Iain James
{{Short description|British singer}}
{{For|those of the same or similar name|Ian James (disambiguation)}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Iain James
| birth_name = Iain James Farquharson
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|2|20|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Bristol, England
| years_active = 2003–present
| past_member_of = Triple 8
| spouse =
}}
Iain James Farquharson (born 20 February 1980), more commonly known as Iain James or Sparx, is a British singer, songwriter and vocal producer from Bristol, but based in London. He started as part of the British boyband Triple 8 in 2003 as their lead singer and known as Sparx. He left after the group had two Top 10 hits and was replaced by Stewart Macintosh in 2005.
He has written a number of songs recorded by a great number of singing artists, plus writing many songs for reality television contestants from UK, Europe and Asia, and on three occasions for Eurovision Song Contest songs, including co-writing the winning song for Azerbaijan "Running Scared" by Ell & Nikki in 2011.
Triple 8
James was the lead singer of UK boy band Triple 8 (888), who were originally signed to Polydor Records.{{cite news|title=UK is Eurovision winner after all|url=http://www.m-magazine.co.uk/interviews/uk-is-eurovision-winner-after-all/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803215025/http://www.m-magazine.co.uk/interviews/uk-is-eurovision-winner-after-all/|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 August 2012|newspaper=M Magazine (Performing Rights Society)|date=19 May 2011}} He was known by his nickname, "Sparx". The group had two successful singles, "Knockout" and "Give Me A Reason", which charted at numbers 8 and 9, respectively, in the UK Singles Chart. The group parted company with their record label in 2004, leaving their album, Heavy W8, unreleased. James left in 2004, to be replaced as lead singer in 2005 by a new member, Stewart Macintosh, before the group broke up by the end of 2005.
Writing and production
After Triple 8, James concentrated on music writing and production. He has written for artists as diverse as Westlife, Professor Green, Emeli Sandé, Craig David, Taio Cruz, The Vamps, Anne-Marie, and Korean boyband TVXQ (aka Tohoshinki). He has also written for successful acts from reality television competitions, including Little Mix,{{cite web|title=Little Mix are making "magic" today|url=http://www.popjustice.com/thenews/little-mix-are-making-magic-today/87784/|work=Popjustice|access-date=6 June 2012|date=20 April 2012}} One Direction, Olly Murs and Leona Lewis.
He co-wrote British number one "Read All About It" by Professor Green featuring Emeli Sandé, as well as Sandé's own version of the song which appears on her two million selling album Our Version of Events, which broke a record set by the Beatles for longest unimpeded spell in the UK top 10.
James wrote several songs on the album of Little Mix, the first ever British girlgroup whose album went straight into the top 5 in the US, including the UK Number 1 "Wings" and the critically lauded third place song "DNA".He wrote songs on their second album Salute, which did not match DNA commercially, but was a critical success, and followed its predecessor in charting in the UK top 5 and US top 10 (it would have repeated DNA's fourth placing if compilations were not included in the US albums chart). He wrote the album's song Little Me with Little Mix and TMS. For the group's third album Get Weird; Iain co-wrote the singles "Love Me Like You" and "Hair" feat. Sean Paul. The group's most successful album Glory Days features the single "Shout Out To My Ex", also co-written by James.
He is also a vocal producer and has recorded many artists including Little Mix, Ella Henderson, One Direction and Pixie Lott.
=Eurovision=
James co-wrote the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 winning song "Running Scared" by Ell & Nikki,{{cite web|title=Ell/Nikki – Running Scared|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/year/participant-profile/?song=26303|work=Eurovision official website|access-date=6 June 2012}} who were the first male-female duo to win the song contest since 1963. They were also the first Azeris to win the contest, winning in Düsseldorf in May 2011.
James also co-wrote the Belgian entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013, "Love Kills" by Roberto Bellarosa, which placed 12th, and the British entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020, "My Last Breath" by James Newman.
