James was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he discovered his passion for music and live performance.  He then attended business school at Barrett Honors College of Arizona State University. Soon after, his voice brought him to the music capital of the world, Nashville, to record his debut album with DW Music at Warner Brothers Studios, featuring a 53-piece orchestra and full supporting choir. The solo classical crossover album, So In Love (2017), hit the Top 10 on the iTunes Classical Chart for the full week of its release. Most recently, James recorded the role of Enjolras on the 40th Anniversary All-Star Cast Recording of Les Misérables (2026) and originated the role of Mickey Rose on the Off-Broadway cast recording of the heartfelt comedy, The Jerusalem Syndrome (2023). James has toured on four continents and starred on Broadway.