On the new episode, Don is joined by singer-songwriter Jessica Mitchell. They discuss the ups and downs of working in the music industry, mental health and more. Please scroll down to see some of our suggested resources as some of the content in this episode may be hard for some to hear.
Jessica Mitchell is, at heart, a storyteller – an open book, inspired by the raw honesty and storytelling nature of the genre. Mitchell’s much anticipated debut album Heart of Glass, was released in 2018. The record embodies powerful and soulful melodies and lyrical brilliance, while showcasing Mitchell’s vocal talent in the purest of forms – and the result is utterly and heartbreakingly beautiful.
She has spent the last decade travelling between Toronto and Nashville, focusing on writing new music, collaborating with top-notch songwriters and crafting her richly unique sound. Mitchell continues to make her mark as a renowned singer-songwriter. She wrote “The Chase” off Celine Dion’s album, Courage, which debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Mitchell’s acclaimed single “Workin’ on Whiskey” was recently cut by country music artist Trisha Yearwood and was released on her latest album Every Girl in August 2019.
Mitchell’s “Workin’ on Whiskey” was the top added song to radio at the time of its release. Mitchell has opened for Kiefer Sutherland, Royal Wood, Ron Sexsmith, Terri Clark, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Reid, Willie Nelson and Matt Mays. She sites honouring Neil Young with a Tribute at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala at Massey Hall as a career highlight.
Mitchell believes that pain and loss are oftentimes at the heart of every relatable piece of music. As she puts it, “You’ll never see the light until it’s completely dark, and it got dark for a while.” After losing her mother to a long battle with cancer, Mitchell had her own epiphany about what kind of artist she wanted to become. Her hope is that by sharing grief, and other personal experiences through her music, she will forge genuine bonds with her audience. When listening to Mitchell’s music, she makes it very easy for you to latch on to her genuine, powerful lyrics – while making just anyone realize they are not alone.
Follow Jessica on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jessicamitchell
Follow Jessica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicamitchellmusic/
Find out more about Jessica on her website: http://jessicamitchellmusic.com/
Find Jessica on YouTube
Some mental health resources:
Talk Suicide – https://talksuicide.ca/
Canadian Suicide Crisis Support – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html
Canadian Mental Health Association – https://cmha.ca
Mood Disorders Society of Canada – https://mdsc.ca
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health – https://www.camh.ca
Mental health and substance use support for people in Canada and Canadians abroad. Always free and virtual, 24/7:
https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA
https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA/service/talk
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast:
https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
Listen to Don Amero's music: https://donamero.lnk.tt/ATLEM
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices