James is the teenage boy at the center of Taylor Swift’s “august” storyline.
The song presents the perspective of a female character who has a summer romance with James. He is already connected to Betty, so the relationship is temporary and ultimately ends when James returns to Betty.
“august” is one part of a three-song narrative on Folklore. “Cardigan” is told from Betty’s perspective, while “Betty” is told from James’s perspective. Together, the songs show how the same fictional relationship can look different from each character’s point of view.
Swift has described the narrator of “august” as a girl in an undefined relationship. Although fans often call her Augustine or Augusta, Swift said she had not formally chosen a name for that character.