Singer-songwriter James Bay dedicates his upcoming album to his girlfriend of 13 years Lucy Smith

James Bay started dating his partner Lucy Smith when he was just 16 years old. 

Now 13 years on, the British heartthrob has dedicated his upcoming album to his long-time girlfriend. 

Speaking to Australia’s The Project on Friday, the Hold Back The River singer, 29, revealed his relationship has been the ‘most incredible rock-like thing’ through his sky-rocketing career.  

‘There’s very high-highs and very low-lows and my girlfriend is the person who has pulled me through and stood by me. So it felt essentially like a long overdue tribute to that,’ James said.  

He added: ‘I’m just very private person so I’m not huge on going into detail on this stuff but the gratitude that I think needs to be shown has shown itself in these songs.   

‘You get a lot of screaming women at your concerts… Is your partner keeping you grounded or is she swept up in all of that?’ panelist Susie Youssef asked him. 

‘She is the most grounded person I have ever known,’ James said.   

James just released a single from the upcoming album, Chew On My Heart.

‘[The song]  is about being madly and deeply in love! And even, I suppose, to the degree that you kind of lose patience and you want more and more and more of the person,’ James explained.

James recently told NME that the new album, ‘is the most positive thing I’ve ever written’.  

He added: ‘I’m typically a very private person and this next record is much more personal and vulnerable. 

‘My long-term girlfriend and I were just kids when we met; we knew each other before any of this happened to our lives. The album is a bit of a tribute to our journey.’