A Chat with James Spaite

Singer songwriter James Spaite shares his latest hit and creative process.

Chatting with up and coming artist James Spaite was a lively experience. His music comes more alive after experiencing his down to earth attitude. Diving right in, James explained that the story behind his latest song release ‘Snakes’ came from “issues within Christian tradition. I was raised Christain and I have a lot of questions about stuff, and that is an okay place to be. It is okay to ask questions. The song in its entirety is a question looking at some of the science that we have surrounding our relationship to fear and violence. The song hinges around the idea that violence can make things better. Jesus died and somehow God is somehow magically happy. This doesn’t make sense because violence creates more violence. Yeah, there are a lot of issues and I don’t have things figured out yet, but a more loving and whole view of things will bring good into the world instead of retribution. The song uses imagery of snakes from the story of Adam and Eve and the serpent.”

This impressive new single was brought about with the collaboration with an editor. James explained that he doesn’t usually work with someone else to collaborate but an editor “helps to sit down with the ideas.” Artists with as much creative energy as Spaite are always producing new music. When asked about what he has in store for the future, he excitedly replied, “I have three singles that are on the horizon: ‘On My Mind,’ ‘85,’ and ‘Better Yet.’”

James shared with Tonight that he was given his musical talent “to have the capacity to interact with people through music.” James’s passion for people really shone through in his interview. He shared that expressing emotions for him through his art is dual in nature. First, it begins “early on in the process through the writing, the time it takes to sit down with the words, what you want to say, and how you want to say it.” Secondly, and what seemed to be what really excited him was his interactions with fans themselves. “Trying to make eye contact with people, talking with people before, after, and even during the show, and seeing how they interact with the music. Those moments are where I feel like I am connecting with people the best.”

He sees fans connect with his music on various platforms. The main ones include “Spotify, Patreon, Instagram and shows…The internet has changed the [music] game in so many different ways. The majority of my listenership is on Spotify. New songs are out on patreon for the people who are financially supporting me to continue making this music.” Patreon is a great way to be involved in what he is doing and get a good insiders inside into what’s going on. Check out his patreon for more details. Live shows are invigorating moments for fans and artists to connect. James explains, “I get to see people’s faces. [Fans] aren’t letters on a screen [they] are another human made of carbon I physically get to see.” It’s not hard to tell that James is genuinely grateful for his fans. He emphasized that his favorite part about performing “is the people in each area. Performing is amazing but spending time with people and eating food is the big thing.”

James impressed Tonight with his future goals. Music really is a selfless act for him. As he navigates the world, he shared that he is “trying to remain authentic to the creative process for myself. I know there are a lot of ways in which I can get sidetracked and so i just want to keep making music that is life giving for others. Doing whatever it takes and however long it takes to feel like I need that. Asking the question what is important to write about and why should I write about it.”

When in the music industry, support systems are an integral part of continuing with the process. Spaite’s inner circle that have helped him accomplish his dreams include “James Bishop, my producer and one of my closest friends. He is absolutely fantastic!’ Having people who understand exactly what you need can make all of the difference. James gushed that “my girlfriend has been absolutely incredible and a major source of support. For sure my parents and close friends, too. Love them a whole bunch and feel really really lucky to have them.”

Recently James hit a huge artist milestone! His hits “Flowers” and “Effort” reached over one million streams on Spotify. Tonight asked how he celebrated the momentous event. According to James, “it actually turned out that my girlfriend and I were on tour in Europe at the time. We spent two days in Paris without any shows or anything to celebrate. It was convenient that it lined up that way and the streams kept coming in.” Truly a serendipitous occurrence.

As an artist, James tackles hard subjects that all of us inevitably face, one way or another. Tonight asked Spaite a loaded question, “you write about doubt, death and trying to live a life seeking goodness, what does seeking goodness mean to you?” He answered seamlessly and tied up the interview quite beautifully. “It is a big question- the big thing for me is in the way that I live with my actions and the way I spend money, the words I say, the things I see in my brain, the food I put into my body, and the way I spend my time. In every single way to be interested in how that brings about goodness or health in the lives of others as well.”

We are ecstatic to see James climb up in the music world. This passionate artist truly cares about what he has to say and how he can connect with others. There is no doubt that he is a name to be on the lookout for. Make sure you check out his single ‘Snakes’ and keep an eye out for his upcoming tour! Check out his website, and instagram to stay up to date.