Visionary musician JON.COMโs music is an unvarnished reflection of his inner world. JON.COM finds comfort and the ideal vehicle for self-expression in his musical works, creating a world where he can escape the constraints of reality. JON.COM is inspired by a deep connection between his emotions and his work, and as a result, he pours his heart and soul into creating music. As a result, his music seamlessly combines elements of hip-hop, R&B, rap, reggaeton, electronic, alternative rock, and dance. The inventive brilliance of SOPHIE, whose creations altered his understanding of pop music, served as an inspiration for his creative endeavors. Check out the exclusive interview below:
1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?
JON.COM: I started making music when I was 14, and asked for a MIDI Piano Keyboard for Christmas. I remember I found a way to plug the keyboard into my parents old Windows Vista Computer, and used windows movie maker to build my first ever song by recording song chords on the pianoโs built in synth. Thatโs where my addiction started, and since then Iโve been learning and obsessing over every aspect of being a pop star. From fashion to technology to playing instruments, dancing, writing lyrics, performing etc. At first the idea of me being a musician was kind of silly to me, let alone becoming a pop star one day. I just never allowed myself to see myself in this way, but over the years I have come to learn that this is no longer a choice for me. Using every aspect of being a pop star as a form of self expression has become the most liberating, cathartic, and healing journey, and it has saved my life in many ways. I grew up in a small town in west Texas, there was nothing to do, and my parents never had the spare cash to take us out on family vacations, or traveling. I would say I grew up pretty sheltered. I always dreamed of living a life like the ones I saw my favorite artists experiencing. More than anything I have always wanted to simply make art as my full time job. My mission is to master the art of creating a space where I can create and express myself freely and unapologetically. I want to bring to life the visions and sounds that I am able to imagine in this space. I want the art to be as immersive as possible, visually, sonically, and emotionally, so that the listener can escape reality for a moment and get lost in the music.
2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?
JON.COM: Everything Iโve learned I taught myself through online tutorials on YouTube. I used GarageBand for years before upgrading to Logic Pro for music production. I taught myself to play piano this way as well. I was introduced to video editing programs in high school, and would make movies all the time at home. I went to college for graphic design and received my Associates in Applied Science for Graphic Arts from South Plains College. I was introduced to a 3D Modeling program called Blender in my third semester, and it completely changed how I create art. I remember becoming obsessed with this because it made it a lot easier and faster to create what I see in my head. The visuals have always been extremely important for my music and I am constantly learning new ways to use technology to create.
3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name โJON.COM?
JON.COM: Some of my earliest memories of music changing my life are Justin Timberlakeโs first two albums, Nelly Furtadoโs โLooseโ album, and most importantly Lady Gaga. From the moment I first heard her song โJust Danceโ as my oldest sisterโs ringtone, to her performance of paparazzi where she started bleeding on stage. Seeing all of her music videos inspired me so much. She is the epitome of what a true pop star is to me. I definitely would say that she was the biggest inspiration to me when creating my first ever concept album. This was back when I was releasing music under my birth name, โJonathan Loyaโ. I created and released two full length albums under my birth name, but decided to give myself the name โJON.COMโ because I wanted a name that was easier to remember, shorter, catchier, and had something to do with technology. I think that my name being a website was kind of futuristic, and went with the sci-fi themes behind my art.
4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
JON.COM: The most important elements behind my music are definitely the unique visuals, music production, and the immersive storytelling. Starting with visuals, I have always been inspired by retro futurism. I used to sit and study retro sci fi paintings from the past and have always been mesmerized by the imagination that people had of what the future could look like. In my musicโs visuals, I always aim to create an immersive world for the listener to be brought into that feels like the future of pop music. Every time I release a new album itโs just another rendition of what the future looks like in my eyes, while also incorporating storytelling, which is usually about what I am feeling or going through at the moment in my personal life. I want to write about the things that I am feeling and longing for, and moments that I cherish that I have never talked about with anyone. I have written songs about things that I would never tell even my closest friends. I have always called my music pop, but I am heavily influenced by all kinds of genres. I love to express myself through the production and my favorite songs are the ones that are focused on pushing a particular element of music to its extreme. For my new album โREGENESISโ, I have decided to release it as 3 EPโs, each having their own theme, and vibe. Volume 1, โENTROPYโ is the alternative, metal influenced pop songs, the sad piano ballads. The second volume โBLOOMโ contains the more upbeat songs, influenced by my favorite Hip Hop / Rap / Electronic artists. The last piece, Volume 3, โBLISSโ will combine all of the sounds together, while focusing on Electronic production inspired by dance music.
5. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?
JON.COM: I will never stop creating or releasing my art. I will keep doing what I do, and building my skills until I am able to do what I do on a scale that is big enough for me to create without limits. I dream of one day creating movies, video games, designing a clothing line, creating tech products,ย albums, going on tour, performing life, and more. I have always wanted to be a pop star, and I will keep working until all of my dreams come true. I have a lot to give, I have a lot to say, and I canโt wait to show you!
6. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?
JON.COM: If I am doing my job right as a songwriter, then the listener will know exactly what the song is about. However, I love the idea of the listenerโs perspective changing the meaning of a song to fit their life, making the song more relatable to them. My favorite songs are the ones that I feel were written about my life because they are so relatable. I love writing songs where I express my deepestย thoughts and feelings, the ones that I am sometimes ashamed of, the ones that I canโt tell anybody about. I hope that one day someone will relate to them, and it will give them the feeling of not being alone.
7. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as POP?
JON.COM: I definitely remember creating beats and writing songs trying to recreate sounds that I heard from my favorite artists as I was learning, and teaching myself how to use GarageBand. I will never stop learning, and even now, ten years in, I feel like a beginner. The more skills I learn, the easier it is to bring the sounds and visions I have in my head to life. I think that learning to use Blender, and being able to create the visual side of things has influenced and changed the way my music sounds in an amazing way.
8. Whatโs your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles โ and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?
JON.COM: I have incorporated messages about drug abuse, clean energy, mental health, rebirth, self-love and respect, and more in my songs. My album โREGENESISโ is all about rebirth, and what I have learned in my life up until now about myself. But I have also put out a project (Hello EP) in which I ,on purpose, wrote only about superficial matters. Fame, Fashion, Technology, Dancing, are some of the themes in the lyrical content on that project. I did this to focus all of my attention and energy on the production, and creating and extremely detailed, and unique sound. The purpose of the project was to show what I have to offer as far as sound design, and push the hardware to its limits. I definitely enjoy both sides. Not all music has to have the most deep meaning behind it or be written on difficult subject matter like politics. I am comfortable creating music on both sidesย of the spectrum.
9. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?
JON.COM: Itโs always different, sometimes I will come up with a melody or lyric in the shower, or on the drive to work. Sometimes a picture or visual idea pops in my head. Almost all of my songs started with the beat first, and the lyrics were written afterwards. I do everything myself, and most of the time itโs just me, and my computer. I open up Logic, and create the beat, freestyle over it, download it to my iPhone, and listen to it in the car and on my headphones. Then when I come up with new lyrics, or ideas for the beat, I write them down or record a voice memo. Then when I have time, I go in and make those changes. I continue making tweaking, and adding vocals, instruments, beats, etc. until it is finished.
10. What has been the most difficult thing youโve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
JON.COM: I would definitely say that getting cheated on by the man that I was in love with was the most difficult thing. I went through a very rough time for over a year, and was in an abusive relationship that changed my whole life. I went through some very difficult times, I lost my self esteem completely, lost touch with who I am as a person almost completely. Though it was very difficult and painful, I am glad it happened, because I learned so much about myself in my healing journey. I got myself to therapy, studied and researched psychology books, and videos on YouTube. I eventually left the relationship, and put myself back together little by little. I learned how to love myself, I learned how to regulate my emotions, emotional maturity. I learned forgiveness. Not only did I forgive him, but I forgave myself for participating in the relationship. I learned that I donโt need someone else to love me in order to have value, or to be worthy of living. I learned what my purpose is. My album โREGENESISโ documents my rebirth, โENTROPYโ is the dying of the old self, โBloomโ is the birth of the new self, and โBLISSโ is the never ending pursuit of happiness.
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