S Poddar
James Blunt makes a very bold promise to his fans: if his re-released debut album, Back to Bedlam, ever ends up being number one on the charts, he’ll change his name legally to whatever name the public wants.
British singer-songwriter tweeted that he was going to challenge his fans for a name that could be kept as it is, and he published a sneak peek of the tracklist for his anniversary re-release on October 11. Here it goes – “Goodbye My Lover” and “You’re Beautiful” among other hits coming to a streaming station near you on October 11 via Sony Columbia.
He only quipped that it was “the most important democratic moment of the year.” He released a video on X explaining his terms of doing a deal and agreeing to many of the nicknames he’d acquired over the years, including “the most hated man in pop” and “James Beige.”
Controversy over a singer’s tweet has unleashed a spree of creativity, along with comedy for fans of the singer. One of the most suggested names is “Blunty McBluntface”, referring to the viral campaign that resulted in the naming of a polar research ship for the UK. The other creative ideas include: Princess Consuela Banana Hammock, referring to one of the episodes of the sitcom Friends.
While Blunt’s promise might sound like a bit of lighthearted gimmickry, it does speak to some level of connection with the fans and a willingness to have fun and be playful with them. If Back to Bedlam indeed breaks into number one, it’ll be interesting to see which name finally wins the public vote and becomes the singer’s new legal identity.
