James Blunt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Blunt
Blunt in 2017
Born	James Hillier Blount (1974-02-22) 22 February 1974 (age 51) Tidworth, Hampshire, England
Education	University of Bristol (BSc (Hons))
Occupation	Singer songwriter musician
Years active	2003–present
Spouse(s)	Sofia Wellesley ​ (m. 2014)​
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	Pop rock folk rock folk pop soft rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar keyboards piano organ ukulele marimba
Labels	Custard Atlantic Warner
Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1996–2002
Rank	Captain
Service number	547098
Unit	Life Guards
Battles/wars	Kosovo War

James Blunt (born James Hillier Blount, 22 February 1974) is a famous English singer, songwriter, and musician. Before becoming a music star, he was a soldier. He is best known for his hit songs "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover" from 2004.

After leaving the army, James Blunt became very famous in 2004. His first album, Back to Bedlam, sold over 12 million copies worldwide. It was the best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK. His song "You're Beautiful" reached number one in many countries.

James Blunt has released several other albums since then. These include All the Lost Souls (2007), Some Kind of Trouble (2010), Moon Landing (2013), The Afterlove (2017), Once Upon a Mind (2019), and Who We Used to Be (2023). By 2013, he had sold over 20 million records. He has also won many awards, like two Brit Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards.

Early Life and Education

James Hillier Blount was born on 22 February 1974. He was born at a military hospital in Tidworth Camp, England. His mother, Jane Ann Farran, started a ski company. His father, Charles Blount, was a cavalry officer and helicopter pilot. James is the oldest of three children. His family has a long history of serving in the military.

James grew up moving often because of his father's army postings. They lived in different parts of England, Cyprus, and Germany. He went to Elstree School and then Harrow School. He studied physics, chemistry, and economics. Later, he went to the University of Bristol. He studied Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering and Sociology, graduating in 1996.

Like his father, James is also a pilot. He got his private pilot license for fixed-wing aircraft at age 16. He also loved motorbikes from a young age.

Military Service and Adventures

James Blunt's university studies were paid for by the army. This meant he had to serve at least four years in the armed forces. He trained at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He became a captain in the Life Guards.

In 1999, James volunteered to go to Kosovo with NATO. His unit helped find Serbian forces for NATO's bombing campaign. On 12 June 1999, his troop led a large peacekeeping force towards Pristina International Airport. However, Russian soldiers had already taken control of the airport. The American NATO commander ordered them to take the airport by force. James Blunt questioned this order. The British commander, General Mike Jackson, refused the order. He said they were "not going to start World War Three". James Blunt later said he would have refused the order too if General Jackson had not stopped it.

During his time in Kosovo, James carried his guitar with him. He would sometimes play for locals and other soldiers. He even wrote a song called "No Bravery" while on duty there. He continued his military service until October 2002, serving for six years. He was also part of the Queen's Guard in London. He stood guard at the coffin of the Queen Mother during her lying in state.

James Blunt was also a keen skier. He captained the Household Cavalry ski team. He became a champion in giant slalom in 2000.

Music Career Journey

Starting Out in Music

James Blunt had piano and violin lessons when he was a child. He learned to play the electric guitar at age 14. While still in the army, he wrote songs in his free time. A friend suggested he contact Elton John's manager, Todd Interland. Interland heard James's demo tape and was very impressed.

James left the British Army in 2002 to focus on music. He started using the stage name "James Blunt" because his real last name, "Blount," is pronounced the same way. Soon after, he signed with EMI music publishers. However, it was hard to get a record deal. Many labels thought his posh speaking voice would be a problem in Britain.

Then, Linda Perry, who was starting her own label, Custard Records, heard James play live. She offered him a recording contract right away. A month later, he went to Los Angeles to work with producer Tom Rothrock.

Back to Bedlam and Global Success (2003–2006)

Blunt performing in the United States, 2008

James Blunt recorded his first album, Back to Bedlam, in 2003. He played many instruments himself. The album was released in the UK in October 2004. His first single, "High", was used in a Vodafone commercial in Italy.

At first, the album didn't get much attention. But then, his third single, "You're Beautiful", became a massive hit. It reached number one in the UK and was played everywhere. This made Back to Bedlam shoot to number one on the UK Albums Chart. James Blunt and his co-writers won an Ivor Novello Award for the song.

"You're Beautiful" became a huge hit across Europe and then in the US. James Blunt was the first British artist in almost a decade to have a number one song in America. He won two MTV Video Music Awards for "You're Beautiful" in 2006.

In 2006, he started an 11-month world tour. He performed over 140 live shows that year. The album sold 11.2 million copies worldwide. It was the fastest-selling album in one year in the UK. James Blunt even appeared on Sesame Street to sing about triangles!

All the Lost Souls and More Hits (2007–2008)

Blunt at a concert in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, 2007

James Blunt's second album, All the Lost Souls, came out in September 2007. It sold very well, with 4.5 million copies internationally. He wrote the songs for this album at his home in Ibiza.

