James Blunt

James Blunt arrived in Kosovo Monday to begin shooting a documentary about his service in Kosovo Force (KFOR), the NATO-led international force in Serbia’s breakaway province, KFOR officials said. Blunt is also due to hold a concert for KFOR members in Kosovo’s capital Pristina during his three-day visit.

Blunt served in KFOR in 1999, early after NATO intervened to stop the conflict between ethnic Albanian insurgents and Belgrade security forces.

Though Kosovo is formally still a Serbian province, it is administered by the United Nations. The majority ethnic Albanian population in the province is pushing for independence, while Serbia insists on giving it only wide autonomy.
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James is going to be at Best Buy(Bay/Dundas) in Toronto to sign copies of his DVD “Chasing Time – The Bedlam Sessions” on Tuesday, Oct. 3, from 5:45 p.m. until 7 p.m. James will sign the first 200 copies for people in line before 5:45pm.

James entertained an audience close to his heart last night in Kosovo for 500 troops. James jetted to Kosovo to surprise Our Boys with a secret concert.

If anyone knows what it is like on the front line it’s James.

He survived bombings while he was stationed in Kosovo as part of Nato’s peacekeeping force.

The posh man of pop, who left the forces in 2002 to pursue his music career, was so moved by his experiences in the Balkan state that he wrote Cry about his time there. James recalled: “It was high-pressure stuff. I was there during the bombing.

“But I met some extraordinary people. It was quite an experience.”

Many congrats to James for winning best male video at the MTV Video Music Awards for his hit song You’re Beautiful and also best cinematography award.

He was presented the award by freshly-liberated rap diva Lil’Kim, who walked onto the stage in an orange jumpsuit, flanked by men dressed as prison guards, in reference to the time she recently spent in prison.

School of Rock star Jack Black presented the ceremony at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.

Heartbreak has been very good — or at least very lucrative — for James Blunt, the former British Army captain turned chart-topping new pop star.

“I look forward to being dumped by a girlfriend as often as possible!” quipped Blunt.

At 28, he is already a household name in England and other parts of Europe, thanks to “You’re Beautiful.” The song, from Blunt’s debut album, “Back to Bedlam,” was inspired by a chance encounter he had on a London subway with a former flame and her new boyfriend — a boyfriend he did not know existed.

Although Blunt’s eyes met hers for only a fleeting instant, it was enough to send the struggling singer-songwriter rushing home with a creative burst. Within a matter of minutes, he recalled, “You’re Beautiful” was not only born, but completed.

The third single to be released from his album, the heart-on-sleeve ballad topped the pop charts for nine weeks running last year in his homeland. It became the first single in England in a decade to debut outside the Top 10 and then reach the No. 1 spot.
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Blunt has bought the weapon that fires only rocks to protect himself from stalkers and obsessive fans at his new millionaires pad in Ibiza.

The 150 year old £1.7million villa reportedly features six bedrooms, a library, sun terrace, stone floors and a swimming pool.

He moved into the villa earlier this year and it has already become popular with souvenir hunters rifling through his bins.

According to the Mirror he said: “I’ve not had my place in Ibiza long but since I’ve been here I’ve experienced a lot of people hanging around outside my house, it’s totally out of order.

“When I came here I just wanted to get away from it all and I just kept to myself so I’d like some privacy in return. I’ve gone out and bought a gun that shoots rocks so if I catch anyone hanging around then I’ll get them with that.

“Some people just go too far, it’s an invasion of privacy.” (more…)

Rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has added an unlikely name to his international entourage - British singer/songwriter James Blunt.

The flamboyant rapper jumped at the chance to interview Blunt for the new issue of America’s Interview magazine - because he is convinced the “You’re Beautiful” singer can introduce him to gorgeous British women.

Combs reminded Blunt: “You promised me when you became a big international superstar that I would come to London and we would run all around and you would introduce me to a whole bunch of beautiful women.”

Blunt, who is dating stunning supermodel Petra Nemkova replied: “I could definitely do that.”

In return, Combs offered to show his new pal “the ropes” in Ibiza, Spain, where Blunt plans to live as he writes his new album.

ButBlunt might have to rethink his simple wardrobe if he is going to hang out with Combs.

The rapper ended the interview by asking: “Are you into fashion at all?”

James Blunt has earned three nominations for this year’s MTV Video Music Awards.

Blunt’s hit single “You’re Beautiful” received nods for Best Male Video, Best New Artist in a Video, and Best Cinematography.

In the Best Male Video category, Blunt will face off against rapper T.I., Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, and Nick Lachey. The Best New Artist category looks like a tough race between Blunt, Rihanna, Panic! At The Disco, Chris Brown, Avenged Sevenfold, and Angels & Airwaves.

In the technical category of Best Cinematography, Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful” video goes head to head with A.F.I.’s “Miss Murder,” Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Dani California,” Prince’s “Black Sweat,” and Ashlee Simpson’s “Invisible.”

Winners will be announced during the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards show, airing live August 31 at 8 pm ET / 7 pm CT.

He may be a millionaire pop star with a supermodel girlfriend and armies of fans worldwide but when it came to buying a luxurious Mediterranean hideaway there was only one person James Blunt trusted to find him the perfect pad -his mother.

And 56-year-old Jane seems to have done her son proud, discovering a stunning villa on the island of Ibiza which the singer, who had a No1 hit with You’re Beautiful, has now snapped up for £1.7million.

The 150-year-old hilltop property - surrounded by pine forest - has six bedrooms, a library, sun terrace and an outdoor swimming pool with its own pool house.

It also has stone floors, two antique fireplaces, a two-bedroom guesthouse and staff living quarters.

Thirty-two-year-old Blunt plans to write his second album at the villa and has already spent time there with his lingerie-model girlfriend Petra Nemcova, 27.

A source said: “James’s mum did plenty of legwork for him because he’s been so busy with his work. She viewed at least four properties on Ibiza before recommending this one. James visited and decided he wanted it straightaway.

“It is so remote and peaceful, the perfect place to get away from it all. He has hardly had his feet on the ground since his sudden runaway success. (more…)

James Blunt brings his “Back To Bedlam World Tour” back to North America this fall for an extensive headlining concert tour that will hit 35 cities from coast to coast. Kicking off October 1st in Montreal, the seven-week itinerary is slated to wrap up on November 18th in Las Vegas. Among the highlights of the tour will be Blunt’s debut performance at Radio City Music Hall in New York and the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.
Tickets avaliable via James Blunt Tickets
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James Blunt has announced a new string of headlining tour dates for North America, including seven stops across Canada.

According to a press release from Atlantic Records, Blunt will kick off the latest leg of his “Back to Bedlam World Tour” in Montreal on October 1. The trek will wrap up with a show in Las Vegas on November 18.

Just like on his last tour of North America, Blunt will be raising money for Doctors Without Borders with these performances. Each night, a one-on-one post-show meeting with Blunt will be auctioned off at the merchandise booth, with proceeds going to the charity.

Blunt is still on the road in support of his debut album, “Back To Bedlam.” The record features hit singles “You’re Beautiful” and “High.”

Tickets avaliable via James Blunt Tickets

Catch James Blunt across North America this fall:

OCTOBER
01 Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
02 Ottawa, ON - Scotiabank Place
03 Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre (more…)

Blunt will be offering his fans the chance to hang out with him back stage as long as they donate enough money to the international medical humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders.

While in the army, Blunt was stationed at Kosovo and saw first hand the essential work done by the Doctors Without Borders.

Blunt kicks off his North American tour in October, he is currently hanging out in Prague with his model girlfriend Petra Nemcova.