James Michael Bay is an English indie rock musician, singer, composer and guitarist. He was born on 4 September 1990 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, UK.
At the age of 11 he began playing guitar after being inspired by Eric Clapton's classic song ‘Layla’. Seven years later he moved to Brighton to study, where he received a lot of training during nightly jam sessions with other musicians.
In 2014, Bey released his single ‘Hold Back the River,’ which was certified platinum. Before releasing his debut studio album Chaos and the Calm (2015), it reached number one in the UK and number 15 in the US.
In February 2015, Bey won the Brit Awards‘ Critics’ Choice Award. At the Brit Awards 2016, he won the award for Best British Male Solo Artist. Bay also received three nominations for the 2016 Grammy Awards: for Best New Artist, Best Rock Album, and Best Rock Song.
In May 2018, he released his second studio album Electric Light.
Personal life: has been in a relationship with Lucy Smith since the age of 17. The couple had a daughter, Eida Violet Bay, in early October 2021.