Artist bios are handy, of course; but the best way for anyone to get to know James OR is through his songs.
Since the release of his debut EP, Cold Open, James’ earnest songwriting has been praised for its authenticity and introspectiveness. Earning him numerous plaudits including a place on Hotpress’ ‘Ones to Watch’ listings, his music showcases a versatile artist of unique lyrical wit; always on the lookout for new meaning in the peculiarities of everyday living.
As well as reaching over 200,000 listeners on Irish and UK radio with his most recent releases, James has featured on the An Irishman Abroad podcast with Jarlath Regan. Known also for his indefatigable live shows, he has shared stages with countless international acts such as Frank Turner, The Coronas, Gavin James, The Pogues, Twin Atlantic and Grant Lee Philips.
James finished recording his upcoming album, ‘All the Beds We’ve Been in’, just weeks before the world shut down in March 2020. After working for two years with Choice Prize-nominated producer Christian Best, his plans for a release that summer suddenly looked a little less definite. So, he decided to wait. And in the intervening years, the themes of friendship, isolation, grief, acceptance, and recovery that make up All the Beds We’ve Been in, feel, if anything, more relevant now than ever.
His Crowdfunder campaign for the final production costs hit its targets in less than a week and with ‘All the Beds We’ve Been in’ now out in the world, one thing is clear: there’s no stopping this ‘unique and exciting indie voice’ (Shane Dunne – Indiependence, The Coronas, Sigrid).
This weekend, James takes to the IMRO Stage at Indiependence and we caught up with him to hear all about what we can expect;
Is this your first time playing INDIE?
This is actually my 6th time playing INDIE. The festival has been a big part of my own journey, so I’m really delighted it’s back and that I get to play.
When can people see you on the IMRO Stage?
I’m on the IMRO Stage at 17:15 on Sunday.
What should we expect?
I’ll be playing the songs from my debut album, All the Beds We’ve Been in, which came out a few weeks ago. It’s also the first full band show I’ve gotten to play since Covid, so I’d expect a lot of fun energy.
Which of the other acts are you hoping to catch live this weekend?
As many as I can really, but I’d love to see Jafaris, Somebody’s Child and Aby Coulibaly, who’s on the IMRO stage later on the Sunday.
What’s next for you?
I’m in the very early days of writing for my next release, so I’ll be finding my feet with that over the next few weeks and months. Other than that I’m heading back to London to play some shows around the UK and share the album as widely as possible, before coming back to Ireland for a headline show in Coughlans on Thursday, October 6th.
Make sure to catch James OR live at INDIE22, on Sunday July 31st at 5:15pm on the IMRO Stage.
INDIE22 takes place in Mitchelstown on the Bank Holiday Weekend of July 29-31.
Check-out the details here: https://imro.ie/event/the-imro-stage-at-indie22/
