co-wrote Rudimental and Ella Eyre's hit "Waiting All Night".[2] The song topped the UK Singles Chart. Newman won the "Brit Award for British Single of the Year" during the 2014 Brit Awards for co-writing "Waiting All Night" with Jonny Harris.[2]
Later, James co-wrote with his brother John Newman and with Calvin Harris the latter's song "Blame", featuring vocals by John. The song, an international hit, topped the UK singles chart, in addition to peaking in Scotland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Mexico. It reached number 19 on Billboard Hot 100 and topped the US Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. Newman was also a co-composer of a number of songs including "Let 'Em Talk" on Kesha's 2017 album Rainbow, and "Coping" for Toni Braxton on her 2018 album Sex & Cigarettes.
Newman was a featured vocalist on several songs including the 2018 hit "Therapy" by Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren. The song charted in the Netherlands, Belgium and on the US Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart. The same year he was featured on the song "Lights Go Down", a song by the Norwegian music producer and DJ Matoma in his album One in a Million. In 2019, he was featured on the Armin van Buuren song "High on Your Love".
2020–2021: Eurovision Song Contest and The Things We Do
On 27 February 2020, the BBC announced that Newman would represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He was set to participate with the song "My Last Breath", which Newman co-wrote with Adam Argyle, Ed Drewett and Iain James.[4] However, the 2020 event was later canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. On 17 July 2020, Newman released his debut EP called The Things We Do, which includes the singles "My Last Breath", "Enough" and "Better Man".[5]
On 19 February 2021, it was announced that Newman was reselected to represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021. As one of the Big Five countries in the competition, the UK directly qualified for the final on 22 May. In an interview on Newsbeat, Newman stated: "I feel like everyone wants a party and to have some fun so when I was writing, that's what I had in my head. I wanted something people can dance to, even if it's just in their kitchen".[6] The song "Embers" was released on 11 March 2021.[7] However, the song got "nul points" in the Eurovision final from both juries and televotes and came last.[8][9]
Personal life
James Newman was born in Settle in the Yorkshire Dales. When Newman was eleven years old, his father left the family, leaving his mother Jackie to take care of James and his younger brother John all by herself, working as a receptionist.[10] John later became a well-known singer, songwriter, musician and record producer.
Discography
Extended plays
Title | Details |
---|---|
The Things We Do |
|
Singles
As lead artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [11] | NLD [12] | SCO [13] | SWE [14] | |||||||||||||||||||||
"If You're Not Going to Love Me" (vs DC Breaks) | 2016 | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||||||||||||||||||
"My Last Breath" | 2020 | —[A] | 23 | 23 | — | The Things We Do | ||||||||||||||||||
"Enough" | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||
"Better Man" | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||
"Alone" | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||
"Embers" | 2021 | 47 | 80 | — | 97 | Non-album single | ||||||||||||||||||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released. |
As featured artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BEL (Wa) Tip [16] | NLD 40 [17] | NLD 100 [12] | US Dance Air. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Coming Home" (Arno Cost featuring James Newman) | 2015 | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |||||||||||||||
"Daylight to Midnight" (Night Safari featuring James Newman) | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
"Head Up" (Don Diablo featuring James Newman) | 2018 | — | — | — | — | Future | |||||||||||||||
"Therapy" (Armin van Buuren featuring James Newman) | 37 | 4 | 26 | 15 | Balance | ||||||||||||||||
"Lights Go Down" (Matoma featuring James Newman) | — | — | — | — | One in a Million | ||||||||||||||||
"High on Your Love" (Armin van Buuren featuring James Newman) | 2019 | — | — | — | — | Balance | |||||||||||||||
"Slow Lane" (Armin van Buuren featuring James Newman) | 2020 | — | — | — | — | Euthymia | |||||||||||||||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released. |
Songwriting credits
indicated a background vocals contribution. indicates a featured artist contribution.
