Call it a comeback

Singer James Arthur’s story is one of ups and downs

It’s time for James Arthur’s next interview of the day and the soulful British singer gets up off a sofa at Sony headquarters, dutifully tucks away his phone and greets a visitor with his full attention.

“So what we doing, chatting about me? I don’t do that very often,’’ he says with a wry smile. “It’s interesting how artists get narcissistic. Wonder how that happens?’’

Arthur’s bemused perspective on life has been earned the hard way. His story is one of rags to riches to rags and riches again. It has made him almost antinarcissistic.

“I was dealt quite a few bad hands in this life. My gift is my ability to express myself through my voice,’’ he says. “I think I’m able to do that with sincerity because I really feel it. I really do hold pain in my heart from the life that I’ve led.’’

Arthur went from uploading his music onto MySpace and having his electricity cut off to earning a record deal after winning Britain’s version of “The X Factor’’ in 2012. He then had a very public falling from grace after a series of ill-advised tweets and was dropped from his record label.

The 29-year-old has bounced back with a superb second album — “Back From the Edge’’ — with the hit single “Say You Won’t Let Go’’ — and a book about his rocky journey, “Back to the Boy.’’

He’s touring the U.S. with OneRepublic.