Jonny’s vow is to make uncompromising art pop – honest, deep and original – and to put on a damn good show everywhere he goes. Bonus interview below:

How would you classify your sound?
It’s hard to describe but if Bono, Gorillaz, Jamiroquai and MGMT did an album together, it might sound like mine…its pretty diverse but has a lot of trip hop, dance, and rock in the mix.

Where are you from?
Brookfield, Wisconsin. I’ve been living in NYC for a while now and call it home, but I go back to Milwaukee pretty often to see family & friends.

What’s your nationality?
My mother’ is Norwegian and my father’s Polish, but I’ve never been to Europe…

When did you know you wanted to sing for a living?
Freshman year of college. I went to school wanting to be a doctor and dropped my Pre-Med major in 3 weeks. I was addicted to music.

Are your family and friends supportive?
My parents, my sister & my friends are extremely encouraging and supportive. I really couldn’t do what I do without them.

Where do you find inspiration?
In people mostly…it’s easier for me to write about real situations and emotions that I or someone I know have gone through. Sounds stupid but I’m not the dude who sits around thinking of catchy song concepts that could be hits.

What was the music program at Columbia University like?
It was an intense intro to contemporary music, because of the people and because I was in New York for the first time. I did a composition major and wrote everything from clarinet solos to film scores with a full orchestra and had many pieces performed in concert.

What is your favorite classical piece?
Bach Cello Suites.

Would you rather DIY or sign with a major label?
Right now I just want to get my music heard. Hopefully I’ll be working with both indie and major labels to release different projects and tour around the world. Ideally I want to sign with a label who gets my vision and can help blow up my music without being too controlling. There’s usually no guarantee a major will promote more than one or two singles if you’re a new artist, so these days you have to do it yourself with or without a deal. But labels are still necessary to release big singles and albums, break huge artists, and for mainstream radio, so I’m definitely looking for the right one.

When can we expect the album?
It’s about 90 percent done, just needs to be mixed and mastered. I’m always writing new songs but I have about 15 that I love for the album right now. If I sign a distribution deal it could be sooner but hopefully it will be released next summer after I put out a couple singles…insert exclamation points and iTunes link.

What is the hardest part of what you do?
Maintaining a consistent work schedule and maintaining relationships. Also…not getting too wrapped up in the extreme ups and downs.

How do you define success?
Loving what you do and leaving a positive mark on the world.

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