Year | Artist | Album | Song | Co-written with |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Rudimental | Home | "Waiting All Night" (featuring Ella Eyre) | Amir Izadkhah, Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden, Johnny Harris |
2014 | Calvin Harris | Motion | "Blame" (featuring John Newman) | Adam Wiles, John Newman |
Gorgon City | Sirens | "Try Me Out" (featuring Anne-Marie) | Kye Gibbon, Matthew Robson-Scott, Jonny Coffer, Anne-Marie Nicholson | |
Union J | You Got It All - The Album | "Get It Right" | George Shelley, Timothy Powell, Mary Leay | |
2015 | Arno Cost | Non-album single | "Coming Home" (featuring James Newman) | Vadim Constantin, Katherine Syren-Russell, Johnny Harris |
Jess Glynne | I Cry When I Laugh | "It Ain't Right" | Jessica Glynne, Finlay Dow-Smith | |
"No Rights, No Wrongs" | Jessica Glynne, Janee Bennett, Andrew Knox Brown, Jonny Coffer, Finlay Dow-Smith | |||
Little Mix | Get Weird | "Love Me Like You" | Camille Purcell, Steve McCutcheon, Iain Farquarson | |
Rudimental | We the Generation | "Lay It All on Me" (featuring Ed Sheeran) | Amir Izadkhah, Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden, Leon Rolle, Johnny Harris, Adam Eaglefield, Jacob Manson, Edward Sheeran, Gavin Slater, Lasse Peterson, Maxwell McElligott, James Luke Wood | |
"Too Cool" (featuring Ella Eyre) | Amir Izadkhah, Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden, Leon Rolle, Ella McMahon, Johnny Harris | |||
"All That Love" (featuring Anne-Marie) | Amir Izadkhah, Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden, Leon Rolle, Johnny Harris, Wayne Hector, Julie Frost, Nicholas Gale | |||
Foxes | All I Need | "Amazing" | Louisa Rose Allen, Martin Brammer, Jonny Lattimer | |
2016 | Diztortion | Non-album single | "I'll Be There" | Raoul Chen, Eyelar Mirzazadeh |
Netsky | III | "High Alert" (featuring Sara Hartman) | Boris Daenan, Johnny Harris, Daniel Watts | |
Matoma | Hakuna Matoma / One in a Million | "False Alarm" (with Becky Hill) | Thomas Lagergren, Rebecca Hill, Kara DioGuardi, Daniel Heløy Davidsen, Peter Wallevik, Mich Hansen | |
Havana Brown | Non-album single | "Like Lightning" (featuring Dawin) | Angelique Meunier, Kesha Sebert, Stuart Crichton, Dawin Polanco | |
Kaiser Chiefs | Stay Together | "Why Do You Do It to Me?" | Charles Wilson, Andrew White, Simon Rix, Nicholas Baines, Vijay Mistry, Brian Higgins, Toby Scott, Nicholas Coler | |
Olly Murs | 24 Hrs | "Read My Mind" | Oliver Murs, Steve Robson, Edward Drewett | |
2017 | Digital Farm Animals | Non-album single | "Digital Love" (featuring Hailee Steinfeld) | Nicholas Gale, Daniel Heløy Davidsen, Peter Wallevik, Mich Hansen, Daniel Stein, Willem van Hanegem, Ward van der Harst |
Brendan Murray | "Dying to Try"[18] | Jörgen Elofsson | ||
Kesha | Rainbow | "Let Em Talk" (featuring Eagles of Death Metal) | Kesha Sebert, Stuart Crichton | |
Daya | Non-album single | "New" | Grace Tandon, Brett McLaughlin, Mikkel Eriksen, Tor Hermansen, Nolan Lambroza | |
Jessie Ware | Glasshouse | "First Time" | Jessica Ware, Finlay Dow-Smith | |
Guy Sebastian | Conscious | "Keep Me Coming Back" | Guy Sebastian, Emma Walker, Lionel Towers | |
Alexandru | Non-album single | "Sellotape" | Jack Walton, Fiona Bevan, Maegan Cottone | |
2018 | Don Diablo | Future | "Head Up" (featuring James Newman) | Don Schipper, Richard Boardman, Pablo Bowman |
John Newman | Non-album single | "Fire in Me" | John Newman, Philip Plested, David "Dehiro" Mørup | |
Toni Braxton | Sex & Cigarettes | "Coping" | Toni Braxton, David Gibson, Stuart Crichton | |
