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James Arthur reveals how fatherhood ‘removed his ego’

The singer-songwriter is father to one-year-old daughter Emily.

Published
Pride of Britain Awards 2023 – London

Singer James Arthur has said fatherhood has “removed his ego” and helped him kick “unhealthy habits”.

The X Factor winner, 35, who is father to daughter Emily, 14 months, said her arrival has changed his life.

He told BBC Breakfast: “It’s changed my whole perspective. It’s been quite well documented that I’ve had my struggles, my ups and downs with mental health, and I’ve been a big campaigner for that sort of thing, I’ve made documentaries for the BBC about it.

“I would have a tendency to lose my way in life quite a lot and having a daughter has very much given me a kind of an anchor and different perspective.

“Knowing that she’s there and that she’s my responsibility sort of removed my ego and the unhealthy habits that I had, so I’m very happy being a father, it’s great.”

The musician, who released his fifth album Bitter Sweet Love, last month, said he sings to his little girl, who he shares with partner Jessica Grist, at home.

He said: “I do it a lot. I’ve been playing some of the songs from the album to test.

“I wrote a song called Emily before she was born, almost sort of manifested it a little bit.

“I don’t actually sing a lot at home because my job is to sing, obviously.

BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend – Middlesbrough
X Factor winner James Arthur says he has no plans to quit music (Owen Humphreys/PA)

“But she’s brought it back out of me as I’ve been getting the guitar out, I’ll play the piano at home a bit more.

“And she’s picking out the right notes, which is absolutely amazing. She’s 14 months. I don’t know how she was picking the right notes in the the key that I was singing, maybe she’s got she’s got my ears. My ears are pretty good.”

Arthur also clarified that he has no plans to quit music, but might take a break from recording to explore acting.

He said: “I’ve got maybe an album or two left and me and then I might park the music and do a bit of acting but by no means am I ready to quit or anything. I just might focus on that for a little while at some point.”

“I find it hard to look at. But I’ve come a long way. It’s like I said earlier, it feels like another lifetime ago. I was a young hopeful artist and it’s been a roller coaster.”

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