James Bay: 'Drugs are out of fashion for pop stars now'

James Bay says drugs are not “in fashion” any more and that modern pop stars are more like athletes.

The singer is among a new generation of clean-living artists whose lifestyles are a stark contrast to many of their heroes such as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.

Bay, 25, was speaking after winning an Ivor Novello award yesterday. He told the Standard: “That stuff just ain’t in exactly fashion any more.

"We live in a world where there is so much help for pop stars on stage, and I respect it all. It has its pros and its cons.

“All I know is I’ve got to keep it together. I don’t know what it feels like to be a pro footballer or athlete or what that must be like, but in a way I feel like we have to be at that level.

“I’ve got to drink as much orange juice as I’ve got to drink champagne. So there will be no heroin for me, I’m afraid.”

Bay has a busy touring schedule ahead but says he has started work on the much-anticipated follow-up to his debut album, Chaos And The Calm.

“I’m so busy playing live at the moment, but I have the beginnings of a lot of new songs and I find that very exciting,” he said.

“But doing it in a tour bus isn’t really the best environment. When I’ve got a bit more free time I’ll really dig in.”

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