Born and raised in Southern California, James Lee has 13 years of bass-playing experience and was a member of K-pop band Royal Pirates. Kickstarting his career as a musician in local metalcore favorite AZUSA at just 16-years-old, James eventually moved to South Korea with Royal Pirates, a Korean-American band with viral success and a loyal following.



In addition to several international tours and TV show appearances, Royal Pirates peaked at #8 on Billboard’s World Albums chart with their EP Drawing The Line, while their 3.3 EP hit #15, gaining international attention and interest - something that wasn’t as common for a Korean rock band during that time.



On June 10, 2015, a debilitating accident severed James’ left hand and left him unable to play the bass any longer. After a brief stint playing synth for Royal Pirates, he called it quits because of the worsening condition of his health. After 5 surgeries, James moved back to Los Angeles and decided to release music written post-accident in a debut solo project called The Light EP. Funding a Kickstarter campaign of $90,000 (over 300% of the initial target) has been fundamental to his rehabilitation and restarting his hopes as a musician. The Light EP hit #1 on the iTunes chart in the Philippines, #2 in Singapore, and placed within the top 10 in various countries.



James Lee is no stranger to the international stage as he’s toured worldwide and performed on stages of various international festivals and concerts including Vans Warped Tour, Supersonic Festival, and Hyundai Card City Break amongst others, alongside bands including Maroon 5, Earth Wind & Fire and the Pet Shop Boys.



He is currently writing and recovering and continues to create as his passion.