The first single from the album was "1973". It was inspired by his nights out at a club in Ibiza. This song also became a big hit, reaching number one on the European charts. He also worked with French rapper Sinik and Italian singer Laura Pausini on songs.

James went on his second world tour in 2007 and 2008. He performed at big venues like London's O2 Arena.

Some Kind of Trouble (2010–2013)

His third album, Some Kind of Trouble, was released in November 2010. It reached number four in the UK. The first single, "Stay the Night", was very popular in Europe. By February 2011, the album had sold over one million copies worldwide.

Moon Landing and Beyond (2013–Present)

Blunt performing in October 2017

James Blunt's fourth album, Moon Landing, was released in October 2013. He worked with Tom Rothrock again, who produced his first album. The main single, "Bonfire Heart", was a top 10 hit in the UK. It also reached number one in Australia, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.

In 2014, a new version of the album called Moon Landing – Apollo Edition was released. It included five new songs. In 2015, James Blunt became a judge on The X Factor Australia.

His fifth album, The Afterlove, came out in March 2017. In 2019, he worked with German DJ Alle Farben on the dance song "Walk Away".

His sixth album, Once Upon a Mind, was released in October 2019. He released "Cold" as the first single. In 2021, he released his first "greatest hits" album, The Stars Beneath My Feet (2004–2021). This album included four new songs.

His seventh album, Who We Used to Be, was released in October 2023. He also released a book called Loosely Based on a Made-Up Story: A Non-Memoir. A documentary about his life and career, One Brit Wonder, was released in December 2023. James Blunt plans to tour for his new album in 2024.

Personal Life

Blunt and his wife Sofia at the NRJ Music Awards in December 2013

James Blunt lives mostly on the Spanish island of Ibiza. He also owns a chalet in Verbier, Switzerland, where a ski lift is named after him. In 2012, he helped open a restaurant at the top of the ski lift.

On 6 September 2014, James Blunt married Sofia Wellesley. She is the granddaughter of the Duke of Wellington. They have two sons. Famous singer Ed Sheeran is the godfather of their older son.

In 2016, James Blunt received an honorary degree from the University of Bristol. He is very active on Twitter and is known for his funny, self-deprecating humor. In 2020, a book of his tweets was published.

Charity Work

James Blunt supports many charities. He is a patron of Help for Heroes. This charity helps wounded British soldiers. He has also held concerts to raise money for them.

He has raised funds for Médecins Sans Frontières, a medical charity. He first learned about them while serving in Kosovo. He has supported them by holding auctions at his concerts. He also filmed a documentary called Return to Kosovo, visiting the places he knew there.

James Blunt also cares about the environment. He showed the trailer for An Inconvenient Truth at his concerts. For every ticket bought through his website, a tree was planted. In 2007, he performed at the Live Earth concert in London. He also helped with the charity single "Everybody Hurts" to help after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Discography

• Back to Bedlam (2004)
• All the Lost Souls (2007)
• Some Kind of Trouble (2010)
• Moon Landing (2013)
• The Afterlove (2017)
• Once Upon a Mind (2019)
• Who We Used to Be (2023)

Tours

Headlining

• Back to Bedlam World Tour (2005–2006)
• All the Lost Souls Tour (2008–2009)
• Some Kind of Trouble Tour (2011–2012)
• Moon Landing World Tour (2014–2015)
• The Afterlove Tour (2017–2018)
• Once Upon a Mind Tour (2020)
• The Stars Beneath My Feet Tour (2022)
• Who We Used to Be Tour (2024)
• Back to Bedlam 20th Anniversary Tour (2025)

Opening Act

• 2004 Tour (for Elton John) (2004)
• The Secret Migration Promo Tour (for Mercury Rev) (2004)
• Peachtree Road Tour (for Elton John) (2004)
• Fall Tour 2005 (for Jason Mraz) (2005)
• 2008 Summer Tour (for Sheryl Crow) (2008)
• ÷ Tour (for Ed Sheeran) (2017)

Awards and Nominations

Brit Awards

BT Digital Music Awards

Grammy Awards

MTV Australia Awards

MTV Europe Music Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

Q Awards

Teen Choice Awards

Other Awards

• 2006: NRJ Music Award (France) – Best International Newcomer
• 2006: Echo Music Prize (Germany) – Best International Newcomer
• 2006: NME Awards – Worst Album
• 2006: Ivor Novello Awards – Most Performed Work and International Hit of the Year
• 2006: World Music Awards – Best New Artist in the World and Biggest Selling British Artist in the World
• 2007: IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Awards – Top 10 Best Selling Foreign Albums All the Lost Souls
• 2008: Echo Music Prize (Germany) – Best International Male Artist
• 2010: Virgin Media Music Awards – The Hottes
• 2011: Elele Magazine Teen Idol of Turkey 2011
• 2014: Hungarian Music Awards – Pop/Rock Album of the Year for Moon Landing
• 2016: Honorary doctorate from the University of Bristol

See also

In Spanish: James Blunt para niños