JAMES MORRISON’S LONG-AWAITED RETURN TO LONDON.
words + photography by Nadine GoetzJames Morrison has returned to London after a long hiatus with his latest and sixth album, ‘Fight Another Day’, which was released on October 3rd 2025. He played The London Palladium on September 28th with support from special guest Seafret. The show featured many fan-favorites as well as songs from his upcoming album, including the title track.
British indie-rock duo Seafret, consisting of singer Jack Sedman and guitarist Harry Draper, earned lots of applause from the crowd with their heartfelt ballads, including hits such as ‘Atlantis’ and ‘Oceans’ from their 2016 debut album, ‘Tell Me It’s Real’. Singer Sedman told the crowd that the duo had never been to and played at this venue before and joked about the backstage being a labyrinth. He shared that the first time they played with Morrison, he was confused to see everyone sitting in the audience. This, however, very much matched the relaxed atmosphere of the evening – a chill night of soulful music, powerful vocals, and emotional lyrics by both the supporting band and the main act.
Morrison didn’t hesitate to give the audience what they wanted by playing one of his biggest hits, ‘I Won’t Let You Go’ a few songs into his set. It was clear that the audience felt a strong connection to his music and lyrics, showing the singer lots of love through applause and singalongs despite the venue’s more elegant and prestigious atmosphere. The London Palladium counts as one of the most famous theatres worldwide and has hosted many legendary performers. Morrison and his six-piece band provided the crowd with a fantastic night, including an unforgettable encore for which Morrison and his band were joined by the Northants Sings Out Choir for songs such as ‘Little Wings’ and ‘Wonderful Love’, earning him another standing ovation. Before singing the latter, Morrison addressed the crowd and said, “keep the love alive. It‘s a wonderful world.” His latest album reflects on personal struggles, childhood and resilience, ultimately leaning into hope and healing. Morrison explains, “It’s about finding light after darkness”. He hopes that the album will bring comfort and encourage singing along, which he seemingly achieved, as people sang along at the Palladium – prompting him to joke that it took him 20 years to get people to sing along.
However, the most powerful aspect of the show was Morrison’s instantly recognizable, striking voice. It’s evident he’s a passionate performer, pouring his heart and soul into every performance. His voice is soulful, warm and full of raw emotion – and so are his songs. Morrison’s daughter, Elsie Morrison, joined him for a duet of his arguably biggest hit, ‘Broken Strings’, and has seemingly inherited her father’s talent, convincing the audience as much as he did throughout the night. Morrison expressed his gratitude by saying, “Thank you for bringing me back here. Thank you for welcoming me back”, visibly appreciative of his fans welcoming him with open arms for his long-awaited return after his hiatus. The British singer from Rugby, Warwickshire, first topped the charts in 2006 with his debut album, ‘Undiscovered’, which launched his career and earned him the 2007 Brit Award for Best British Male, along with multiple other nominations.
For anyone who missed Morrison’s performance at the iconic Palladium, there’s another chance to see him live in Kingston on November 4th 2025, at Circuit (formerly Pryzm), for an intimate, stripped-back set to celebrate the release of his latest album once again. Overall, Morrison’s performance at The London Palladium proved that the British singer-songwriter is back and better than ever – exploring a new side of his songwriting, which he said he discovered through therapy, making his latest album one of his most personal and authentic yet. It was an unforgettable night of live music, singing fans, standing ovations, musical surprises, raw vocals and deep emotion.
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Nadine Goetz.
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