English singer/songwriter James Bay spent most of his youth trying to grow his talents as a vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist, unaware of how short his path to stardom would be. He transitioned from a rising artist to a global hitmaker with his emotional 2014 single “Let It Go,” which spotlights the power and range of his voice.
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That burst of success continued with his anthemic “Hold Back the River,” the second cut from his debut album Chaos and the Calm. In the near-decade since his breakout debut, Bay’s career has continued to flourish. The 33-year-old talent has released two more well-received albums, earned multiple Grammy Award nominations, and toured alongside Taylor Swift, the Rolling Stones, and Hozier.
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Although Bay is best known for his soulful solo work, he’s also used his skills to create magic for other popular acts. From a dreamy dance-pop hit to a boy band’s big return, here are three surprising songs written by Bay for other artists.
1. “Without You”
In 2019, Irish pop outfit Westlife marked their return to the pop scene with Spectrum, the band’s first new record in nearly nine years. They recruited a top-tier list of co-writers for the project, including Ed Sheeran and OneRepublic lead vocalist Ryan Tedder. Bay teamed up with hit songwriter and producer Steve Mac to pen the album track “Without You,” which offers an ode of dedication from one lover to another.
2. “Raging”
Hit dance-pop DJ and producer Kygo teams up with Irish rock group Kodaline for this high-energy single from 2016. Bay shares writing credits with Kygo—whose real name is Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll—along with Mark Williams and Derek Fuhrmann on “Raging,” which became a Top 10 hit in five countries.
2. “Forever’s Not Enough”
British pop-rock group McFly recruited Bay to help pen this track for their 2023 studio album Power to Play. Driven by retro synthesizer and 1980s-inspired electric guitar riffs, “Forever’s Not Enough” is another hopeful anthem about the kind of love destined to last.
(Photo by Julie Broad, Courtesy of Republic Records)