The Shires | Accidentally on Purpose | "Stay the Night" | Edward Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, John Newman | |
Armin van Buuren | Balance | "Therapy" (featuring James Newman) | Armin van Buuren, Benno de Goeij, Michael Busbee | |
Dan Caplen | Non-album single | "Trouble" (featuring Ms Banks) | Daniel Caplen, Sophie Cooke, Frederik Eichen | |
Jess Glynne | Always in Between | "All I Am" | Jessica Glynne, Janee Bennett, Sophie Cooke, Bastian Langebaek, Sandy Rivera, Jay "Sinister" Sealee | |
Matoma | One in a Million | "Lights Go Down" (featuring James Newman) | Thomas Lagergren, Matthew Simons, Tushar Apte, Hanni Ibrahim, Patrick Patrikios | |
Sigala | Brighter Days | "All for Love" (featuring Kodaline) | Bruce Fielder, Steven Garrigan, Moon Willis | |
Jess Glynne | Always in Between | "1, 2, 3" | Jessica Glynne, Janee Bennett, Jordan Thomas, Jonathan Mensah | |
Olly Murs | You Know I Know | "Footsteps" | Oliver Murs, Thomas Barnes, Peter Kelleher, Benjamin Kohn | |
Zayn | Icarus Falls | "Talk to Me" | Zayn Malik, Alexander Oriet, David Phelan, Fredrick Wexler | |
2019 | Lost Kings | Paper Crowns EP | "Don't Kill My High" (featuring Wiz Khalifa and Social House) | Nicholas Schanholz, Robert Abisi, John Ryan II, Ruth-Anne Cunningham, Ian Franzino, Andrew Haas, Sabrina Bernstein, Ilsey Juber, Alexander Izquerdio, Marcus Lomax, Cameron Thomaz, Michael Foster, Charles Anderson |
Backstreet Boys | DNA | "Chateau" | Cole Citrenbaum, Stephen Wrabel, Stuart Crichton, Michael Pollack | |
"OK" | Stuart Crichton, Jason Dean, Joseph Kirland | |||
Stephen Puth | Non-album single | "Half Gone" | Stephen Puth, Ian Franzino, Andrew Haas | |
Louis Tomlinson | Walls | "Don't Let It Break Your Heart" | Louis Tomlinson, Stuart Crichton, Cole Citrenbaum, Wrabel |
Notes
- ^ "My Last Breath" did not chart on the UK Singles Chart, but peaked at number 23 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart.[15]
References
- ^ "James Newman (4)". Discogs. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ a b c "LA trip for surprise Brit Award winner James Newman". Craven Herald. 27 February 2014. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- ^ "Italy wins Eurovision Song Contest, UK comes last". BBC News. 21 May 2021. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "James Newman to represent United Kingdom in Eurovision 2020". BBC News. 27 February 2020. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ Percy, Lucy (19 March 2021). "James Newman: 10 facts about the United Kingdom's Eurovision 2021 singer". wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 2021: James Newman reselected as UK's entry". BBC News. 19 February 2021. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
- ^ "Eurovision 2021: James Newman will return to represent the UK". Attitude.co.uk. 19 February 2021. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
- ^ Brown, Kat (23 May 2021). "Eurovision 2021 final: Italy wins as UK gets nul points – and 8 other big moments from the night". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.(subscription required)
- ^ "Eurovision 2021: Italy wins contest as UK fails to score a single point". Sky News. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "John Newman interview: 'There are too many celebrities and not enough artists'". The Guardian. 20 January 2014. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "James Newman | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Discografie James Newman". dutchcharts.nl. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ "Discography James Newman". swedishcharts.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ "Discographie James Newman". ultratop.be/fr. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
