James Bay doesn't get ''jumped on'' by fans since he chopped off his trademark tresses and ditched his signature hat.

The 'Wild Love' singer changed his entire look to start a fresh, and says it's paying off because he has more anonymity on the streets as people don't notice him with his new shorter hairdo.

Asked if it was a risk to lose his famous hairstyle, James told the latest issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine: ''I started growing my hair at 11 or 12, so once I was 14 or 15, it was how it looked last year. So, I was all about getting my hair cut.

''Now I can walk the streets and people aren't jumping on me, especially when I'm not touring the music, so it's not a huge problem. But when your identity becomes so public, you want to change. You want to change when it's the right time.

''Because it'd become something of a trademark for me, there's always something scary about taking the leap, and going, 'Okay, you had a thing that you were known for, along with the music. Now, you're gonna throw that away.' I would always have chosen to do this.''

The 27-year-old singer/songwriter - who is gearing up to release his second studio album - hasn't placed a fedora on his head since he got rid of his long hair, and has no plans to wear one anytime soon.

He said: ''Since I got a haircut, I've not actually put a hat on my head. I haven't covered this hair. Strange, but no desire. I wore it for long enough. I don't really know whether it'll come back, or anything. I just haven't got any interest in it right now.''