James Arthur was born in 1988 in Middlesbrough, England. He won the X Factor in 2012 before releasing the album his eponymously titled album in 2013.

After two international tours, Arthur released his sophomore album, Back From the Edge, in October 2016. The album featured the single “Say You Won’t Let Go”, which stayed at the top of the UK Singles Chart for three weeks, along with two other singles—“Safe Inside” and “Can I Be Him”—and 14 other songs on the Deluxe Edition of the album.