Early life Mitch James was raised in
Auckland, New Zealand, where he attended
Saint Kentigern College. James taught himself how to play the guitar at the age of 14 by studying YouTube tutorial videos. James has stated that school "wasn't fun" for him and that music became something of a refuge. At age 16 James found inspiration in the likes of
Ben Howard and
Ed Sheeran. At age 17 James finished school and travelled to London on a one-way airfare in pursuit of a break into the music industry.
2015–2016: Breakthrough and early releases In 2015, while in Europe, James began recording and editing
cover videos on his phone and sharing them on Facebook and YouTube. In 2016, New Zealand musician
Maala spotted one of the videos and shared it with
A&r staff at Sony Music New Zealand. James returned to New Zealand and signed with the label shortly after. On 1 December 2016 James released his first single "No Fixed Abode" along with its accompanying music video. On 9 December 2016 James released his second single "Move On. In March 2017, James completed
The Humble Roadie Tour, a ten date national tour of New Zealand. James and his crew travelled the entire length of the tour in a custom
Kombi van. In September 2024, James published an open letter to his fans stating he would be "taking an extended break from music" following the release of his third studio album in May 2025, aptly titled
This is Not What I Had in Mind. In media interviews following his announcement, James described becoming disillusioned with the
music industry, and previous experiences trying to appease his previous record label had left him questioning his talent and integrity. James performed a final time at
Homegrown in March 2025, and held his last concert, The Final Show, in the
Christchurch Town Hall on 24 May 2025. == Discography ==