Mitch James’ story reads like a Hollywood movie. The New Zealander washed cars to fund a one-way ticket to London to pursue music, and ended up busking and playing more than 200 shows around the UK and Europe. He was also left homeless for a few months, robbed, and beaten up before his music was eventually discovered online, ultimately leading to his debut LP. His tender voice and guitar-based melodies call to mind the heartfelt acoustic pop of Ed Sheeran, with the singer drawing on heartache (“Apologise”) and real-life events (“21,” a nostalgic look back at his life in New Zealand) for lyrical inspiration.