James Bay Doesn’t Want to Say Goodbye on New Song ‘Give Me the Reason’

James Bay isn’t ready to let go. On Thursday, the singer released the breakup single “Give Me the Reason” about that feeling of being on the verge of letting go of someone, while looking for any excuse to give it another try.

The video follows the singer and his band as they perform the emotional track in front of a setting sun. “I can’t stand to see those tears in your eyes/We should be dancing like we did that night,” he sings. “Give me the reason to give it one more shot/And I’ll give it all that I got.”

In a statement, Bay said of the song, “It’s about that moment when you feel like the sun is beginning to set on a relationship, it’s about the fight to stay together. I want it to explode with energy when I play it live. It’s about feeling your heart beat fast and love racing through your veins.”

The new track from Bay — produced by Gabe Simon and co-written with Foy Vance — is set to appear on his upcoming album, due later this year. The record will be his first since Electric Light in 2018. The most recent song he released was “Chasing Stars,” a collaboration with Marshmello and Alesso. He also contributed to the soundtrack for the TV series Trying, releasing “Funeral” with Maisie Peters.

Bay will join The Lumineers on nine dates of their upcoming stadium tour this fall.