Mitch James: How music saved my life

On this episode of Between Two Beers we talk to Mitch James. 

Mitch is one of New Zealand’s most popular artists and has attracted over 200 million global streams of his music, over six million TikTok views and over three million video views. He’s toured the world alongside Six60, supported Ed Sheeran and just returned home after touring with Calum Scott, to release his second album, Patience. 

In this episode we talk about his difficult teenage years and how he found a path out of darkness, the seven weeks he spent living on the street in the UK busking, the time he witnessed a brutal stabbing, getting discovered by Sony and the acoustic video that went viral, becoming a star and the female interest that comes with it, the horrific four years leading to the release of his new album and the joy of releasing new music. 

This was a pretty special chat. It was really raw in places and incredibly uplifting in others. we talk about suicide and hitting rock bottom, and harnessing the drive and discipline to be succesful. Mitch James has an incredible story to tell - and we’re really grateful he shared it in such an open and vulnerable way. 

Listen on iheart or wherevers you get your podcasts from, and check you podcast app for show notes. A huge thanks to those supporting the show on patreon for the cost of a cup of coffee a month, to get involved head to BetweenTwoBeers.com.    

Show notes: Mitch James

1:31: Gearing up for the launch of the new album ‘patience’

5:39: 100 songs over four years

7:46: Touring with Calum Scott

13:43: Levels of fame

16:25: The challenge of high school

28:48: Mitch buys a one-way ticket to the UK to follow the Ed Sheeran blueprint

35:14: Busking on the streets of Europe

39:54: Open mic nights and YouTube mash ups

48:48: The first album

52:03: Supporting act for Ed Sheeran

55:53: Dealing with the attention that fame brings

1:03:41: Fitness, discipline, and the similarities between performing and fight sports

1:07:35: The time between albums

1:14:20: Drawing from real life experience to create music

1:19:43 Mending relationships with family

1:22:31: A history of streaking

1:28:13 Last words from Steven, Seamus and Mitch

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