Singer James Morrison became an overnight sensation in the UK with the release of his 2006 debut album, Undiscovered, which quickly went platinum in the British Isles. Gifted with a fresh, soulful voice that alternated between smooth and harsh tones (and suggested a British style), Morrison recalled both a passion for classic soul music and the confessional lyrical stance of 1970s singer-songwriters. His follow-up, Songs for You, Truths for Me, went triple platinum, and his 2011 effort, The Awakening, reached number one again in the UK; all three albums reached the Top 50 of the Billboard 200. Morrison has remained a favourite on the UK charts, where both the polished pop of 2015's Higher Than Here and the rootsy vibe of 2019's You're Stronger Than You Know have reached the Top 20.

Morrison was born in the West Midlands town of Rugby, where he absorbed the influence of his parents' record collection. His mother was a fan of soul, especially artists such as , , and , while his father greatly appreciated country and classic folk musicians such as and . In interviews conducted years later, Morrison alluded to an unhappy childhood marked by poverty and illness—describing his hometown, he told a journalist that "the best thing is that I have memories of being a child there and the worst thing is that I have memories of being a child there"—and early on he began working for himself, earning money by busking in the streets of Porth, a village near the Cornish coast.

Morrison worked odd jobs around the country while writing songs and playing gigs whenever he could, and his big break came when a demo of his material caught the ear of an A&R man at . Morrison quickly signed with the label and entered the studio with producer Martin Terefe to record the 13 original songs that comprise Undiscovered, released in August 2006. A well-received appearance on the Later talk show and an opening slot on the British tour made Morrison an artist to watch, and his songs "You Give Me Something" and "Wonderful World" became major hits in the UK. In January 2007, Morrison embarked on a short US tour as buzz about his album began to spread overseas. He also attracted further attention after receiving three Brit Award nominations, ultimately winning the award for Best British Male Solo Artist.

"Songs for You, Truths for Me" was released the following year and helped maintain the singer's popularity in the United Kingdom, where the album reached number three in the charts. Morrison contributed vocals to the song "Broken Strings", which became Morrison's most successful single to date. "The Awakening", Morrison's third studio album, was released in September 2011. The album became his second UK chart success and included the hit single "I Won't Let You Go".

Nearly four years later, he released Higher Than Here, a collection of arena-ready pop that closely resembled I Won't Let You Go. The album reached a modest seventh position on the charts. Between albums, Morrison suffered some personal losses and was also dropped from his record label. Processing these experiences, he returned in 2019 with his cathartic fifth effort, "You're Stronger Than You Know," which included the heartbreaking single "My Love Goes On" backed with "I Won't Let You Go." It reached 14th position in England. The singer's first compilation, Greatest Hits, was released in 2022 and brought together his previous hits, as well as the Motown-style single "Don't Mess with Love". ~ Mark Deming