Parson James
Bio
Where the hurt ends, the healing begins. By pulling peace from suffering, Parson James grasps his power tighter than ever before. He understands who he is, he knows his purpose, and he writes and sings like his life depends on it. Most importantly, he finally loves himself. Enduring a traumatic upbringing, weathering the ups and downs of attaining a seemingly impossible dream, and settling in a place he could finally call home, the South Carolina-born and Nashville-based multiplatinum-certified artist infuses his 2024 project, The Gamble, and more music to come, with newfound confidence, charisma, and clarity. It finds him in a mood of self-acceptance after shattering expectations and reaching unprecedented heights with billions of streams, platinum certifications in numerous countries, chart success, sold out shows, and international renown.
“The biggest takeaway is I fucking see myself,” he exclaims. “I’ve been on this mission to be as honest as possible. Communication is everything. I refuse to be silenced or make art that doesn’t directly reflect how I feel. I’m tired of feeling pressured. I’m tired of thinking I can’t be as successful as the next person for any reason. I’m learning to live with who I am. I treated myself terribly for years, but I’m falling in love with who Parson James is.”
To embrace who Parson James is, you have to recognize how far he’s come…
Born to a 16-year-old white mother and black father, he stared down unspeakable trials and tribulations since birth. Crumbling family structure, drug addiction around him, religious hypocrisy, poverty in the American South, and systemic homophobia left him with PTSD, which he didn’t realize until 2020. In the meantime, he went from tirelessly performing under the radar to worldwide renown when he wrote, sang, and joined forces with Kygo for the ubiquitous smash “Stole The Show.” It yielded over 1 billion streams, reached multiplatinum status stateside, and picked up platinum certifications in 15 territories. To bring the track to life on the road, Kygo welcomed him on stage in arenas, amphitheaters, and stadiums as well as everywhere from ULTRA Music Festival to BottleRock Napa Valley. As a dynamic performer, he has also ignited festivals such as LOVELOUD Festival, LA Pride, and many more.
Parson notably introduced his solo artistry on the acclaimed The Temple EP. At the same time, he powered numerous anthems for a myriad of friends and peers. He joined forces with JoJo for “Dirty Laundry” in 2021. Beyond tallying millions of streams, the pair dueted together on ELLEN and at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. PAPER hailed it as “genuine and emotional,” and V Magazine raved, “‘Dirty Laundry’ is a pop jam that easily melds R&B and soul to create one confection that works in the daylight drive to work or a midnight stroll to a diner.” On its heels, he linked up with VINCINT and Qveen Herby for “Kill My Heart.” Speaking of impactful collaborations, he and Ryan Lewis [Macklemore & Ryan Lewis] co-wrote “Bigger” for influential indigenous artist Stan Walker. Throughout the year, the latter held #1 in New Zealand, and the city of Opotiki (known for its indigenous population) honored Parson with the “Key to the City.” Meanwhile, he signed to MINT Talent Group, Snafu Records and Prescription Songs as a songwriter under the purview of an all-female and queer team.
Along the way, he underwent a series of personal and professional changes. He traded Los Angeles for Nashville. He wrote and recorded the bulk of this body of work with Colin “DOC” Brittain [Dashboard Confessional, 5 Seconds of Summer, Papa Roach].
Moreover, he started to take care of Parson.
“I knew I had to leave Los Angeles,” he admits. “In November 2020, I was sitting at home, and I realized I wasn’t okay. I ended up going to a facility an hour outside of Nashville to treat my PTSD. This light bulb went off, and I realized, ‘I don’t have to be in L.A.’ It wasn’t where I belonged. I moved to Nashville, and it opened up a world of possibility for me. My tranquility came from both receiving treatment and finding a place, which is Nashville. It’s a little slower. I’m not running away from who I am. I’m focused on telling true and personal stories and taking care of my mental health. It brought about awareness.”
This awareness ignited tracks like his 2023 single “Little Fires.” Soft piano glows like embers in the rain as his soulful delivery echoes with an affirmation, “I see you burning, and I know that pain. I see you burning, baby don’t you lose that flame.” As strings punctuate an organic beat, his voice catches fire on the resounding refrain. Fittingly, his mother’s words introduce the emotionally charged and uplifting music video.
“My little sister is beyond gorgeous and cool,” he says. “She doesn’t care what she says. There is a spark in her that I admire a lot. At some point, people take that away from you, because they say you are weird, strange, and shouldn’t say things. I kept envisioning her going to school and someone trying to take that away. So, I wrote a song that speaks to these people who feel like their light is too bright. Don’t ever extinguish that. Don’t lose that flame. It is what will make you push forward and progress in life. My little sister inspired me to tell this story. The message is, ‘You are fucking amazing! Don’t ever dim for another person’.”
It paves the way for The Gamble. Elsewhere on the EP, he shines alongside Jake Wesley Rogers on the skyscraping “Steeple,” which he notes “is about how I thought whenever I got success, I wouldn’t be depressed in anxious, but I was.” However, his mindset has invariably shifted.
“After years of heartbreak, deceit, and pain, The Gamble is a very accurate description of my personality,” he observes. “I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I’ve bet on other people so many times that the last person I would bet on is me. I’m harder on myself than anyone, but I’m trying to show some empathy to me.”
At the heart of the upcoming project, Parson is healing, and it’s a heaven-shaking sound.
“When you listen to me, I hope you say, ‘That’s exactly how I felt’,” he leaves off. “There are a lot of emotions in the music from happiness to sadness to complete despair. I’m all about being a ball of light and positivity. The biggest change for me in 2023 is being able to look at Parson James and realizes he is a beautiful human being.”