James Bay sings, writes songs and plays guitar from the heart - and it shows.
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His honesty and authenticity as an lyricist and performer has endeared him to millions of music fans worldwide.
A lot has happened in the 10 years since he released singles Hold Back The River and Let It Go from his chart-topping debut album Chaos And The Calm. He's won multiple awards and his songs have been streamed 7.5 billion times ... and counting.
He was even presented with his own Limited-Edition James Bay Signature "1966" guitar by Epiphone.
But underneath all the hype and the acclaim is a quietly humble man determined to remain true to himself and his music.
He has just finished recording his third studio album in London when Weekender calls, and is about to hop on a plane to Australia for a solo tour and a handful of SummerSalt festival gigs.
One of those festivals is at Speers Point Park on Lake Macquarie on March 9, where Bay will share the line-up with Matt Corby, Ziggy Alberts, Thelma Plum, Gretta Ray and Mia Wray.
Bay is looking forward to returning to Australia and says he's a "huge" fan of Corby.
"I've just finished recording but we've got a bit of editing to do," he says of the new album, his third.
"There's a raw honesty to these sounds and the things I'm saying, which continue to be about existing around other people in the world. I'm 33, and this might sound disastrously obvious, but I am more of an adult than I have ever been.
"The way that you view relationships and interactions refines itself over time, and I think that comes out in my songs.
"It's been an intense labour of love, of heartache, and all the most human conditions - in my opinion, what else is there to make music about? I'm intense about making an album ... I just am."
Reflecting on the success he's had over the past decade, Bay says he's worked hard to remain true to himself when it comes to writing and recording music.
"If you look at it though other people's eyes, here I was, another new artist with a guitar in hand approaching a take on authenticity," he says.
"There's been a lot of artists and, respectfully, we're all a bit cynical towards them and are like 'OK well here comes another one'. So for me to, in any capacity, have landed at all as a genuinely authentic singer, songwriter, guitar player, musician, artist, is really a compliment.
"It's something I'm working harder and harder at 10 years in, to stay true to what I love, musically, and therefore try to replicate that with my own songs and sounds, and therein hopefully lies some authenticity."
He says he's "just comfortable enough at 10 years in" but is also "in the right way, not comfortable at all".
"I'm hungry and ready to do different things and try harder and go further but, as the saying goes, if you're making music for anybody but yourself, it's not going to be as honest, genuine or authentic as it could be," he says.
"I hope there's another 10 years. I've certainly learnt a lot along the way. I'm by no means perfect and there's nothing perfect about those 10 years but I still turn up on stage for any amount of people who want to listen to me sing songs - it's quite unbelievable and inspires me to try for another 10."
Humble and a thinker he may be, but Bay can barely contain his excitement when asked why he was "hanging out" with Jimmy Page, Brian May and Tony Iommi recently.
All the different artists who played were scattered around the building, and I was put about six feet from Kate and William for my performance, and the three kids as well, so that was not stressful at all.
- James Bay
"You know, that's probably my favourite question I've ever been asked," he says, laughing.
"Gibson Guitars opened the Gibson Garage in Nashville a couple of years ago and another in Soho last week, so they invited a bunch of guitar players to be there - and I guess that makes sense as far as Jimmy, Tony and Brian are concerned, but they also decided to invite me.
"It is very flattering to be thought of in the same moment as any of those legends. It was a lot of fun and unbelievable, really. I grew up idolising these guys."
At this point I feel compelled to ask him about performing at Royal Carols - Together at Christmas in Westminster Abbey last December. I can't help but notice he refers to the Prince and Princess of Wales by their first names.
"It's the third or fourth time that Kate and William have done that event at Westminster Abbey. Kate apparently curates the music and chooses what she likes," he says.
"They'd heard of me before because they'd used my song Hold Back The River on a football campaign William did a few years ago.
"Now I can't be sure that Kate sat and listened to my music but she wanted me on the line-up and it was a total privilege.
"All the different artists who played were scattered around the building, and I was put about six feet from Kate and William for my performance, and the three kids as well, so that was not stressful at all [laughs]."
Last December Bay also joined forces with food bank donation platform Bankuet to raise the funds needed to feed a growing number of people.
"It's terrifying, the reasons for which a charity like that needs help, and it was daunting to learn about the severity of the situation," he says.
"I wanted to do something, and they said by putting a gig on I could help them raise money to buy what people actually need.
"When supermarkets donate to food banks they donate, like, 800 tins of beans and that's really great but households really need diapers, shaving foam, vegetables. Respectfully, a tin of beans isn't what people need."
