Branden James Smith (born June 19, 1978), known as Branden James, is an American

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

who has performed as a soloist with American symphony orchestras.America's got a tenor – and a local story
/ref>About Branden James
/ref> James came to prominence as a contestant on

America's Got Talent ''America's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated as ''AGT'') is a televised American talent show competition, and is part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. The program is produced by Fremantle (as well as distribut ...

during the show's eighth season.Branden James Croons His Way Into Top 12 on 'America's Got Talent'
James has been a "regular soloist" for the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

at the

Staples Center Crypto.com Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. The arena opened on October 17, 1999; it was ...

in Los Angeles, California and has also performed "

The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the b ...

" for the Chicago Bulls, the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...

, and the Chicago Whitesox in Chicago, Illinois. He also sang "

" at the

2014 Gay Games The 2014 Gay Games, also known as Gay Games 9, were an international multi-sport event and cultural gathering organized by, and specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) athletes, artists and musicians.

held in

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

and

Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...

. In 2007, he "appeared in concert at

St. Peter’s Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal en ...

in Vatican City,

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

for

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

celebrating the occasion of his 80th birthday." He also performed for

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

's family in South Africa, and has made television appearances in Denmark, Norway, Romania, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He has also performed around the world as part of the 12 Tenors.MUSIC Branden James talks new EP, coming out on TV
/ref> As a judge on the eighth season of

Heidi Klum Heidi Klum (; born 1 June 1973) is a German-American model, television host, producer, and businesswoman. She appeared on the cover of the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' in 1998 and was the first German model to become a Victoria's Secre ...

praised James: "I love Branden James. I feel like he has that natural gift, you know, he has that beautiful, beautiful voice that gives me chills."

Early life

James was born in

Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...

, California.Branden James Talent to burn: an interview with America’s Got Talent contestant Branden James
His grandfather was country music artist Jimmy Smith; Smith collaborated with

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

and

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

.Branden James on Finding His Voice
/ref>
/ref> James' interest in performance began at the age of 17 when a friend heard him singing along to an Amy Grant Christmas album and suggested he audition for choir.A Conversation with Branden James
/ref> He attended

Irvine High School Irvine High School is a public high school, located in the city of Irvine in Orange County, California, United States. It is part of the Irvine Unified School District. The school is located in the El Camino Real neighborhood in the north-central ...

Irvine, California Irvine () is a Planned community, master-planned city in South Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on ...

, where his audition led to part with The Irvine Singers.Singer is among Top 12 on talent show
/ref> At

he was also active in theater. While a member of The Irvine Singers, a "choir mentor" suggested James' voice had a "natural, classical sound" and recommended a teacher, suggesting he fine-tune his voice and recommending that he make singing his "craft." This same mentor suggested a focus on classical music, which James took up as a professional foundation until later, when he eventually embraced a "crossover" presence as a performer in New York City. Following his graduation from

in 1996, James was accepted and went to study at

The San Francisco Conservatory of Music The San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) is a private music conservatory in San Francisco, California. As of 2021, it had 480 students. History The San Francisco Conservatory of Music was founded in 1917 by Ada Clement and Lillian Hodgh ...

.Pledge Music About Branden James
/ref> While a student at

, James worked as a singing waiter in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

during a summer break. Following his time at

, James moved to New York City to pursue a career as an opera singer.

New York City, Las Vegas, and Chicago

In New York City, James developed a fondness for pop music and "became influenced by the styles of:

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

, and

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...

." He lived in New York City for nine years, auditioning for opera and Broadway theater and performing for two seasons in the chorus at The Metropolitan Opera at

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...

in New York City. In 2007, in the midst of a rising career in New York City, James "performed before

at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City" as the member of a chorus. In the summer of 2012, James was given the opportunity to headline a production: David King's "The Spirit of Dance" at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino in

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

By 2013, James was living in Chicago, Illinois (in the city's

Lincoln Park Lincoln Park is a park along Lake Michigan on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. Named after US President Abraham Lincoln, it is the city's largest public park and stretches for seven miles (11 km) from Grand Avenue (500 N), on the south, ...

neighborhood) singing in the chorus of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, in local venues including Chicago wine bars The Twisted Vine and Chicago City Winery, as well as at larger-scale events such as the

Northalsted Market Days Northalsted Market Days is an annual two-day festival in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Established in 1982, it's the Midwest's largest street festival with annual attendance exceeding 300,000 people over the two-day event. It takes place in the ...

