Coby James

This statement immediately seems contradictory when you meet singer, songwriter and guitar aficionado Coby James. The exuberant 19-year-old appears as carefree as they come, his smile as big as the heart on his sleeve. One would think his cheerful personality would naturally lead to happy songs. Yet, his first two decades of life have dealt some difficult blows, instilling in him a maturity and inner strength that lends itself to crafting songs out of hard truths versus happy endings.

James, however, has channeled his pain into melody, making him something of a prodigy as he writes, produces and performs all of his own music. Happy or not, James is building something far greater than a feeling. He’s assembling relatable moments, packaged in vibrant sonics and carefully curated from a wide range of artistic influences.

Although he’s still a new artist, James has already notched a No. 1 song on Billboard’s Christian Hot AC/CHR chart as a contributing writer on Courtnie Ramirez’s track, “Who We Are.” Moreover, he’s also scored a Top 5 hit on the same chart with “Born Ready,” a song on which he serves as the lead artist, co-writer and co-producer. James is no doubt a triple threat.