Talent and Passion: Step Into the Musical World of James Gray

Montreal – At the studios of Talent and Passion, host Sacha Doama welcomed a guest who is increasingly making waves on the Montreal urban scene. At just 29 years old, James Gray – who signs his name with a V instead of an A as an artistic and marketing choice – embodies a new generation of independent musicians, oscillating between R&B, electro-pop, and poetic introspection.

“It’s really an honor for us to have him. We can’t wait to discover who is behind the artist,” Doama said in her introduction.

Born in Ontario but arriving in Quebec at the age of two, James Gray defines himself above all as a self-taught musician. “I decided to make English-language music because I think I can reach more people with it,” he explains.

His hybrid style, which he describes as R&B Electro-pop, goes beyond labels. “It’s even genres that might not be wide enough to describe what I do… it’s very rich,” the host emphasized, inviting listeners to discover his world on Spotify and YouTube.

One detail immediately stands out: his pseudonym written James Gray. A choice that is far from trivial. “There’s an artist and director that I really respect in the United States who’s called James Gray. Every time I searched for my songs, it came up with him. So, with a V, even if I had only one listener, they would automatically find me,” he recounts. A gesture that is both respectful and strategic.

The artist has just released his first EP, Nightmares in Paradise, a project he has carried for five years. “Life is so beautiful, why am I focusing right now on this slightly gray part? It was like a nightmare within all this beauty, within this paradise of life,” he confides sincerely.

Among the six tracks, one song stands out in particular: Who I Be. “It’s the song that best represents who I am today. If someone has to start with one track, it’s that one,” James Gray affirms.

His inspiration, he draws first from his personal experiences. “It always comes from what I live, because that’s the truest thing I know,” he explains, evoking his romantic, family, and collaborative relationships.

Raised in a multicultural family – a Nigerian father and an Italo-Canadian mother – he grew up with English as the common language. This choice is reflected in his music, entirely in English despite his impeccable French.

As for influences, James cites Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole, but also more recent artists like Lucky Daye, SiR, and The Weeknd, whose creativity he admires.

Although he started with rap and freestyle, James Gray is now turning toward singing. “I sing more because I’ve had a daughter for two years. I want to show her a refined way to share her emotional side. It’s important,” he says with emotion.

Unlike many artists who first seek to go abroad, James Gray wants to build his career in Montreal. “My art, I want to promote it where it was created, where it shaped me. I think we’re capable of building here and inspiring elsewhere,” he declares with conviction.

The future looks promising: several more singles are expected in 2025 and, above all, the preparation of his first album, entitled Never Be Perfect. This one promises a more organic blend of R&B and soul, with real instruments and a more acoustic approach.

“We’re here now. This is a beginning. But the goal is to build a movement in Montreal, both on the French-speaking and English-speaking side,” the artist concludes.