I know what you’re thinking.

James Morrison

Since when do I rave more than rant? It appears that my admiration for certain figures in the pop-culture world outweighs my dislike for others. Odd but true. However, I assure you one thing:

It won’t last long.

But the reason for my back-to-back raves is due to one celebrity in particular—singer James Morrison (please note: not to be mistaken with Jim Morrison from ‘The Doors’).

James Morrison, the 24-year-old English singer-songwriter and guitarist, surely knows how to melt my heart. In 2006, his debut single “You Give Me Something” became a hit in Australia, Japan and Europe. His first album “Undiscovered” debuted at the top of the UK Album Chart and made Morrison the best selling male solo artist of 2006 in the UK.
 Like most successful international artists, he has a massive fan base overseas.

But while his critically acclaimed single, “Broken Strings,” (featuring Canadian artist Nelly Furtado) plays like a broken record on the radio, James has yet to truly succeed in the North American market. And frankly, I’m baffled as to why.

He’s the perfect mixture of Coldplay’s Chris Martin (I blame his hair) and Bryan Adams (I blame his ability to serenade me in two seconds). His songs are mellow, passionate and raw. His past single “Wonderful World” is easily a favourite track of mine, while his newest single “Please Don’t Stop the Rain” plays on repeat in my head (not like there is much going on in there anyway).

But even though he’s undeniably talented, what makes James so damn special?

It’s simple.

He sings the words that women want to hear their lover say, minus the BS or fluff.

He isn’t afraid to tell you he loves you or, like “Broken Strings” explicitly states, that he no longer does. How many male artists are this genuine without a cocky image surfacing close behind? Enrique Iglesias is most definitely not one of them.

Last week, James performed at The Opera House in Toronto—a show that I was fortunate enough to attend. And, of course, he blew me away. There’s something to be said about an artist who receives piercing cheers and applause from men.
Men who were accompanied by their girlfriends.

See, when a male artist knows how to serenade straight men–you know that’s talent.

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