James Blake

James Blake is an English singer, songwriter and record producer from Enfield, London. His work combines electronic, experimental, post-dubstep and soul influences, and he is known for a soft vocal approach that often uses head voice and falsetto. He also releases music under the CMYK label and is associated with the collective 1-800 Dinosaur.

Early career and first releases

Blake studies Popular Music at Goldsmiths, University of London after attending Grange Park Primary School in Winchmore Hill and The Latymer School in Edmonton. While at university, he helps organise a series of events called Bass Society, which features UK electronic artists. He begins recording in 2009 with the 12-inch release Air & Lack Thereof on Hemlock, which receives support from Gilles Peterson and leads to further exposure through a guest mix on Peterson’s programme.

His EP Klavierwerke begins as part of his academic coursework, and CMYK follows in 2010 on R&S Records. That release receives radio play, while his cover of Limit to Your Love becomes a prominent radio feature and enters the UK Singles Chart. He also gains wider attention in 2010 through the extended plays The Bells Sketch, CMYK and Klavierwerke.

Albums and collaboration work

Blake signs with A&M Records and releases his self-titled debut album in 2011. The album reaches the UK top ten and receives critical acclaim. In the same year, he releases the EPs Enough Thunder and Love What Happened Here, which move towards more structured and R&B-influenced material. He is nominated for the BBC Sound of 2011 poll and finishes as runner-up in the Brit Awards Critics’ Choice category.

He later moves to Republic Records for Overgrown (2013), which also reaches the UK top ten and enters the US Billboard 200. The album features Brian Eno and RZA and wins the Mercury Prize. A remix of Life Round Here featuring Chance the Rapper is released later that year.

His third album, The Colour in Anything (2016), is completed partly in the United States with producer Rick Rubin and includes contributions from Bon Iver and Kanye West. Around this period, he also works on Beyoncé’s Lemonade, including the track Forward, and contributes to projects by Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar.

Later releases and notable collaborations

In 2018, Blake co-writes and performs on King's Dead with Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar and Future; the single charts in the United Kingdom and the United States and wins a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance. He also releases the solo tracks If the Car Beside You Moves Ahead and Don't Miss It, and contributes to work by Travis Scott.

Assume Form follows in 2019 and becomes his highest-charting release in both the UK and the US. The album includes collaborations with André 3000, Travis Scott and Metro Boomin. In 2020 he releases several standalone tracks and the EP Before.

Friends That Break Your Heart appears in 2021, followed by Wind Down in 2022, an ambient project made with Endel. Playing Robots Into Heaven arrives in 2023 and returns to a more electronic and experimental sound. In 2024 he releases the single Thrown Around, the EP CMYK 002 and the collaborative album Bad Cameo with Lil Yachty. He also leaves Polydor Records and sets up his own label under CMYK Group.

Blake’s later work includes the track Séance for the soundtrack of Sinners (2025), and the album Trying Times in 2026, preceded by Death of Love.

Recognition and awards

Across his career, Blake receives the Mercury Prize, multiple Grammy Awards and nominations, a Latin Grammy Award and Brit Award nominations. His output also includes writing and production work for artists such as Jameela Jamil, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, Rosalía and Travis Scott.

Background

Blake is the only child of musician James Litherland and Helen Litherland. He shows an early interest in music and receives classical piano training during childhood.