Fresh from the huge global success of his
song ‘Train Wreck’, English singer-songwriter James Arthur returns with his
brand new single ‘Medicine’.
“Medicine” is boldly autobiographical. The
track was the very first song James wrote during his first writing session for
the new album.
James says, “Medicine is an uplifting
ode to self, to relationships, to community and connection, and to the healing,
restorative powers of love over adversity. It is, you might say, the perfect
song for spring 2021.”
“The last year has forced any couple to look
at themselves. It held a mirror up to us all, didn’t it? And my partner was
hugely supportive through that whole time. There are some pretty dark lyrics in
there: ‘When I’m suicidal, you don’t let me spiral…’”
The journey to his new record began in
January 2020 whilst James was on a European tour, and old demons began to
resurface. “On stage in Madrid, I had this brutal panic attack. I’ve obviously
suffered from anxiety over the years but I’d never had that before, not on
stage, not it taking hold of me – to the extent that I had to get off because
if I didn’t, I was gonna die. Then the next day I developed really bad flu
symptoms and had to be rushed into hospital. They found that I had a
gallbladder infection, and had to remove it immediately.”
Arthur spent a week in hospital in
Switzerland, having cancelled the tour. When he got home, he checked into
Nightingale Hospital in central London, and subsequently used his new home as
his place of rehab. He undertook therapy 3-4 times week, embarked on a course
of medication, began practicing cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), gave his
gym a good work out and, to relieve the pressure, cancelled the American
tour.
By March James was fighting fit enough for
his UK arena tour. “And it was probably the best tour I’ve ever done.” But then
Coronavirus and lockdown hit. By late spring, with restrictions
easing, Arthur was back working. His foresight in building a studio
and investing in industry-standard recording gear paid immediate dividends.
“And all of a sudden, the music started sounding great. From day one there was
a sound that I wanted to go for. Even early on it sounded like a real album, a
proper body of work.”
James recently signed a new deal with
Columbia Records UK, a co-deal with Columbia Records Germany, who
have worked with James for the last five years since his No.1 album
'Back From The Edge'.
He has sold over 30 million records
worldwide and has released three hugely successful albums
'James Arthur' (No.2), 'Back From The Edge' (No.1) and 'YOU' (No.2),
alongside nine solo UK Top 40 singles. He has had two No.1 smash hits
and was awarded a disc for reaching a billion streams on Spotify with ‘Say
You Won't Let Go’, the No.1 global hit that brought the singer-songwriter
from Middlesbrough back from the edge (it currently has 1.6 billion streams on
the platform).
James recently dominated the
airwaves and charts with his storming collaboration with Sigala ‘Lasting
Lover’. The track was a No.1 airplay song in the UK, No.1 on iTunes and Top 10
on the Official Singles Chart. He also recently hit the Official UK Chart with
‘Train Wreck’, a track written and recorded for his 2nd album ‘Back
From The Edge’, that found a new lease of life via Tik Tok. The track has had
an incredible 365 million streams to date.
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