Families all over the world are coming together to have thought-provoking discussions over James TW's "When You Love Someone." The eighteen year old from the UK is picking up serious steam with his touching vocals and ability to play the guitar like a seasoned champion. The heartthrob is making waves in the music world after debuting the acoustic version of his song today. In an exclusive interview, the young man with the big voice elaborated on why the moving anthem for families dealing with divorce meant so much to him.
"I found out that his parents were getting divorced before he knew," James told me when describing a young boy whom he taught how to play instruments to in exchange for pocket money. "The first thing I thought was how they were going to explain it to him in a positive way and one that he would understand...I wrote 'When You Love Someone' because I wanted there to be something he could listen to which would make him feel better about everything going on." The soulful singer is not only a great mentor but an incredibly talented guy as well.
"I learned to play 3 instruments over a few years," James said with a big smile. "I started playing drums at 10 years old in my father's wedding band. Then I picked up guitar at 12 and started uploading covers and originals on YouTube. Shortly thereafter, I learned piano because my great grandma played which made me want to do so. I had the time because I was young and in school. I played in several bands when I was growing up. I may have sacrificed a little homework so I could practice." The sacrifice of skipping chemistry and algebra assignments paid off when he caught the attention of one of the hottest acts in the music industry.
Photo Credit: Meredith Truax
The pop prodigy was handpicked by Shawn Mendes to open for his world tour. It was a surreal situation for a kid who was just trying to get noticed on YouTube not long ago. His perseverance created a career with an unlimited amount of potential. When talking about what it was like to be on the road with the Canadian singer-songwriter, James TW said, "Touring with Shawn was one of the best experiences of my life. I had a great time discovering places and making memories with new friends along the way. We played a ton of ping pong and Mario Kart. Some of my favorite cities included New Orleans, Seattle and Toronto. I look forward to the day when I go on my own world tour." With the way things are going for the youthful James TW, his own world tour should be just around the corner with Yoshi and Princess Peach hot on the trail.
When describing what it was like to film the acoustic version of his hit single, James TW said, "Putting together the acoustic video for 'When You Love Someone' was a very smooth experience. I was in San Diego for Shawn's world tour and went to a studio in town that morning. It had a lovely vibe and was very comfortable to perform in. There was a small team of us and we got the video done in a few takes. I'm pleased with how it came out."
So are we James. So are we.