John-Robert is a 19-year old singer-songwriter from Edinburg, VA, a town of 1,000 people in the Shenandoah Valley. His sound blends folk, pop and soul and his music fuses deep emotion that is sometimes pushed sideways by distortion, odd effects or his own outlandish and often dark imagination.
His first single, “Adeline” was released last April and has been streamed more than 700,000 times on Spotify. John-Roberts is an authentic and genuine artist. His second single which was released on March 9th, continues to portray a narrative of depth, humanity and passion. With more music on the way, we are very grateful to have the opportunity to share this multifaceted musician with you.
Pass The Crown: You’re from a small town in Virginia and currently have a single with more than 700,000 streams on Spotify. How has the success of the record impacted your daily life?
John-Robert: Well I’ve moved to LA now, but when I go back home some people are kind enough to stop me and tell me they dig the tune.
Were you surprised at how much positive feedback you’ve received with “Adeline” considering it’s the first single you released?
John-Robert: Absolutely, I didn’t think anyone would care if I put out music to be honest! So it’s been a very warm welcome to releasing my music to an audience.
Who are your musical inspirations? What are your biggest influences when writing?
John-Robert: I’ve always admired the compositions of artists like Toto, Queen, and Chicago — they’re pop songs with a lot of thought behind them. I’ve also been inspired by some more folk singer-songwriters such as Jeff Buckley, Sufjan Stevens, and Adrianne Linker. Their lyricism is unmatched.
“Urs” is such a moving, emotive and beautiful song. How did you go about writing it? Where were you when you wrote it?
John-Robert: My friend Tim introduced me to the tuning for the track and he laid down the bassline for the song. I wrote it in my parent’s basement when I was in high school.
Is there something you want people to take away from your music, either listening to it at home or when attending a show?
John-Robert: I want people to know that they’re responsible for their own happiness. I hope my music can reach out to others that constantly question their values, feel extremely lonely and/or forgotten. (I want them to know) that the feeling is not unusual. In my live shows I hope to host a space where people can listen with intent, talk with candor, and enjoy their night expressing themselves.
What’s next?
John-Robert: Hoping to lock down that Swedish Fish sponsorship… Also plan on playing a bunch of shows this year! Looking forward to collaborating more with talented people and experimenting with music production.
Check Out the Official Video to John-Robert’s new song, “Urs” :