English singer-songwriter James Arthur today makes a most welcome return with his stunning new song ‘A Year Ago’ – listen HERE.
The track sees James Arthur reunited with songwriter Steve Solomon, whom he co-wrote 2016’s most streamed song and recently RIAA Diamond-Certified single, the classic, ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’.
Led by acoustic guitar, bolstered by swelling synths and crashing drums, the intimate yet widescreen slow-builder about missing an ex boasts a spellbinding vocal that nails the intensity James was after. Its blueprint was less a specific sound than an emotion. It was written in a single week at Steve’s LA studio.
“It’s a guitar song that began on piano, Steve playing a few chords, me scatting the line ‘I miss you’ over and over until the song presented itself” describes James. “It captures that feeling when you break up with someone and are riddled with regret and pain and fear. What If I never find someone as good as that again? Will I always be alone?”
The lyrics are a heart-tugging tale of lingering loss with the detail doing the damage. “In fact, A Year Ago is not about one specific relationship, but every scenario is real. I’ve been through my fair share of heartache and I tapped into different times in my life. You’re a year on, still wishing you could be back in a moment when the world felt right.”
Also in the room at the track’s recording was James’ mate and fellow musician Jamie Grey, with whom he has collaborated in the past. “We’ve been friends since we were kids and having him along gets that young version of me back,” says James, who began performing aged 14, a decade before winning X Factor in 2012. “It’s weird but I become the kid who went with his feelings and trusted his gut.”
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