Nate James

Nathaniel James Speas, known as Nate James (born 15 September 1979; Lakenheath, Suffolk, England), is an English singer-songwriter.

Early Life

James was born on a US Air Force base in Lakenheath, Suffolk, to an American father and an English mother, giving him joint UK/US citizenship. He grew up listening to his parents' soul record collection, developing a particular love for Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, and began performing cover versions in local clubs around Woodbridge, Suffolk, from an early age. He later abandoned an art foundation course at college to work with London producer Jazz Black, setting him on the path toward a career in music.

Career

James won a place in the five-piece R&B act Notorious, whose formation was filmed for a behind-the-scenes television show on T4, but the group was dropped from Warner Records following a label merger before releasing any material, prompting James to pursue a solo career.

In 2004, he signed a songwriting deal with Universal Publishing, notably retaining copyright over his own recordings, and established his own Frofunk imprint, releasing music through a series of independent label deals around the world. His debut album, Set the Tone, released in 2005, featured collaborations with En Vogue's Dawn Robinson, David Sneddon and Eg White, and included the singles "Universal," "The Message" and the title track; the album earned him nominations for Best Newcomer and Best R&B Artist at the 2005 MOBO Awards.

After supporting artists including Beverley Knight, Musiq Soulchild and Natasha Bedingfield, James embarked on his own headline tour, playing to sell-out crowds in Milan, Tokyo and Amsterdam. In 2006, he released the four-track Funkdefining EP, working with producers including Mark Hill, Johnny Douglas, Danny S. and Don-E; its title track was later featured in the Hollywood film Run Fatboy Run, while another EP track, "See You 'Round," co-written with Colin Emmanuel, featured the Liverpool Session Orchestra. That year, James also won Italy's Festivalbar award for Best International Act.

His second album, Kingdom Falls, followed in 2007, entirely self-funded from the profits of his debut and featuring live orchestration; its title track was inspired by a 2006 charity mission to Rwanda, where James witnessed the country's recovery from the 1994 genocide. The album was mixed in Los Angeles by Grammy-winning Outkast collaborator Neal H. Pogue and earned James the Urban Music Awards for Best Album and Best Neo-Soul Artist in 2007.

In February 2008, he and his band performed on the BBC's Later... with Jools Holland, and he went on to headline a sold-out show at London's Jazz Café, the Montreal Jazz Festival's outdoor stage to an audience of over 200,000, and major festivals across Italy, Germany, France and Japan, as well as touring with and supporting artists including Amy Winehouse, Simply Red, John Legend, Beverley Knight and Chaka Khan. He has also appeared on recordings by Poker Pets, Sway and Natalie Williams. In 2013, James appeared on The Voice UK, turning two of the show's judges' chairs.

Having recently regained ownership of the masters to Set the Tone, James is preparing a deluxe 20th-anniversary edition of the album, featuring B-sides and previously unreleased tracks, for release across the UK, Europe, the Americas and Australasia, while also completing his long-awaited third studio album, The Man I Am.

Personal Life

Beyond music, James has served as an ambassador for several charities, including Shelter, Global Angels and Youth Music, reflecting a commitment to humanitarian causes that has also shaped his songwriting, most notably on Kingdom Falls.

Having sold over a million albums internationally while remaining fully independent throughout his career, James is widely regarded as one of the most successful independent soul artists to emerge from Britain.

Current Activities

James is preparing a 20th-anniversary deluxe reissue of Set the Tone alongside his forthcoming third studio album, The Man I Am.