Andrew Mitch
Junior Biochem major from Toronto, Ohio
By age 12, Andrew Mitch knew that he wanted music to be a substantial part of his life.
As a junior, Mitch now produces his own music and releases it on iTunes and Spotify. Three original songs will be available for preorder on Oct. 26, another three in February, and another three in May. These three parts lead up to a full album that Mitch composed completely on his own.
Through these musical pieces, Mitch tells a personal story divided into separate parts for each distinct section of his own life.
“[I]t’s technically my story; at least the first part of my story,” Mitch said. “If God has me live a long time on this earth, then hopefully I’ll come out with many more albums, but this is just the first part. Each [three song group] shows a progression of the story that’s being told.”
The first part signifies the somber experience of life as a Christian, full of temptations and traumas, and evolves to a life of Christian maturity.
“The next part will be how you learn how to live the Christian life in the midst of all of this,” Mitch said. “The third part is more of a happy part. In the end it can only get better. In the end, all of us will pass away, and hopefully, we’ll live forever with God in Heaven.”
The music Mitch writes has implicit Christian themes, and carries an electro-pop style.
“I never wanted to be a Christian artist, but at the same time, I can’t see myself just doing club or pop music where it seems like there’s no meaning,” Mitch said.
Mitch uses synthesizers and records all of the drums and bass on his computer. He taught himself how to use online musical programs with web courses and Youtube videos, and now incorporates it into his music with the acoustic guitar and his own vocals and lyrics.
“I definitely have acoustic guitar in there, because acoustic guitar is how I started,” Mitch said. “There’s no way I could leave that out. I love it too much. But then I also love modern pop music, anything electronic, dubstep, and stuff like that, so I tried to find a way to blend both of them and put my own twists on it.”
“If I had it my way, then I would perform on stages and share this music with the whole world,” Mitch said. “That’s what I really want to do if it ever took off, but if anything, I know I can use it as a side project … God has the wheel on this one. He’s just taking me where He wants me to go.”
He began singing in the 4th grade as a cantor for his church and bought his first album at age 12. His father taught him how to play guitar.
“I personally feel that music is the way God introduced himself to me, especially through praise and worship music,” Mitch said. “I never really felt the Holy Spirit move in me, or that the power of God was raining down on me, until I started doing worship in my youth group. That was absolutely amazing and I just fell in love with music all over again.”
“Music is one of those things in my life that I don’t know what I would do without. It’s very much a part of me now,” he continued.
However, music is currently on the side for Mitch, secondary to his schoolwork; he has developed a deep love for his biochem major, which he switched to over the summer.
“[Biochem] is way too interesting to me and fulfilling to let go, so now I get to do two things that I love,” Mitch said. “I’m hoping to go further with music, but I also want to get my PhD in biochem.”
He is currently inquiring about doing biochem research at Oxford over the summer.
“Some of my friends were like, ‘wow, that’s insane,’ but you only have one time in your life where you get to be young and make mistakes and do your undergrad,” he said. “Why not shoot for the stars and go as high as you possibly can? The sky’s the limit.”
“Accomplishing as much as you can,” Mitch added. “Doing things that some people are afraid to do or most people haven’t done before. I find things like that fulfilling: to know I’m reaching my potential, by things like recording my own music or declaring biochem or getting a blackbelt.”
