Stillwater Lines (real name James Brodie) is a radio host, songwriter, mental health advocate, and former student politician born in May 1996 from Te Aroha, New Zealand.

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After seeking help for long-standing mental health issues at 15 years old, James began writing things down in a journal that helped him express how he was feeling about life and the things that happen within it. This led to James forming the Indie-rock outfit IVYBLUE in 2013 with an anonymous group of friends who from 2013-2020 would release 3 studio albums before quietly disbanding after the COVID-19 pandemic.

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James is also a member of the Figjamin grassroots music collective since 2022 as the ‘useful idiot’; often attending music events, interviewing artists, and aiding the presentation of Figjamin live events and is a senior member of Artist Relations and Development at Wilfred Records.

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Beyond music, James began advocating for mental health awareness in his community as a teenager on a small grassroots scale, which led to a substantial involvement in New Zealand’s student voice movement from 2016-2022 (including being the CEO of SAWIT Incorporated and the Waikato representative on the NZUSA National Council as well as involvement in extensive efforts in helping the tertiary and mental health sector through the COVID-19 pandemic). Through this work, James was advocating for mental health in the tertiary sector while encouraging engagement and communication among students around New Zealand.

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He also hosts a weekly radio show called SkyKid’s Cabin, a program aimed at kids and young families that talks about hard things while listening to a wide variety of music. James also continues to advocate for mental health awareness around New Zealand while sharing his message of hope through stories and songs.

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Having overcome his own battles, James now spends his life sharing his story and music with audiences. James’s unique experiences and hopeful message have now been heard at music festivals, parliament, speaking engagements, TED talks, in front of world leaders, intimate community venues, and other stages in between over the course of 14 years, 12 countries, and 3 continents; with no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

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“The goal has always been to engage culture in conversation about the light and darkness in life, using words and melody to talk about some of the hardest things we feel while still being human at the core of the stories the music has to tell”. - James Brodie (2024)

Now based in Hamilton, James is set to release his mainstream solo debut under the Stillwater Lines banner in 2026 This will be followed by James’s first tour since 2019 beginning in August and set to take place across ‘storyteller’ shows in intimate venues across New Zealand.