Jonah Ocean releases the first single “Demons” from his upcoming debut EP
Vancouver-based alternative/electronic artist Jonah Ocean has been refining his skills working as a session musician for the past decade.
He’s unveiled his first single “Demons” from his upcoming EP, Swimming, out September 2022.
“This song presented me with a unique challenge as a writer – to succinctly portray my challenges with mental health while also highlighting the beauty and joy life has to offer. Hopefully it can inspire some listeners to feel more comfortable with the ups and downs in their own lives.”
Listen to “Demons” below, and find out more about Jonah Ocean via our Five Questions With segment.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello, my name is Jonah Ocean. I am a Vancouver-based artist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and producer. After studying jazz guitar in college, I spent the last decade working as a session musician and music teacher. I recently shifted my focus to writing and recording my own original music. I quit my day job to do music full time and haven’t looked back! I’m excited for people to hear what I’ve been working on.
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
My most recent release “Demons” is the first single off my debut EP Swimming. I wrote this song a few months into the pandemic while I was struggling with isolation. I remember scrolling online and feeling uninspired/bored, and wondering “what would I like to see or hear on my screen right now?” Immediately the chord progression came into my head and I rushed to my studio room to record it. The rest came out naturally from there as I started to layer synths, vocal harmonies, and percussion textures. The song seems to capture where I was at that moment: generally anxious and lonely, but also thrilled to be making music and have a creative outlet.
Where do you tend to pull inspiration from when writing?
I try to be open-minded about where inspiration can come from. Most of the time I will hear a melody in my head, and then I start to sing it and mumble out gibberish until it feels somewhat like a song. Then I record that, and when I listen back I can often trace what I’m singing to what my subconscious was trying to communicate. It can be surprising what I find and I am really enjoying this method. Other times it’s a more direct process and I have a clear idea in mind before I start to write. Good to change it up.
Do you have any upcoming shows or festivals you’d like to tell us about?
I have a bunch of upcoming shows supporting other artists like ‘Xhalida’ and ‘Diamond Cafe’ at some local festivals but nothing booked as ‘Jonah Ocean’. I just played a solo show at “Guilt & Co” which was lovely. I play there quite often so I’ll post the next one soon.
What’s your goal for 2022?
My goal for 2022 is to release the next single in August, The EP in September, and then another single and music video in the fall. I have a few musician friends who are on board with crafting a live show for future festival shows so we will work on that. I then want to hit the studio hard in the fall/winter and collaborate with some of my favorite musicians and producers in Vancouver, Victoria, and Montreal.
Connect with Jonah Ocean:
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