James Blunt

Few people leave a Household Cavalry commission for a pop career, yet James Blunt did exactly that. Born James Hillier Blount in Hampshire in 1974, the English singer, songwriter and musician spent his childhood following his father's postings across England, Cyprus and Germany before reading sociology at the University of Bristol. During his time in Kosovo he wrote "No Bravery", playing guitar for locals and troops.

His debut, Back to Bedlam, appeared in 2004 and topped the UK Albums Chart, reaching number two in the United States, and it had sold over 12 million copies worldwide by December 2009. "You're Beautiful" reached number one in thirteen countries, including the UK and the US, and the album remains among the best-selling in UK chart history. His second album, All the Lost Souls, released in 2007, reached number one in twelve countries. Since then he has released Moon Landing in 2013 and Who We Used to Be in 2023, with Airplane Mode set for 6 November 2026. He has won two Brit Awards, including Best British Male in 2006.