James Vickery is ready to bare his soul to the world.

His stunning new album, simply titled JAMES., is a remarkably assured statement – one that introduces a whole new sound to his audience. And from the Hollywood flurry of strings that heralds “Hotel Lobby” to the woozy beat on “Higher”, each track is testament to Vickery’s fantastic voice, honed from a time where it seemed like he might not be able to sing at all. “Something I realised a while ago was that a lot of people didn’t necessarily understand where the music comes from,” the South London artist says. “I had a story that I was always a little bit ashamed of, which is sad in a way, but there was never much representation for people with my condition in the music industry.” Vickery is completely deaf in one ear. Aged eight, he was diagnosed with a non-cancerous growth of skin cells called a cholesteatoma, which was in his ear and growing towards his brain. Without surgery, he might have died within two months. The operation saved his life, and a vocal coach brought in to help him with his speech would soon discover his astonishing singing abilities.