[AS PUBLISHED IN MALAY MAIL]
ROAD TO REDEMPTION
By Jordan Barnes
GOING from a bedsit singer-songwriter to being the “most famous man in Britain” overnight, involuntarily plotted the downfall of James Arthur.
The ninth winner of The X Factor UK in 2012, he was one of the contest’s rare success stories.
But the 29-year-old was also one of its more controversial characters in the years that followed.
“I’m at a point where I’m learning all the time,” he said on his first visit to Malaysia last week.
“I’m in a place mentally where I’ve grown. Vocally in the last six months, I’ve stepped through the levels because I want to improve.
“I’m at my very best.”
His comeback with Say You Won’t Let Go last September was two years in the making.
In April 2014 when he was dropped from Simon Cowell’s record label Syco after reaching the point of self-destruct.
Just 18 months prior he was crowned X Factor champ with a thumping cover of Shontelle’s Impossible.
It became the fastest-selling No. 1 single in the show’s history and cemented the Middlesbrough lad as an unlikely star.
A family breakup made him “unbearable” to live with at 15 and he was forced to live on the streets.
His big break came with the win and he soaked up all the glory of X Factor triumph and everything that came with it — sex, scandal and difficulty getting to grips with instant fame.
“I was self-medicating a lot and I said a lot of childish and irresponsible things.
“There were things I said I would love to take back. It wasn’t me.”
His eponymous album in November entered the UK charts at No. 2 but some of the crooner’s airy charm had gone.
Foul-mouther arguments with celebrities on Twitter, slagging off One Direction and a homophobic slur wrecked his image almost beyond repair.
In March 2014 latest single Get Down sank after being blacklisted by radio stations and Cowell gave him the boot too.
“I lost everything.”
A return to form was not out of the question.
He started with a string of public apologies.
But it was when he opened up about mental health struggles that people began to understand the singer’s plight.
Arthur said he was crippled by depression and anxiety to the point he believed he had a heart attack.
“I put the hours in the studio and writing music. It helped get my health back to where it should be.
“To see it manifest and how it brought me success gave me more confidence.”
He re-emerged on radio with heartfelt number Say You Won’t Let Go, a chart-topping smash that critically brought back to light the soft-hearted sensibilities fans fell in love with first time around.
The song’s success was near unprecedented.
In a remarkable U-turn, Cowell signed him back to Syco.
Sophomore album, aptly titled Back From the Edge, peaked at No. 1.
Leona Lewis is the only other X Factor winner to top UK chart with a second album.
“There’s a redemption feel to it when I was recording. It was a cathartic, therapeutic experience.”
Train Wreck typifies the vocal and lyric honesty of the album, Arthur said.
Finally and Remember Who I Was are two he holds dearest.
Last week he touched down in Kuala Lumpur to perform an intimate set to fans at Kyo nightclub as part of Sony Music’s Stars in Sight showcase.
Despite everything, Arthur said he has “no regrets”.
“(The downfall) made me who I am today. I believe everything happens for a reason.”
Arthur performed favourites Impossible and Say You Won’t Let Go as well as a cover of Ariana Grande’s Into You.
Other artistes featured on the night were SonaOne, The Sam Willows and Tabitha Nauser.
ROAD TO REDEMPTION
By Jordan Barnes
GOING from a bedsit singer-songwriter to being the “most famous man in Britain” overnight, involuntarily plotted the downfall of James Arthur.
The ninth winner of The X Factor UK in 2012, he was one of the contest’s rare success stories.
But the 29-year-old was also one of its more controversial characters in the years that followed.
“I’m at a point where I’m learning all the time,” he said on his first visit to Malaysia last week.
“I’m in a place mentally where I’ve grown. Vocally in the last six months, I’ve stepped through the levels because I want to improve.
“I’m at my very best.”
His comeback with Say You Won’t Let Go last September was two years in the making.
In April 2014 when he was dropped from Simon Cowell’s record label Syco after reaching the point of self-destruct.
Just 18 months prior he was crowned X Factor champ with a thumping cover of Shontelle’s Impossible.
It became the fastest-selling No. 1 single in the show’s history and cemented the Middlesbrough lad as an unlikely star.
A family breakup made him “unbearable” to live with at 15 and he was forced to live on the streets.
His big break came with the win and he soaked up all the glory of X Factor triumph and everything that came with it — sex, scandal and difficulty getting to grips with instant fame.
“I was self-medicating a lot and I said a lot of childish and irresponsible things.
“There were things I said I would love to take back. It wasn’t me.”
His eponymous album in November entered the UK charts at No. 2 but some of the crooner’s airy charm had gone.
Foul-mouther arguments with celebrities on Twitter, slagging off One Direction and a homophobic slur wrecked his image almost beyond repair.
In March 2014 latest single Get Down sank after being blacklisted by radio stations and Cowell gave him the boot too.
“I lost everything.”
A return to form was not out of the question.
He started with a string of public apologies.
But it was when he opened up about mental health struggles that people began to understand the singer’s plight.
Arthur said he was crippled by depression and anxiety to the point he believed he had a heart attack.
“I put the hours in the studio and writing music. It helped get my health back to where it should be.
“To see it manifest and how it brought me success gave me more confidence.”
He re-emerged on radio with heartfelt number Say You Won’t Let Go, a chart-topping smash that critically brought back to light the soft-hearted sensibilities fans fell in love with first time around.
The song’s success was near unprecedented.
In a remarkable U-turn, Cowell signed him back to Syco.
Sophomore album, aptly titled Back From the Edge, peaked at No. 1.
Leona Lewis is the only other X Factor winner to top UK chart with a second album.
“There’s a redemption feel to it when I was recording. It was a cathartic, therapeutic experience.”
Train Wreck typifies the vocal and lyric honesty of the album, Arthur said.
Finally and Remember Who I Was are two he holds dearest.
Last week he touched down in Kuala Lumpur to perform an intimate set to fans at Kyo nightclub as part of Sony Music’s Stars in Sight showcase.
Despite everything, Arthur said he has “no regrets”.
“(The downfall) made me who I am today. I believe everything happens for a reason.”
Arthur performed favourites Impossible and Say You Won’t Let Go as well as a cover of Ariana Grande’s Into You.
Other artistes featured on the night were SonaOne, The Sam Willows and Tabitha Nauser.
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