Your Source for NPR News & Music

Song Premiere: José James, 'EveryLittleThing'

Singer José James has a new album coming out on June 10 and you can tell from this song, "EveryLittleThing," the new record, While You Were Sleeping, is an electrifying new sound. He made a similar shift in style on a record well loved here at NPR in 2013, No Beginning No End. That record saw James shift his jazzy voice toward hip-hop. This new record shows his love for the soulful and electronic-based James Blake, Frank Ocean and bands that James says were influences in his youth: Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, Radiohead and many late nights in East London Clubs hearing electronic music.

For now José James has a short tour that begins April 15 at World Café, and another in June.

While You Were Sleeping track listing:

1. Angel (José James)
2. U r the 1 (J. James/T. Billig/K. Bowers/B. Williams)
3. While You Were Sleeping (J. James)
4. Anywhere U Go (J. James/S. Dorsey)
5. Bodhisattva (J. James/S. Dorsey)
6. 4 Noble Truths (J. James)
7. Dragon feat. Becca Stevens (Becca Stevens)
8. Salaam (K. Bowers/B. Williams/S. Dorsey/R. Spaven)
9. Without U (J. James/T. Billig/B. Williams)
10. EveryLittleThing (J. James/K. Bowers)
11. xx (J. James)
12. Simply Beautiful feat. Takuya Kuroda (Al Green)

U.S. Tour dates:

April 15 – World Café Live – Philadelphia, Pa.
April 17-18 – Scullers – Boston, Mass.
April 20 – Evanston SPACE – Chicago, Ill.
April 21 – Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, Minn.
April 22-23 – Dazzle – Denver, Colo.
April 24 – The Triple Door – Seattle, Wash
April 25 – Alberta Rose Theatre – Portland, Ore.
April 26 – The Independent – San Francisco, Calif.
June 12 – Highline Ballroom – New York, N.Y.
June 15 – Playboy Jazz Festival @ Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, Calif.
June 20 – Magoffin Auditorium – El Paso, Texas
June 21 – Charline McCombs Empire Theatre – San Antonio, Texas
June 22 – Empire Control Room – Austin, Texas
June 26 – The Pour House – Raleigh, N.C.
June 28 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, Ga.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
In 1988, a determined Bob Boilen started showing up on NPR's doorstep every day, looking for a way to contribute his skills in music and broadcasting to the network. His persistence paid off, and within a few weeks he was hired, on a temporary basis, to work for All Things Considered. Less than a year later, Boilen was directing the show and continued to do so for the next 18 years.
Related Stories
  1. Texas charging another large group of migrants with “riot participation”
  2. El Pasoans catch glimpse of solar eclipse
  3. Texas criminally charges more than 200 migrants involved in alleged “riot” at the border
  4. Lebanese migrant allegedly tied to terrorist group appears in federal court with a black eye