Murdo Mitchell's journey is a testament to years of hard work, determination, and raw talent (and a little blagging). His musical journey began at age 11 with his dad's punk albums and his first guitar and amp he snagged for a mere £75 at the famous Barras Market. Teaching himself three chords, he hit Glasgow's streets, busking Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" for 3 hours, pocketing £50 in the process (even sharing £20 with his sister).
This triumph ignited Mitchell's passion for performance, leading to support slots for friends, most notably Dylan John Thomas, and realising a dream by supporting Glen Hansard on the UK leg of his European tour. Motivated to enhance his music, Mitchell rented a studio on Tileyard Road in London and found himself mingling with some of the UK's top artists, absorbing these arbitrary experiences and melding the accompanying introspection into his artistry.
Imbued by a chip-on-his-shoulder, and honed by the busking years, it’s Mitchell’s live shows that sets him apart from the noise. “My strengths are, it's my rhythm guitar, my acoustic playing, like a kind of troubadour just giving a performance,” Mitchell says. It’s this troubadour attitude that the self-taught musician believes is at the heart of his music: “it's how that I write the songs; consider all the classically trained musicians out there, and big respect to them, every one of them is a better musician than I am, but it doesn't mean they all can write songs and go on tour.”
Despite this headstrong disposition, a feeling of being on the outside looking in was firmly cemented in Murdo’s psyche. Still, after a mentorship with Scottish folk legend Donovan, his talents felt more validated than ever. In an interview with The Herald, Donavan stated about Murdo: "he has what I had at his age, the hunger to communicate." The collaboration culminated in a performance at the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, a moment Mitchell cherishes as a "dream-come-true moment". Having his hero sing his song, the desire to craft even better music was in full swing.
The journey didn't stop there, though; fast forward to April 2023, Mitchell released his follow up EP Aztec Jewel and embarked on his first headline UK tour in April 2023, which included sell-out performances at St. Pancras Church and The Courtyard Theatre. Proving himself as a live talent, 2024 looks to be a big year for Murdo Mitchell, starting with a string of headline dates, including London’s Omera, and a homecoming show at the iconic King Tut's Wah Wah Hut.
