JTM, formerly known as 'James The Mormon' has got quite the story to tell. He grew up all over the world. China, Taiwan, Russia, and Uzbekistan, at some point, all of these countries were 'home' for James Brandt Curran, who often found himself as the only African-American and the only Mormon around, hence why his former stage name stuck around long enough to see him release his debut album "I'm Not a Rapper", which many will remember as a #1 Billboard's top Heatseekers. Since then, he’s released several singles and albums that have charted on Billboard and his music has been used commercially for brands like Best Buy, Monster Energy, Burger King, Fifa, the MLB, and many more.

Though JTM continues to be a member of the Mormon church, his rebrand was due to him not wanting to be confused as a religious artist.

After taking a hiatus in the middle of 2019, JTM is now back with touching new music snowballing into the eventual release of a new album hopefully coming later this year. his newest track is titled "Try Again", which goes in deep about Childhood trauma, depression, abandonment, and abuse, but more importantly about overcoming all of that and coming out the other side knowing you can keep going no matter what life throws at you.

“No Mama not today” is the cry of a young JTM who was starved, beaten, and abused almost daily by his now-dead mother. It was written as a reminder to the artist that no matter how hard it is today he’s already made it through hell, and he can keep going.

Where are you in your career right now? What's it feel like being JTM at this time and what are you interested in musically right now?

I'm back to being my genuine self, and I'm back to having fun making & releasing music. It's interesting that by introducing Ozzy (my giant red emotional support companion) into the story has allowed me to be more authentically myself. I'm just a regular guy who loves to goof off and make music that means something. Most of these tracks that are coming out over the next year are true stories where love has died in my life. The spectrum of love and specifically the loss of it, spans friendships, situationships, romantic relationships, and even the healthy decision I made 7 years ago to sever the relationship I had with my parents.

"Try Again" is a song about standing up to trauma and the past. Do you feel like music has helped you find solace?

I think it has in a way. You hear so often how healthy journaling is for releasing trauma and understanding yourself. So many of my songs are little journal entries, and somehow putting them into the world has helped me find peace.

Tell us a bit about the music video. It looks like you were freezing out there! Where does the concept come from? What's with the red muppet-like character?

Hahaha - the red muppet character is Ozzy. I don't have any biological family around me and we introduced Ozzy into the story as my emotional support companion. He's there to be the voice of reason, to comfort me when I'm down, and to have something to focus on / take care of. A Lot of my music talks about overcoming and pushing through hardships and heartbreak - and honestly, that's so hard to do alone. I want my music to connect with people that feel alone in this world, so I invented Ozzy to be a companion when I needed a companion the most. Hopefully, we all can share him holistically.

Some days are probably harder than others. What has discovered works for you (outside of Music) to find your center?

My mental health is my top priority each day and I find that some great habits have kept me feeling whole and happy.

Here are some of my daily habits:

- A morning cleaning routine before I look at my phone

- Going to the gym to lift each morning

- Eating Clean

- Intentional Kindness

- Hot Yoga

- 2 cold showers a day

- Plenty of sleep

It's not easy to do these things, and I'm not perfect at it, but when I do all of them I live on cloud 9.

From "I'm not a Rapper" to here, how do you reflect upon your growth as a musician? What's changed and what's stayed the same for you?

I'm not a Rapper is the story of an underdog showing all his scars and that continues to be a constant theme in my music. I feel like what is different from this upcoming music that you'll see over the next year is my vulnerability and peak into the heartbreak I've experienced in relationships. LOTS OF SONGS ABOUT GIRLS not wanting me back. :(

Sounds like you got a big 2023 planned. What are you working on this year?

We have a single coming out every 4 weeks for the foreseeable future. But what I'm super excited about is my album I'm putting together I've decided to call "Fame Kills Love". It's not done but it's close. I'll release it when the time is right.

You grew up a little bit all over the world. Is there a place in particular that has a special place in your heart? if so, why?

Yeah, I graduated highschool in a country called Uzbekistan. My mother worked for the US government as a diplomat all my life, and all my life we lived secluded from the cultures of the country we lived in because we either lived in the American Embassy or an American compound. That was not the case in Uzbekistan. In Uzbekistan, I was IN Uzbekistan. It forced me to learn Russian, and assimilate to the Uzbek culture. I loved it. To this day I've never felt safer and almost daily I crave their national dish Plov.

If there's a message to anyone out there reading this, something you think can help them get through whatever they're going through, what would you say?

I've felt abandonment and pain in every way imaginable. I was beaten by my own mother daily growing up. I was emotionally abused and neglected by my father and stepmother. I've been divorced. I've lost several friendships (many of which were my fault) And more times than I can count throughout my adult life, when I thought I found love, I've been rejected time and time again. But if I'm being honest I'm actually so happy right now. And it's because I get up and choose to be. I started saying a phrase to myself each morning "anything could happen today". I find when I look through life with that optimistic lense so much good comes my way. Intentional daily habits coupled with optimism has changed my life and regardless of what pain comes I choose to press on, put in the work, and choose joy.

JTM invites us to "Try Again" and again

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