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A TALENTED former British School of Bahrain (BSB) pupil whose career spiralled out of control is back at the top of the UK charts and has released a new album this week aptly called Back from the Edge.
Everyone loves a comeback story, and this is one that has taken a lot of people by surprise and supporters hope James Arthur’s success may help secure him a return trip to the kingdom he loved, to perform in concert.
An appearance could slip soundly into the year-long celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of British-Bahraini diplomatic relations with 200 activities across the kingdom or featuring in next year’s Spring of Culture line-up of international acts.
“I definitely felt like I had unfinished business. I know what I am capable of as an artist and what I can do,” said the singer who his former teachers and classmates remember as popular James Rafferty, or simply Raff, the ‘class clown’ with a passion to perform during his four years as a pupil.
James shot to fame in winning the TV talent show X Factor in 2012, aged 24. After a massive hit single Impossible and successful debut album, things went disastrously wrong for the singer-songwriter, caught up by the whirlwind of sudden fame.
Three years on, he is back with his feet firmly on the ground and armed with the emotional acoustic hit Say You Won’t Let Go, which has soared up the charts to No 1 and received global critical acclaim.
It’s receiving plenty of airplay in the kingdom too. Radio and TV personality Paul Fraser said: “Being a former resident of Bahrain there was a lot of interest locally. He is not your clichéd squeaky clean X Factor product. His new recording has rocketed up the UK Top 40 and is a genuinely good track from a talented artist – I just hope there is a lot more to come.”
As revealed in GulfWeekly, the former BSB student’s life spiralled out of control when he had to return to the UK at the age of 14 in the midst of his mother’s marriage break-up. He recalled the trauma of having to leave behind a comfortable expat lifestyle and ending up in foster care.
But fame has not been kind either. He was axed from TV show mogul Simon Cowell’s record label after a number of fallouts over his lyrics and behaviour on Twitter.
After scooping the X Factor crown - James must have thought he was swapping his miserable bedsit for a life of fame, fortune and glamorous ladies. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
“We had a lot of positive feedback on our X Factor round-up on 96.5 and, of course, he went on to win,” recalled Radio Bahrain’s Paul. “It’s fair to say he went into the show with problems. I think Cowell’s spin doctors polished him up without actually helping him so he became a bit of a ticking time bomb, which very publicly erupted on social media.
“It looks like he is addressing his issues now, even being appointed as an ambassador for a mental health charity.”
In media interviews since his incredible comeback, James admits that had made ‘some mistakes along the way’. “I have a very loyal fan base that has stuck with me, so it was great to give something back to them,” he added. “It’s such a whirlwind and I don’t think it has actually sunk in yet. It has gone way beyond my expectations and I am so grateful that people have connected with the song.”
BSB head of school Julie Anne Gilbert was one of those listeners emotionally touched by Say You Won’t Let Go. “When I heard the song for the first time on the way to school I did not know who was singing it,” she said. “I remember thinking that the lyrics were brave and original and I loved the sound.
“It is such a good song and although the voice sounded strangely familiar I didn’t immediately recognise it. The ‘of course’ moment happened when I listened to it again in the evening. I’m so delighted for this young man – we would love to invite him back to the school.”
As reported in GulfWeekly, the star’s official TV talent show winner’s book James Arthur – My Story, published by Harper Collins, revealed how he moved to Bahrain at the age of nine.
He said: “I especially liked school as all the kids in my class were from all over the world, so I experienced a lot of different cultures.
“When I first realised that I wanted to be a singer I kept it to myself, and it wasn’t until I moved to Bahrain that I even took part in a school performance.”
When he was 12 and 13 he won leading roles in the school musicals Oliver! and The Pirates of Penzance, notching the ‘performance of the year’ award for his latter role as the general in the musical.
“Whenever I was in plays it was because my teachers used to encourage me to get involved, and they really pushed me, otherwise I’m not sure I would have bothered,” he revealed. “We stayed in Bahrain for a few years and I had an amazing time.”
Shortly after his TV success, ex-classmate Alexandra Potter, who had since moved to the US, told GulfWeekly how she remembered how happy and easy going the sociable young James was.
Alexandra, said: “He was very funny and never took anything seriously, and was friends with everyone. The teachers were very fond of him as well as he would joke around with them and the whole class loved to watch.
“I feel a sense of pride that I knew him and even more so that he went to my school in Bahrain.”
Teacher Brenda Laskey also told this newspaper at the time: “I remember James as a confident singer and budding guitarist who often performed at school talent events.
“He developed a strong, clear voice. His presence in performance was always emotionally-charged and vivid: the contrast between his slight frame and the intensity that he conveyed was striking even then.
“Fortunately for James the music teacher at the time, Yvonne Edge, was a vocal specialist in her own right and a music graduate who, during her time at the BSB, worked hard to establish a high standard of solo and choral singing here and encouraged students like James to find their own voice.
“Life was not easy for James in the end for a number of reasons, but when he was making music he was in his natural element.”
A photograph of him in his BSB uniform was put up in the school library alongside copies of his book.
It was hoped he might return to formally open the school’s music and drama rehearsal studios and auditorium but his post-fame meltdown put paid to that.
Perhaps the British performer’s relationship with Bahrain will end on a positive note with a welcome return to the kingdom in the near future, fans hope.
