James Napier has had an incredible year.
He received SESAC’s Songwriter Of The Year Award for his work on the below songs and we are excited to see what he does next.
“Stay With Me”
Recorded by Sam Smith
Written by James Napier (PRS) & William Phillips (PRS)
Publisher(s): Salli Isaak Music Publishing (PRS)
Method Paperwork LTD (PRS)
Universal Tunes
“Latch”
Recorded by: Disclosure feat. Sam Smith
Songwriters: James Napier (PRS), Howard Lawrence (PRS), Guy Lawrence (PRS)
Publisher(s): Universal Music Publishing Limited (PRS), Salli Isaak Music Publishing (PRS), Universal Tunes
“Rather Be”
Recorded by: Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne
Songwriter: James Napier (PRS)
Publisher(s): Salli Isaak Music Publishing (PRS), Universal Tunes
“I’m Not The Only One”
Recorded by: Sam Smith
Songwriter: James Napier (PRS)
Publisher: Salli Isaak Music Publishing (PRS), Universal Tunes
“La La La”
Recorded by: Naughty Boy feat. Sam Smith
Songwriter: James Napier (PRS)
Publisher: Salli Isaak Music Publishing (PRS), Universal Tunes
Read our exclusive interview below:
Talk about writing “Stay With Me.”
Well, when we first got to the studio, nothing actually came very quickly to us, so we went and had a pizza and came back and wrote the song in less than an hour. Sam just poured his heart out and was super honest about a bunch of things he was going through. It came together very quickly.
You also co-wrote “Latch.”
So that was very fun. Disclosure are good friends of mine. Latch was really the song that projected us. “Latch” was the first song that I had written that I heard on the radio which was a massive buzz for me. It was all good fun.
Speak about making “La La La” with Sam and Naughty Boy.
That was another one that was great. That one came together quickly, too. I think all the best songs came together quickly. If they take too long to come, maybe, they’re not that good. You just gotta pour your heart out and hopefully you get somewhere.
You also co-wrote “Rather Be” with Clean Bandit. What was their process like?
Jack is the producer, he’s the elder brother in the band and we wrote that song. I wrote it about my wife. I was just thinking about her, when I’m with you, there’s no place I’d rather be, and the lyrics just came out really quickly. I kind of was just amazed that it was such a big hit, and thankful too.
You also executive produced Mary J. Blige’s The London Sessions.
That was just incredible. It was one of those pinch yourself moments. She’s such an icon and I was very nervous to meet her to be honest. She was just the coolest, most down to earth woman and we got along really well and wrote some great songs together.
What’s next for you?
We’ve just been really busy with Disclosure’s second album which we’re in the process of making which is almost finished, I’m very excited about. I never stop writing, I never stop writing with Sam even when he’s on tour, we bounce ideas around and think about what we’re gonna do next.
How did you get your start in music?
Well I’ve been writing songs for over 10 years. I finished school and moved to LA. I just had a friend who had a studio and I bugged them everyday and they let me in there. I wrote a thousand songs and ten good ones, and in the last two years I managed to make a career out of it which has been amazing.
Since you had such a great year have any interesting artists reached out to you to collaborate?
Some amazing artists. Since the Grammys I think it has put me on the map here where I hadn’t been before. I have some session while I’m here in New York, but I can’t tell you who they’re with.
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