Ritch Mitchell Returns After Two Decades With High-Octane Anthem “Outrun Your Past”
Pop-punk infused country artist Ritch Mitchell is set to break a twenty-year silence with the release of his driving new single, “Outrun Your Past,” out now. Hailing from Brooklin, Ontario, Mitchell re-emerges on the music scene with a sound that is wiser, louder, and more honest than ever before. The single serves as a powerful introduction to his upcoming album, Welcome To Music City.
“Outrun Your Past” is a high-energy track designed to capture the sensation of relentless motion. Mitchell describes the song as encapsulating “the feeling of running fast but never getting anywhere”. It targets listeners who are attempting to escape the parts of themselves they are reluctant to face, blending the storytelling of country music with the urgency of pop-punk.
The inspiration for the track stems from a specific cinematic visualization. Mitchell wrote the song while imagining “those late-night highway drives where you feel both free and trapped at the same time”. He aimed to challenge his own songwriting abilities by crafting a complete narrative filled with “hypnotic lyrics and visuals” while stepping out of his comfort zone to appeal to country fans.
Lyrically, the song paints a picture of a “desert ride with nowhere to go,” featuring imagery of neon lights and leather jackets. The chorus delivers a direct warning to the listener: “Hold on if you’re lookin’ back / The guilt will catch you if you ain’t on track”. The song concludes with the haunting line, “Ok cowboy, outrun your past,” cementing the theme that “chasin’ ghosts” is a futile game.
The single features a robust musical lineup led by Mitchell on vocals and guitar. He is joined by Tav Hotoyan on drums, Dann Feltrin on guitar, and Lula Barros on bass. The track was produced and composed by Mitchell, who also serves as the songwriter for the project. The release is being handled independently under the imprint Doggone Records.
Mitchell’s return to music comes after a significant and noble hiatus. In his early 20s, he stepped away from a rising musical career to aid his mother in her successful battle against cancer. Witnessing the care provided by the Ontario healthcare system during this difficult time inspired him to give back to his community in a direct way.
Following his departure from music, Mitchell became an Advanced Care Paramedic. His time in the healthcare field exposed him to people at their worst moments, reinforcing the realization that life is fragile and short. This perspective became the catalyst for his return, as he decided to turn his pain into purpose and resume the musical path he was meant to follow.
Now back in the spotlight, Mitchell is channeling his life experiences into his art. He views his new material as a way to engage with the stories he has lived and the lessons he has learned over the last two decades. “Outrun Your Past” stands as a testament to this new chapter, combining the grit of his personal journey with a polished, radio-ready sound.
Hi, Ritch! Good to meet you! Care to introduce yourself to the readers for those not familiar with your music?
Thank you so much for taking the time to interview me. I’m a musician who’s spent the last twenty years living life, working as an Advanced Care Paramedic, and trying to make sense of the experiences that come with that. My music has always been about speaking honestly about hope, struggle, mental health, and the things people often avoid talking about. I write from lived experience, and I hope listeners can feel that honesty in every note.
After twenty years away from releasing music, what made this moment feel like the right time to come back with full force?
For a long time, I didn’t feel like I had anything honest enough to say. Working as a paramedic exposed me to so many traumatic situations, and over time that led to PTSD, along with severe depression and anxiety. Processing all of that took years, but it also gave me a perspective and emotional depth I didn’t have twenty years ago. This moment felt right because the songs finally existed for the right reasons. I’m able to speak truthfully from life experiences to tell a story without compromise.
You describe the track as feeling like running fast but never getting anywhere. Is that a feeling drawn more from your personal life or from what you see in others?
It started from my own experience, but the more I lived with that feeling, the more I realized how common it is. A lot of people are exhausted from trying to move forward and still feeling stuck. The song comes from a personal place, but it’s also very much about what I see in others and the conversations we don’t always have out loud.
You produced and wrote this track yourself. What kind of control or responsibility did that give you on a song this personal?
Having full creative control meant I could trust my instincts completely. There were no compromises, no outside voices pulling the song toward something safer or more polished than it should be. That freedom was essential for a song this personal. It allowed the emotion to lead every decision, and the result is something raw, real, and unfiltered.
Looking ahead, what do you hope listeners take from this new chapter of your music that they might not have gotten from you twenty years ago?
Life experience changed everything. I’m finally writing about the things people are often afraid to say out loud: mental health, depression, alcohol abuse, abusive relationships. Even though the songs come from dark experiences, the heart of the music is hope. It’s about reminding people that they’re not alone.