- ^ "James Newman | Top 40-artiesten". top40.nl. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
- ^ "RTÉ hopes to hit right Eurovision note with 'Dying To Try'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
External links
- James Newman at AllMusic
Preceded by Michael Rice with "Bigger Than Us" | United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 (cancelled) | Succeeded by Himself with "Embers" |
Preceded by Himself with "My Last Breath" | United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 | Succeeded by Sam Ryder with "Space Man" |
- v
- t
- e
- 1957
- 1959
- 1960
- 1961
- 1962
- 1963
- 1964
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1971
- 1972
- 1973
- 1974
- 1975
- 1976
- 1977
- 1978
- 1979
- 1980
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
- 1984
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
2020- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- Andy Abraham
- Olly Alexander
- The Allisons
- Michael Ball
- Bardo
- Belle and the Devotions
- Black Lace
- Blue
- Patricia Bredin
- Brotherhood of Man
- Bucks Fizz
- Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson
- Ronnie Carroll
- Co-Co
- Josh Dubovie
- Electro Velvet
- Emma
- Jade Ewen
- Scott Fitzgerald
- James Fox
- Nicki French
- Jessica Garlick
- Gina G
- Mary Hopkin
- Engelbert Humperdinck
- Imaani
- Samantha Janus
- Javine
- Jemini
- Joe and Jake
- Bryan Johnson
- Lucie Jones
- Katrina and the Waves
- Kathy Kirby
- Lindsay
- Live Report
- Love City Groove
- Lulu
- Kenneth McKellar
- Molly
- Matt Monro
- Mike Moran
- Mae Muller
- The New Seekers
- James Newman
- Olivia Newton-John
- Lynsey de Paul
- Precious
- Prima Donna
- Michael Rice
- Cliff Richard
- Rikki
- Clodagh Rodgers
- Frances Ruffelle
- Ryder
- Sam Ryder
- Daz Sampson
- Scooch
- The Shadows
- Sandie Shaw
- Sonia
- SuRie
- Sweet Dreams
- Bonnie Tyler
- Vikki
- "All"
- "Are You Sure?"
- "The Bad Old Days"
- "Beg, Steal or Borrow"
- "Believe in Me"
- "Better the Devil You Know"
- "Bigger than Us"
- "Boom Bang-a-Bang"
- "Children of the Universe"
- "Come Back"
- "Congratulations"
- "Cry Baby"
- "Dizzy"
- "Don't Play That Song Again"
- "Embers"
- "Even If"
- "Flying the Flag (For You)"
- "Give a Little Love Back to the World"
- "Go"
- "Hold On to Our Love"
- "I Belong"
- "I Can"
- "I Love the Little Things"
- "I Wrote a Song"
- "I'm Never Giving Up"
- "It's My Time"
- "Jack in the Box"
- "Knock, Knock Who's There?"
- "Let Me Be the One"
- "Long Live Love"
- "Looking High, High, High"
- "Love City Groove"
- "Love Enough for Two"
- "Love Games"
- "Love Is..."
- "Love Shine a Light"
- "Love Will Set You Free"
- "Making Your Mind Up"
- "A Man Without Love"
- "Mary Ann"
- "A Message to Your Heart"
"My Last Breath"- "Never Give Up on You"
- "No Dream Impossible"
- "One Step Further"
- "One Step Out of Time"
- "Only the Light"
- "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit"
- "Power to All Our Friends"
- "Puppet on a String"
- "Ring-A-Ding Girl"
- "Rock Bottom"
- "Runner in the Night"
- "Save Your Kisses for Me"
- "Say It Again"
- "Say Wonderful Things"
- "Sing, Little Birdie"
- "Space Man"
- "Still in Love with You"
- "Storm"
- "Teenage Life"
- "That Sounds Good to Me"
- "Touch My Fire"
- "We Will Be Free (Lonely Symphony)"
- "Where Are You?"
- "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong"
- "You're Not Alone"
- Note: Entries scored out signify where the United Kingdom did not compete