Photo Credit: Easton Schirra
Written By Kelly Holm
From a young age, John K has always loved music and performing. After high school, he told his Dad that he wanted to move to Nashville and pursue a career as a singer/songwriter, and never looked back.
From his first performance at a reality show audition, frantically reminding himself not to forget the words, to the release of his debut EP if we never met, this soulful crooner is blazing the trail that leads to a dream-come-true.
“This EP took time to finesse,” John K asserts. “It is radically different than any other music I’ve released in the past. [The] themes were more conversational, with a very honest message, and production got a little more experimental.”
The ultra-popular single, “If We Never Met,” from the EP may be less than three minutes long, but the guitar-driven track is sure to invite comparisons to icons like Charlie Puth and Shawn Mendes.
“If we never met/ I’d be drunk, waking up in someone else’s bed/ I’d be lost in a crowded room of fake friends/ I wouldn’t even know what love is,” John K muses in the chorus.
“I’m starting to see fans sing it along with me. That’s a special connection… I want listeners to feel something when they listen to my music,” John K says. “[‘If We Never Met’] says everything I could hope to [say] as an artist.”
Praise for the tune stretches far and wide. While wrapping up a writing session with pals Jake Torrey, Steph Jones and Midi Jones, John K received a compliment from someone who didn’t even realize he was there.
“Steph got stopped by another writer friend of hers and her friend goes, ‘I love that song you co-wrote on and have out right now’,” he recalls. “Steph goes, ‘I’d like to introduce you to John K’.”
Beyond the tracks on the EP, John K has a stash of polished, ready-to-go music that may never see the light of day. Fans, feel free to let us know how that makes you feel!
“The goal is to keep releasing music that takes fans on a journey,” he says. “I wish I could release every song I write, but that’s not always how it goes.”
Building and maintaining your brand is a lot of work, after all, and it’s natural to want to showcase only your very best.
“The biggest challenge is to know that I’ve done enough. With each song there are a million tiny decisions that go into the final,” John K says. “Sometimes it’s hard to know when it feels good and when to stop tweaking.”
John K offers advice to aspiring musicians chasing their own personal peak.
“Make music your life mission,” he urges. “Collaborate with other lifers and commit to always getting better.”
He’d love to collaborate with Post Malone, but he gives it his all regardless of who he’s working with or who might be watching.
“What I’m making is music,” John K says. “I treat every venue I play at the same way. To me it doesn’t matter if there [are] four people in the crowd or 40,000. I’m going to bring as much passion and energy to the stage as I can.”
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