Apple Music has unveiled the latest installment of its prestigious Music Room series, featuring a headline performance by the acclaimed artist James Blake. Recorded at the Apple Music Studios in Los Angeles, the session offers a rare, stripped-back look at Blake’s evolution as a performer and songwriter, allowing him to reinvent his illustrious back catalogue for an intimate audience of fans.
The performance highlights Blake’s ability to transform his studio-layered compositions into raw, emotive live experiences. Among the standout moments is a poignant rendition of “Trying Times,” which showcases the artist’s signature vocal range and minimalist piano accompaniment. You can watch the exclusive performance below.
The setlist further explores the breadth of Blake’s career, featuring reimagined versions of “Make Something Up,” “I’ll Come Too,” and “I Had a Dream She Took My Hand.” In a particularly moving moment, Blake also delivers a cover of Frank Ocean’s “Godspeed,” alongside soulful takes on “Are You in Love?” and “Feel It Again.” The entire set is available exclusively to Apple Music subscribers in immersive Spatial Audio.
This performance follows the release of Blake’s seventh studio album, Trying Times, which debuted in March. The project has been hailed for amplifying his position as one of the most distinctive voices in modern music, marking his first major foray as an independent artist.
“James Blake’s seventh studio album sees him settling into a new sonic landscape while trying to make sense of the relentless nature of modern life,” the critical consensus stated. “It’s also his first independent album and reflects his recent moves to take full control of his musical universe. It comes together to make an album that is Blake at his most confident, despite the uncertainty at large that looms over the record.”