. In Chicago, he auditioned for

. Previously, James had auditioned for the "producer's table" at

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...

and The Voice.

''America's Got Talent''

James had been nudged by friends to audition for ''

'' but had not seen the show when the opportunity to test in Chicago presented itself. Despite jet lag, (having flown in from a performance in Sydney the night before), James auditioned for season eight of ''America's Got Talent'', during episode 805, and sang " Nessun dorma" (the

aria In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...

in the final act of '' Turandot'', the

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long li ...

opera), receiving an affirmative vote from all four judges ( Howard Stern,

Mel B Melanie Janine Brown (born 29 May 1975), commonly known as Melanie B or Mel B, is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the girl group Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Sc ...

, and

Howie Mandel Howard Michael Mandel (born November 29, 1955) is a Canadian-American comedian, television personality, actor, and producer. Mandel voiced the character Gizmo in the 1984 film ''Gremlins'' and the 1990 sequel '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch''. I ...

). On his success with ''America's Got Talent'' relative to ''

'' and ''The Voice'', James stated: "I consider myself very lucky and grateful that people paid attention this time around and realized that there was something that they could do with me." Having advanced to the

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

round (season eight, episode 808), James coasted into the New York City quarterfinals without performing. During the quarterfinals (season eight, episode 810), James performed "

You Raise Me Up "You Raise Me Up" is a song originally composed by the Norwegian-Irish duo Secret Garden. The music was written by Secret Garden's Rolf Løvland, and the lyrics by Brendan Graham. After the song was performed early in 2002 by the Secret Garden a ...

" (the Josh Groban piece) and advanced to the semi-finals (season eight, episode 811). During the second week of semi-finals (season eight, episode 822) he sang

Heart The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide t ...

's song "

Alone ALONE is a charity organization in Ireland which was set-up to highlight the issues facing older people living alone. Founded in 1977 by Willie Bermingham, the charity seeks to help elderly people living on their own who may feel isolated and lone ...

." James advanced to the finals during this season of ''America's Got Talent'' (episode 823). During the top 12 finals (episode 824), James performed Leonard Cohen's "

Hallelujah ''Hallelujah'' ( ; he, ''haləlū-Yāh'', meaning "praise Yah") is an interjection used as an expression of gratitude to God. The term is used 24 times in the Hebrew Bible (in the book of Psalms), twice in deuterocanonical books, and four tim ...

" but did not advance to the season finale. In the time James participated as a contestant on ''America's Got Talent'', he addressed a number of personal issues. Having grown up "in a very conservative and traditional family," Branden was forthcoming about the struggles he faced due to his sexual orientation; although his mother, Lynda Smith, disapproved of his sexuality she has been openly supportive of James' efforts and attended his ''America's Got Talent'' audition and performances.America’s Got Talent 2013 Auditions: Gay Opera Singer Branden James
/ref> James' parents (Lynda and Jim Smith) "found out he was gay while he was in college" and "disapproved," unable to reconcile "his sexuality with their Christian values" but finding common ground with their son. Regarding social media comments in response to his openness and to his performances, James stated: "Here’s something where I also changed my thinking. I stopped reading them... I just stopped reading them because I realized that, even though I can kind of laugh some things off — there’s a lot of controversial things in there — I don’t need that to be in my subconscious, and I feel like it is whether you choose to acknowledge it on a conscious level or not. It’s still in your subconscious and it can really play games with you. It gets in the room artistically. So honestly, I don’t know what’s out there right now and I’m kind of happy just to be in my own zone." During the competition, Howard Stern praised James "for his 'emotion, power, (and) talent.'"America’s Got Talent 2013: Who Got Eliminated? 7/24/2013
/ref>

Present

James returned to Chicago to perform at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University on September 24, 2015. James was featured in the lineup for

Tim Janis Tim Janis is an American composer with 10 ''Billboard'' charting CDs, over one million albums sold, five television specials, and a constant touring presence. Career On 30 November 2012, Janis produced "The American Christmas Carol" concert f ...

' "The American Christmas Carol" on December 4, 2015, at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...

in New York City.Branden James added to Tim Janis: The American Christmas Carol at Carnegie Hall
/ref> The event, which featured a full orchestra and a 200 voice choir, was held in celebration of the show's 10th year at

. James was joined by special guests Neil Sedaka, Sarah McLachlan, Zachary Levi, Ioan Gruffudd and other performers. All proceeds from the show were earmarked for both

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films, particularly period dramas, and for her portrayals of headstrong and complicated women, she has received numerous accolades, incl ...

