Singer James Blunt reveals 'surprising' reason for 'sudden' name change

Singer James Blunt makes a surprising revelation about changing his name, with the re-release of his debut album, Back to Bedlam.

During an exclusive interview with The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X, Blunt shared his thoughts on adopting a stage name, saying he would have chosen "whatever the public wanted."

Speaking of the singer's debut album, reaching number one two decades after its initial release, he told the host, "High was the first single. And you know, we did a thing called a soft release, because the label said, ‘We’re going to whack it out, and then we count the first week’s sales,’ and I thought, ‘God, don’t count the first week’s sales, because I don’t know many people."

The 50-year-old said of his family, "It’s just my mum, and my dad, and my sisters, they’re the only people who are going to buy it in the first week. Can we think about second week sales?’

"So, you know, who my mum and dad might have told, so then buy it in the second week. So we put out ‘High,’ and that got a bit of radio visibility, all over Radio X at that stage – this is my natural home!”

He then humorously noted that he had thought about changing his name when his song reached number one.

The Monsters star, who released the biggest-selling album of the decade in the UK in 2002, added, “And this is not just an act of desperation, it’s a genuine thing. I swear on my life and the life of my one fan – Brian from Glasgow – I will change my name should it hit number one.

On professional front, Blunt is gearing up for his upcoming Australia tour in February 2026.