Bec Stevens releases poignant new single 'James' Song'

Image: Ian Laidlaw

WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS THEMES OF SUICIDE AND MAY BE TRIGGERING TO SOME READERS

Melbourne based singer-songwriter Bec Stevens today releases the single ‘James’ Song’, a heart-rending track written by a close friend who has since passed away.

A bracing yet also poignant indie-rock track, ‘James’ Song’ began life as a voice memo sent to Stevens from her friend James McKenzie. After McKenzie took his own life in 2019, Stevens returned to the song and discovered a deeper meaning in the lyrics and it became vitally important she record and release the song to not only keep James’ story alive, but also to keep the importance of mental health at the forefront of our conversations.

Stevens created the song with producer Jonathon Tooke as well as the help of people close to both her and McKenzie, including friend Tye Richo and James’ brother Marcus McKenzie, alongside a choir featuring many of Stevens’ musician friends. “I'm so grateful to have so many people I love singing with me on this song,” Stevens says. “It felt like a big supportive hug, like all of these people were carrying me through it and holding my hand.” In a heartbreaking yet powerful moment, James McKenzie’s vocals feature with Stevens in the last lyrics of the song, recreated from a snippet of an old recording.

”This song is not mine, but in many ways, it’s all I have left,” Stevens says. “James sent me this song after the last time I saw him. A shitty little voice memo he recorded on his phone. It hurt to listen then, but for different reasons. In 2019 when I got the call that he had taken his own life, I was utterly shattered. I wanted to feel close to him, so I found the last song he had sent me, and I listened again; I heard it differently this time. Hearing the line “and I can't help but think that this might be the last time we speak”...A feeling I don't believe I'll ever be able to explain.”

“The importance of this song can’t be overstated, but its essence boils down to making sure I keep telling his story in a way to keep him alive. To keep the conversation around mental health alive. Community care is more than a one off day a year where we check in with each other. Having frank conversations about mental health more consistently and without judgement is the way we sew into the fabric of society the de-stigmatisation of normalising and supporting people with mental health issues."

‘James’ Song’ is the third single to be released from her upcoming second album Big Worry, which will be released on March 17. Working with producer Jonathon Tooke, they created the album over a space of a year which Stevens says involved “tearing my songs apart, putting them together and then tearing them apart again until we got it right.” As she does with everything she releases, Stevens promises she has poured her heart and soul into the album and after the critical acclaim that followed first single and title track ‘Big Worry’ (full rotation on Triple J) this is a release which is only going to further expand Stevens’ ever growing fanbase.

‘James’ Song’ is out now via Damaged Records. You can buy on iTunes and stream on Apple Music and Spotify.

To keep up with all things Bec Stevens you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Big Worry will be released on March 17. You can pre-order and pre-save now.