James Arthur talks ahead of Birmingham show

The night before the Brits last month, James tweeted that if anyone had told him a year ago he'd be up for two awards, his response would have been, 'Get lost'.

And who could blame him? His tumultuous period after winning The X Factor back in 2012 was well-documented.

He rowed with fellow musicians online, offended the LGBT community and got dropped by Syco, Simon Cowell's record label.

It all read like a tale of self-destruction, rather than one of music success.

But now the Middlesbrough-born 29-year-old is back – and as far as surprise turnarounds go, he's crafted a career-revival that bows down only to Craig David's. He'll bring his solo tour to plays Birmingham's O2 Academy on Friday, March 24, and is on the line-up for V Festival in Weston Park in August.

James may not have taken any gongs home from the Brits but says it was an 'honour' to be nominated. Before that, his sophomore album, Back From The Edge – released in October, shot to number one in the charts, as did lead single Say You Won't Let Go; he's back on the books at Syco, and has just started on a UK tour that runs throughout March.

"It's mind-blowing," he mutters softly, rolling his rings around his fingers as he speaks.

"At the Brits two years ago, Jimmy Carr got up and made some crack about me having a meltdown, and I remember watching it, thinking, 'I am a joke in this country, there's no coming back from this'.

"Not only was I an X Factor winner that got dropped by Syco, and when that happens you're never heard of again, but everyone thought I was a clown. I was in those 'where are they now' articles and I was like, 'Oh God, I'm that guy, I'm on the scrapheap'."

James credits his escape from the overcrowded pop scrapheap to a spirit forged through his unbalanced upbringing.

"I remember when my parents put me up for foster care and no one cared about me. I've been a survivor for so many years, I've always felt like I've been trying to survive and always found a way to climb out of the s**t. That's just been a theme of my life, it's the mentality I've had to get out of the mire."

Opening up about that journey – from living in a bedsit, to winning The X Factor, and then watching it all crumble down around him – he says it left him feeling 40 or 50 years old.

"It's like I've been around for a long time, and to some people it might seem a bit bizarre me saying, 'I'm back from the edge', but it is wild when you think about it."

He says the comeback was fuelled by his on/off girlfriend, professional dancer Jessica Grist.

"I pushed everyone away, I ignored everyone. It was just me and Jess, who was so supportive and helped me through a million panic attacks and a million calling ambulances."

James has suffered from 'crippling' panic attacks since first appearing on X Factor, and reveals he has plans to pen an autobiography that will also serve as a self-help book for fans who endure similar issues.

Music's helped him cope with his anxiety, he says, and he wants to use his public platform to inspire others who feel overwhelmed.

As for returning to Syco – the label reportedly wanted him back after Simon Cowell listened to James's second record – the singer says he initially wanted to reject their offer, but relented because he's a 'sucker for a story'.

"When they asked me to come back, I thought, 'Well I'm number one on iTunes already', but I'm a massive fan of fairy tales and underdog stories. I'm the one person in history that they came back to, I like that that will be written, it's a bit of an ego thing.

"I felt like I had to prove myself to them, to let them know how good I am, how mature I've become and how much I've grown up."

For James, that sense of maturity means having more diplomacy when dealing with the label's A&R – those responsible for looking after musicians and their output.

"I'd never experienced A&R before and it irritated me. I hated A&R. I was like, 'Don't tell me how to make music, I've just won The X Factor, have a bit of faith in me – I'm James Arthur, I'm the best thing that's ever come from this show. I'm gonna make you a lot of money'," he admits.

"But that's not how it works. If you're signed to a major label, you have an A&R, they do have to give opinions and if I was left to structure songs, we'd have eight-minute, obscure left-of-centre tracks."

He's pleased that Back From The Edge's success means he can now perform some different songs live. No doubt his fans felt the same; James's UK tour sold out in just over 10 minutes.

"We could've done arenas this time," he says, "but I'm happy because I love to do those packed out rooms."

If his current winning streak continues, he'll be playing those arena tours in no time . . .

James plays O2 Academy Birmingham on Friday.