Discography
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Artist !Album !Credits |
| 2007
|Co-Writer |
| rowspan="2" |2008
|You're My Idol |Co-Writer |
| Wrong Number
|TVXQ |MIROTIC - The 4th Album |Co-Writer |
| 2010
|Did I? |N/A |Co-Writer |
| rowspan="10" |2011
|Build You A House |Timothy James |Make It Happen |Co-Writer |
| The Sound Of Swing ft. Aloe Blacc
|The Sound Of... |Co-Writer |
| Fell In Love With A Song
|Make You Blush |Co-Writer |
| Second Last Chance
|Good Ol' Fashioned Love (Platinum Edition) |Co-Writer |
| Running Scared
|N/A |Co-Writer |
| Na Na Na
|Co-Writer |
| Read All About It feat. Emeli Sandé
|Co-Writer |
| World In Our Hands
|Ty.O |Co-Writer |
| Hush Little Baby feat. Ed Sheeran
|Co-Writer |
| Walking On Water
|Co-Writer |
| rowspan="12" |2012
| rowspan="7" |Little Mix | rowspan="7" |DNA | rowspan="6" |Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| DNA |
| Going Nowhere |
| Make You Believe |
| Madhouse |
| Stereo Soldier |
| Always Be Together
|Vocal Producer |
| Read All About It (Part III)
|Co-Writer |
| Hand On Heart
|Co-Writer |
| Overtime feat. Ghetts
| rowspan="2" |Clement Marfo & The Frontline | rowspan="2" |N/A | rowspan="2" |Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| Champion |
| I Need You feat. Jagga
|TMS |N/A |Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| rowspan="14" |2013
|Heartless |N/A |Co-Writer |
| Beethoven
|Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| Stereotype
|Bombay Calling |Co-Writer |
| Summer Rain
|Co-Writer |
| Little Me
| rowspan="6" |Little Mix | rowspan="6" |Salute | rowspan="5" |Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| Competition |
| A Different Beat |
| See Me Now |
| They Just Don't Know You |
| Mr Loverboy
|Vocal Producer |
| Love Kills
|Co-Writer |
| Just The Way You Love Me
|Co-Writer |
| One More Sleep
|Co-Writer |
| Going Under
|Weary Love |Co-Writer |
| rowspan="3" |2014
|Nothing Without You |Co-Writer |
| The First Time
| rowspan="2" |Ella Henderson | rowspan="2" |Chapter One | rowspan="2" |Vocal Producer |
| Give Your Heart Away |
| rowspan="9" |2015
|Left Out |LEGEND |N/A |Co-Writer |
| She Ain't Me
|N/A |Co-Writer |
| Cry For Help
|Co-Writer |
| Me 4 U
|OMI |Co-Writer |
| Trouble
|Trouble |Co-Writer |
| Start Again
|Co-Writer |
| Breakfast
|Co-Writer |
| Love Me Like You
|Co-Writer |
| The Fall
|Fire |Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| rowspan="6" |2016
|Gets No Better (2.0) feat. Serayah |Empire: Original Soundtrack Season 2 |Co-Writer |
| Hair feat. Sean Paul
| rowspan="3" |Little Mix |Co-Writer |
| Shout Out To My Ex
| rowspan="2" |Glory Days |Co-Writer |
| Beep Beep
|Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
|Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| Hurt Anymore
|TBA |Co-Writer |
| rowspan="4" |2017
|Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| Giants
|Co-Writer |
| Heavy
|Co-Writer |
| The Thing About Love
|Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| rowspan="6" |2018
|Start Over Again |Non Album Single |Co-Writer |
| Monday Blues
|Co-Writer |
| Just My Type
|Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| Friends
|Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| Take Your Love
|Co-Writer |
| 여기 있을게 (Smile On My Face)
|Exo |Co-Writer |
| rowspan="2" |2019
|Girl | - |Co-Writer |
| Pablo
|Big Heath | - |Co-Writer |
| rowspan="9" |2020
|Small Talk | rowspan="2" |Louise | rowspan="2" |Heavy Love |Co-Writer |
| Give You Up
|Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| Father's Son
|Declan J Donovan |Homesick |Co-Writer |
| Habit
|Co-Writer |
| Vibe
|Mullally |Non Album Single |Co-Writer |
| My Last Breath
| The Things We Do |Co-Writer / Backing Vocals |
| Look What We've Done
|Non Album Single |Co-Writer |
| After The Night Before
|TBA |Co-Writer |
| Christmas Prayer
|Paloma Faith & Gregory Porter |Co-Writer |
| rowspan="16" |2021
|Feels Like Love |Syn Cole ft. MIYA MIYA |Non Album Single |Co-Writer |
| Vibe
|Non Album Single |Co-Writer |
| Superstar
|Non Album Single |Co-Writer |
| Can't Stop Writing Songs About You
|Kylie Minogue and Gloria Gaynor |Co-Writer |
| Kiss Me It's Christmas
|Leona Lewis & Ne-Yo |Co-Writer |
| Day One
| rowspan="9" |JLS | rowspan="9" |2.0 | rowspan="2" |Co-Writer / Vocal Producer / Backing Vocals |
| Tango |
| Postcard
| rowspan="7" |Vocal Producer |
| Priceless |
| Changed |
| Audition |
| Love Immortal |
| Glow |
| Nothing Without U |
| Secrets
|Co-Writer |
| Woman
|Boxing Day (Soundtrack) |Co-Writer |
| rowspan="7" |2022
|Happy |Islands |Co-Writer |
| 1, 2, 7 (Time Stops)
|Co-Writer |
| Pasta
|Go The Distance |Co-Writer |
| Seat At The Table
|Non Album Single |Co-Writer |
| Love Me Hard
| rowspan="3" |Sugababes | rowspan="3" |The Lost Tapes | rowspan="3" |Co-Writer |
| No Regrets |
| I'm Alright |
| rowspan="6" |2023
|Single |TBA |Co-Writer |
| Put Your Hands Up
|Non Album Single |Co-Writer |
| The Birds
|Bank & Ranx feat. Zach Zoya |Non Album Single |Co-Writer |
| I Am
|The Musical: Welcome To The Night Of Your Life |Co-Writer |
| When The Rain Comes
|TBA |Co-Writer |
| Can't Say Goodbye
|KEY |Good & Great - The 2nd Mini Album |Co-Writer |
| 2024
|Downtime |Tyler Lewis |TBA |Co-Writer |
| rowspan="2" |2025
|Happy Tears |Non Album Single |Co-Writer |
| Heartbreak
|Co-Writer |
=With Triple 8=
| class="wikitable" |
| style="width:30px;" rowspan="2"| Year
! style="width:150px;" rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="1"| Chart positions |
|---|
| style="width:36px;"| UK |
| rowspan="2"|2003
| "Knockout" | {{center| 8}} |
| "Give Me a Reason"
| {{center| 9}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Iain+James+Farquharson Discogs.com Iain James Farquharson page]
{{List of Eurovision Song Contest winners}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Iain}}
Category:English male songwriters
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Eurovision Song Contest-winning songwriters