Caught up with singer-songwriter James Brodie at Fieldays for a chat that went a lot deeper than we expected.

James talks us through how he got into music as a young kid, picking up guitar lessons before getting serious about songwriting at 16 on the advice of a counsellor. Music became his way of working through long-standing mental health struggles with autism, ADHD, anxiety and depression, something he's been open and honest about.

After being seriously injured in a car crash in 2024, James spent 18 months recording 16 songs while relearning how to play guitar and keyboard. Ten of those tracks make up his debut solo album, Bridges, out with Stillwater Lines in July and August on CD, vinyl and all the usual streaming platforms.

He's got NZ shows running from August through December, with international dates hopefully to follow next year. James opens up about his faith, taking things one day at a time, and the message he wants to leave with anyone doing it tough right now, that it's okay to not be okay, and it's always okay to ask for help.