{{short description|American singer (born 1982)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | honorific_prefix = | name = Aiden James | honorific_suffix = | image = AidenJamesColorblind.jpg | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|08|09}} | birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | origin = | death_date = <!-- {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date 1st) --> | death_place = | genre = Pop | occupation = singer, songwriter, producer | instrument = Guitar, vocals, piano, synthesizer | years_active = 2004–present | label = Songster Sounds | website = {{URL|aidenjamesmusic.com}} }}
'''Aiden James''' (born August 9, 1982) is an American pop singer, songwriter, musician, and producer.<ref name=advocate>{{cite magazine|last1=Stout|first1=Brett|title=The Folk Musician Goes Pop|url=http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/music/2012/03/19/aiden-james-folk-musician-goes-pop|magazine=The Advocate|date=March 19, 2012|accessdate=January 2, 2016}}</ref> He has released two albums and seven singles to date. James has toured the United States<ref name=bar>[http://www.ebar.com/bartab/article.php?sec=bartab&article=4 "Aiden James: Philly's finest"]. ''Bay Area Reporter'', September 26, 2013.</ref> primarily as a solo performer and as an opening act for Matt Morris, Shawn Colvin and Andy Bell.<ref>[http://www.phillymag.com/g-philly/2011/03/18/10-minutes-with-aiden-james/ "10 Minutes with Aiden James"]. ''Philadelphia'', March 18, 2011.</ref>
== Early life == He was born on August 9, 1982, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in the foster care system and does not know his mother and father. He started playing the piano at age 4, and started to sing at age 6. He started performing in children's choirs and small theatre productions. He has told the press that his first musical memory was trying to play Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting" on a toy keyboard at the age of four or five.<ref name=citypaper>[http://citypaper.net/Queer-Bait-3/ "Queer Bait"]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. ''Philadelphia City Paper'', July 31, 2012.</ref>
== Career == In 2008, James released his debut album ''On the Run''.<ref name=bestshot>[http://www.newnownext.com/aiden-james-gives-us-his-best-shot/12/2011/ "Aiden James Gives Us His “Best Shot”"]. ''NewNowNext'', December 12, 2011.</ref> His video for the album's title track received airplay on both MTV and Logo, expanding his audience beyond Philadelphia.<ref name=bestshot /> Over the next few years, he supported the album by touring extensively, including an appearance at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2010, a live performance on SiriusXM,<ref>[http://www.newnownext.com/afterelton-briefs-glee-previews-aiden-james-goes-national-torchwood-begins-casting/11/2010/ "AfterElton Briefs: “Glee” Previews, Aiden James Goes National, “Torchwood” Begins Casting"]. ''The Backlot'', November 9, 2010.</ref> and a tour with singer-songwriter Christopher Dallman which included performances in Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.<ref>[http://www.newnownext.com/watch-and-enjoy-aiden-james-songster-coffee-lover-rule-breaker/03/2010/ "Watch and Enjoy: Aiden James, Songster, Coffee Lover, Rule Breaker"]. ''NewNowNext'', March 2, 2010.</ref>
In 2011, he released the single "Best Shot" to iTunes as an advance preview of his forthcoming album ''Trouble with This''.<ref name=bestshot /> The album, supported largely through crowdfunding,<ref>[http://www.metroweekly.com/2012/02/scruffy-songster/ "Scruffy Songster"]. ''Metro Weekly'', February 2, 2012.</ref> followed in 2012,<ref>[http://www.metroweekly.com/2012/02/review-aiden-james/ "Review: Aiden James"]. ''Metro Weekly'', February 2, 2012.</ref> and was supported by a video for the single "Hurry Hurry".<ref name=citypaper /> A house music remix of "Hurry Hurry" by Radboy was also released.
Later in 2012, he also released a non-album cover of Whitney Houston's song "I Wanna Dance With Somebody".<ref name=citypaper />
In 2013, his live performances included a show with Matt Morris in Denver, Colorado, performances at the Viva la Vida Festival in Pioneer, California,<ref name=bar /> and the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco,<ref name=bar /> and a headlining spot at Pride Northwest in Portland, Oregon.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pride Music Preview|url=http://www.pqmonthly.com/pride-music-preview-the-cliks-aiden-james/14965|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720084412/http://www.pqmonthly.com/pride-music-preview-the-cliks-aiden-james/14965|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 20, 2014|accessdate=January 2, 2016|publisher=PQ Monthly|date=June 10, 2013}}</ref>
In 2014, James released the single "Last Reminder", which was cowritten with Morris,<ref>[http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/m/APParticle.php?AID=48320&i=23&s=Music "Out singer James talks Whitney Houston, defying labels"]. ''Windy City Times'', July 16, 2014.</ref> and performed at the Castro Street Fair in San Francisco.<ref>[http://www.castrocourier.com/october-2014.html "Castro Street Fair To Host Local LGBT Performers"]. ''Castro Courier'', October 2014.</ref>
In 2015, he was invited to be one of the last artists to play a show at The Living Room in Brooklyn before that venue's closure.<ref>[http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/12/brooklyn-venue-the-living-room-to-close-at-the-end.html "Brooklyn Venue The Living Room to Close at the End of December"]. ''Paste'', December 17, 2015.</ref>
On September 18, 2017, James released the pop single "Colorblind".<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/7973682/gay-agenda-sept-22-era-istrefi-lady-gaga-jeffery-austin|title=Gay Agenda, Sept 22: Era Istrefi Takes Over Bushwig, Plus Lady Gaga, Jeffery Austin & Aiden James|last=Crowley|first=Patrick|magazine=Billboard}}</ref>
== Personal life == James, who is vegan<ref name=":4" /> and openly gay,<ref name=bar /> supports organizations including PAWS,<ref name=":4" /> a non-profit organization based in Philadelphia dedicated to saving homeless, abandoned and unwanted animals.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title = Aiden James: Paws-itivity|url = http://www.epgn.com/arts-culture/music/7971-aiden-james-paws-itivity|publisher= Philadelphia Gay News|date=October 2, 2014|accessdate = January 2, 2016}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{official website|aidenjamesmusic.com}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Aiden}} Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters Category:American male pop singers Category:American pop pianists Category:American pop guitarists Category:American LGBTQ singer-songwriters Category:LGBTQ people from Pennsylvania Category:American gay musicians Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:Songwriters from Pennsylvania Category:Guitarists from Philadelphia Category:American male guitarists Category:21st-century American pianists Category:21st-century American male singers Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:Gay singer-songwriters Category:21st-century American male pianists