{{Short description|Canadian singer and dancer}} {{about||the American politician, lawyer and judge|James M. Baley Jr.}} '''James Baley''' is a Canadian singer and dancer from Toronto, Ontario, whose debut album ''A Story'' was released in 2021.<ref>Robert Rowat, [https://www.cbc.ca/music/from-brimstone-to-ballroom-musician-james-baley-prevails-to-tell-a-powerful-story-1.6353485 "From brimstone to ballroom, musician James Baley prevails to tell a powerful story"]. CBC Music, March 2, 2022.</ref>
A longtime figure in Toronto's ballroom culture scene,<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/music/cots-meditation-on-loneliness-and-4-more-songs-you-need-to-hear-this-week-1.6143868 "Cots' meditation on loneliness, and 4 more songs you need to hear this week"]. CBC Music, August 18, 2021.</ref> Baley first became known as a musician when he contributed vocals to Azari's 2018 single "Gotasoul",<ref>Carrie Battan, [https://www.newyorker.com/recommends/listen/azari-gotasoul-a-song-that-unites-the-church-and-the-club "Azari's 'Gotasoul,' a Song That Unites the Church and the Club"]. ''The New Yorker'', September 19, 2018.</ref> which was a Juno Award nominee for Dance Recording of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2019.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/music/junos/news/shawn-mendes-and-the-weeknd-lead-the-2019-juno-nominations-1.4992669 "Shawn Mendes and the Weeknd lead the 2019 Juno nominations"]. CBC Music, January 29, 2019,</ref> In 2020 he was a featured vocalist on "Champagne", a single from July Talk's Juno-winning album ''Pray for It'',<ref>Steve Horowitz, [https://www.popmatters.com/july-talk-pray-for-it-2646840333.html "July Talk Transform on 'Pray for It'"]. ''Pop Matters'', July 31, 2020.</ref> and has also been a guest vocalist with U.S. Girls, Zaki Ibrahim and Badge Époque Ensemble.<ref name=ladouceur>Liisa Ladouceur, [https://www.socanmagazine.ca/features/james-baley-fuses-gospel-vocals-with-house-music/ "James Baley fuses Gospel vocals with house music"]. ''Words and Music'', October 7, 2021.</ref>
He released ''A Story'' in 2021,<ref>Richard Trapunski, [https://nowtoronto.com/music/toronto-year-in-music-2021 "Toronto's best music 2021: albums, concerts and so many songs to stream"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702223804/https://nowtoronto.com/music/toronto-year-in-music-2021 |date=2022-07-02 }}. ''Now'', December 9, 2021.</ref> and promoted the album with an "immersive" live show at Toronto's Great Hall on October 22, which blended live music, ballroom performance and multimedia elements.<ref>[https://nowtoronto.com/culture/the-best-things-to-do-in-toronto-this-weekend-october-22-24 "The best things to do in Toronto this weekend: October 22-24"]. ''Now'', October 21, 2021.</ref>
In 2022, Baley and filmmaker Kyisha Williams created a performance video for the ballroom competition series ''CBX: Canadian Ballroom Extravaganza''.<ref>S. Bear Bergman, [https://xtramagazine.com/culture/ocean-vuong-the-canadian-ballroom-extravaganza-220780 "Ocean Vuong, the 'Canadian Ballroom Extravaganza' and lots of trans feelings"]. ''Xtra!'', March 31, 2022.</ref>
He is out as gay.<ref name=ladouceur/>
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Baley, James}} Category:21st-century Black Canadian male singers Category:21st-century Canadian male singers Category:21st-century Canadian singers Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people Category:Ball culture people Category:Black Canadian dancers Category:Black Canadian LGBTQ people Category:Canadian gay musicians Category:Canadian house musicians Category:Canadian rhythm and blues singers Category:Living people Category:Singers from Toronto Category:Year of birth missing (living people)