Question 1

True or false: James Blake is a trained classical pianist who studied at Goldsmiths.

Accepted Answer

True. He studied popular music at Goldsmiths, University of London, and his early training included classical piano.

Question 2

True or false: James Blake won a Grammy for Best New Artist in 2014.

Accepted Answer

False. He won Best Electronic/Dance Album for 'Reckoner' remix, but Best New Artist went to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis that year.

Question 3

True or false: James Blake produced and co-wrote the song 'King's Dead' with Kendrick Lamar.

Accepted Answer

True. Blake contributed to the Black Panther soundtrack, co-writing and producing 'King's Dead' alongside Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and Future.

Question 4

True or false: He famously collaborated with Beyoncé on her album 'Lemonade'.

Accepted Answer

False. He worked with Beyoncé on 'Before I Let Go' and the joint album 'Everything Is Love', not 'Lemonade'.

Question 5

True or false: His father is a renowned jazz trumpeter who played with Miles Davis.

Accepted Answer

False. His father, James Litherland, is a musician but not a jazz trumpeter; he played with the band Colosseum.

Question 6

True or false: James Blake is an avid chess player and has competed in amateur tournaments.

Accepted Answer

True. He plays chess regularly and even participated in a charity chess event against Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura.

Question 7

True or false: He once performed a live set at the Great Wall of China.

Accepted Answer

False. While he has toured globally, there’s no verified performance on the Great Wall; this is a common internet myth.

Question 8

True or false: James Blake’s song 'Retrograde' was inspired by a lucid dream he had.

Accepted Answer

True. Blake said the lyrics and melody came to him in a dream, and he woke up to record them immediately.

James Blake Trivia Questions