Golden Hat Foundation The Golden Hat Foundation is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit organisation founded by actress Kate Winslet and Margret Ericsdottir in 2010. The two met while Winslet was filming the documentary ''A Mother's Courage: Talking Back to Autism'', whi ...

, "which aims to change the way people with autism are perceived," as well as for Sarah McLachlan's School of Music, "which provides no cost music instruction to at-risk children and youths." James is co-host of

Afterbuzz TV AfterBuzz TV is an online broadcast network that specializes in after-show podcasts for several television series including ''Game of Thrones'', '' Big Brother'', ''The Flash'', ''Real Housewives'', and ''Grey's Anatomy''. Created by Maria Menoun ...

network. He also plays in a vocal and cello duo with James Clark; the duo's name is a combination of both musicians' names: Branden James. The duo has now partnered with Scott Page, of Supertramp, Toto, and

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...

fame in Page's Ignited Network; through the Ignited Network partnership the duo is recording a full-length album. He is also a regular solo performer on Crystal, Princess, and Holland America Cruise lines. James is founding an organization called "You Belong" to nurture "the common principle that we're all the same." James has explained the effort will emphasize the concept that everyone "has a place in this world because we're all human and one day we'll find that place through love and acceptance." In April 2020, responding to the isolation of the coronavirus pandemic, James & his partner James Clark began live-streaming concerts directly to their followers. In September, James memoir "Lyrics of my Life" was released. In sharing all the details of his life, James hopes to continue the example for healing for young gays that he began with his honest conversations on America's Got Talent. As stated by WGN Radio "The book : "Lyrics of My Life: My Journey with Family, HIV, and Reality TV,” is Branden’s life story but it is so much more. It's filled with inspiration for so many others who may be struggling with similar issues while being raised in a very conservative religious environment."

Personal life

Currently, James is based in New York City. James had once stated one of the toughest things about being on the road is missing his dog, which he acquired while living in Chicago, Illinois. In the early part of 2015, James disclosed he was diagnosed HIV positive in his mid-20s.America's Got Talent contestant on why he's talking about being HIV positive after decade of silence
/ref> James stated: "I formed a major complex about what people would think of me. I kept it a deep dark secret to everyone except the trusted few." Regarding the response to this news, he stated "It was liberating actually, and I was shocked to see that people took it a lot less harsh than I ever anticipated." James had planned to go public about being HIV positive when he competed on

in 2013 but his partner at the time was afraid of the backlash. James remains very close to his family, including extended relatives: "Since James started singing, music has become a bigger part of his extended family," according to his uncle Fred de Avila: "a change of pace for the sports-centric de Avilas/Smith's." James has 3 siblings in total, 2 brothers and a sister. Ashley Smith, James sister who shares a passion for singing and is also fond of singing with him; she has followed him into music, learning the piano and singing from him. His cousin, Joe de Avila, 23, plays guitar and piano and was also influenced by James. Since 2012, James’ extended family has gathered every year at William R. Mason Regional Park in

to host the "De Avila Dash," which consists of a one-mile walk or run "honoring the memory of the de Avila patriarch, Fred de Avila Sr." James is newly married to cellist James Clark. They play together in the duo Branden & James, named after both musicians.'America's Got Talent' Contestant on Living With HIV, Finding Love
/ref>Branden and James: Classical crossover partners, on- and off-stage
/ref>

Discography

* David Conte – '' Gift of the Magi'' (2001) * '' Repo! The Genetic Opera'' (2002) * ''Songs of Freedom and Inspiration'' (2007) * ''The Voice of Christmas'' (2013) * ''Crossover'' (2015) * ''Hallelujah'' duo Branden & James (2018) * ''Chasing Dreams'' duo Branden & James (2020)

Citations

Sources

* *

External links

Official website

Getty Images for America's Got Talent
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Branden 1978 births Living people 21st-century American singers 21st-century American male singers American tenors America's Got Talent contestants American gay musicians LGBT people from California American LGBT singers Musicians from Anaheim, California Musicians from Los Angeles People with HIV/AIDS San Francisco Conservatory of Music alumni Singers from California 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people