After a two-decade hiatus, Brooklin musician Ritch Mitchell is stepping back into music with a sound shaped by life and lived experience.
Mitchell, 41, who recently released his single “Outrun Your Past,” says his return to music has been a long time coming.
In his teens and early 20s, he was part of Durham’s booming pop-punk scene during the rise of bands such as Sum 41. At the time, he believed music might be his future.
“Back then, I honestly thought that was my ticket,” Mitchell said.
But life took a different turn. He took a step back to help his mother who was dealing with cancer. He also went back to school, became an advanced care paramedic and spent 15 years on the job.
Between work, family and the emotional toll of emergency response, music was put on hold.
“I didn’t feel like I had anything worthwhile to say,” he said. “The last band I played in, we were still writing songs about high school stuff. After 15 years as a paramedic, I’ve seen a lot. Now I feel like I have stories to tell.”
Those stories now fuel a hybrid sound that blends pop-punk energy with modern country storytelling. Mitchell grew up on Blink-182, Green Day and New Found Glory, but says he was drawn to country’s narrative depth later in life.
“Country really leans into storytelling,” he said. “So I started blending what I know – pop-punk energy – with country’s ability to tell stories.”
“Outrun Your Past,” his latest release, draws directly from those lived experiences. Mitchell has been diagnosed with PTSD, severe depression and anxiety, and is no longer working as a paramedic.
“I think everybody, at some point, is trying to outrun something,” he said. “You’re running fast, you think you’re escaping, but then you end up somewhere you don’t want to be. Do you go back, or do you keep going?”
Mental health, trauma and hope are recurring themes in his new music. He says many of his songs come from dark places, but the goal is connection and reassurance.
“I want people to hear the music, connect with it, and realize they’re not stuck there,” he said. “What matters is someone telling me the music helped them through a really dark place.”
Mitchell is also navigating a drastically changed music industry. Today’s artists must juggle streaming, social media and constant content creation.
“You’re not just a musician anymore,” he said. “You’re a TikTok creator, social media manager and content producer.”
Despite the challenges, Mitchell isn’t chasing fame. He’s focused on steady releases and meaningful connection. After dropping a six-song EP, Here I Am, last year, he plans to release a new single on the first of every month throughout 2026, followed by multiple EPs.
“I just want to play,” he said. “If I can connect with people and share my story -especially around mental health – and spread hope, that’s what I want to do.”