Artist Spotlight: John Alone

“Think out of the box!”, I’m sure everyone has been told this at some point in their lives, especially when having to come up with creative solutions. However, there are some people that don’t just think out of the box, they tear it down. Enter John Alone. John’s refusal to be confined into a box or lane has ensured his music remains unpredictable but most importantly, his music always feels ... refreshing. John Alone is a reminder that music can still be pushed, still be surprising, and still be enjoyed without necessarily conforming to a popular sound.

I interviewed John in anticipation of his now newly released song : Omolola (Anita). The amapiano-style track, which acts as a continuation of his African English project, has John's vocals floating over powerful drums and resonant baselines, making Omolola the perfect summer track with its addictive sound and an earworm-like chorus. I wanted to understand his process for Omolola and previous records in his catalogue and this deep dive into the brain of John Alone was certainly an enlightening one.

In a lot of your songs we get to hear you sing. Is singing your preferred way to utilise your voice?

I don’t really have a preference, I just do what the song requires, I feel like singing helps convey emotion more so if it’s an emotive song and I want to make people feel something more, I might sing but if I want to get a few verses off, I might do that. I don’t feel the need to pick one (rapping or singing) over the other.

Your latest video for your song Packsonme you directed yourself. You’ve also used directors such as Aziz Nabi and Rococo World. How do you like directing and is directing something you want to do more of?

It’s a bit of both, I’m happy to work with people if they can help me work toward my vision but on the flip side, I can rely on myself to carry out what I want in my head. A lot of the time if you're working with someone else you have to explain your vision to them and hope they’ll be able to see it how you see it. However, when you do it yourself, you can get it done how you want it done and I think I’m capable of executing that. If it makes sense to work with other people, I will do that but if I have to do it myself that’s also fine.

What’s your process in the studio when it comes to choosing whether you're going to rap or sing ?

It depends on what the track is saying, I never know what I’m going to do on a song until I’m doing it. I don't plan things, there isn’t really a structure - whatever happens, happens. If I get sent a beat that sounds more melodic and singing would have a bigger impact, then that’s the route I’m going to choose. Sometimes, though, if the beat is heavier, then im going to spit my bars. Either way, they are both tools at my disposal and I can use them when I need to.

It sounds like you like to go with the flow. Do you write when you're in the studio or do you just go with the flow?

It’s a bit of both, the last couple of years it’s been more of a stream of consciousness / freestyling rather than sitting down and penning stuff. Especially if you're just making music, I find it a lot easier and more creative as opposed to sitting down and feeling like “ I want this to be as deep as possible and have the most bars.” For me, this is more restrictive and you just end up stuck in your own head, meaning the music doesn’t flow as much. If you want to convey a specific message or tell a story it might be better to write, but if you want to vibe and make melodic music, freestyling works better for me. When I listen to your music I get 6lack and Frank Ocean vibes, something quite unique to the UK.

Who are your music influences ?

I get that quite a lot actually, specifically Frank Ocean. I feel like if you’ve made alternative R&B over the last few years, then there’s no way you're not influenced by Frank - he’s ubiquitous at this point. Everyone’s taken something from him because he’s got that sauce. I don’t try to sound like him, whatever happens is a result of listening to stuff and it just seeping into my music, like osmosis! It’s never a conscious decision. I’m definitely influenced by old Miguel and the Weeknd ... Kendrick Lamar as well and old Chance The Rapper. When I make my stuff though, I don’t tend to have anyone in mind, I just try to do it the way I want to.

Your sound is quite unique, especially in the UK, If you had to describe your sound how would you describe it?

I’d describe it as wavey! There’s no restrictions to it. I wouldn’t associate it to a specific genre - sometimes rap, sometimes R&B, sometimes alternative. The next thing I’ve got coming out is Amapiano. There’s no genre to it whatsoever, I wanted to jump on it. If you feel it, you feel it.

Packsonme is doing really well on YouTube, almost 30,000 views. What was the inspiration behind that song and what does it mean to you?

The inspiration is that feeling of having your back against the wall and bare stuff has happened that wasn’t part of the plan. The song is about resilience and being able to stick things out, keep pushing when things aren’t going your way. I think when having a goal, you have to do what’s necessary to get to where you need to be - it’s a motivational song more than anything.

People I know who also operate at a similar level in their respective fields often enjoy various different hobbies outside of what they create, which can influence their art - what are your passions away from music? And how do you think they influences your music?

I like a lot of visual stuff, I’m very interested in movies and movie criticism. I work well with sound but visuals often has a big impact on me. If I see a cool scene or piece of dialogue, that can really inform how I write because I want my music to sound conversational but also cinematic. For example, old Judd Apatow comedies, the way conversation sparks off and flows. I’ve also got into photography recently, I feel like I have a good eye as well and I love taking photos so the visual side to things appeals to me a lot. Making things look clean and patterned - I'm really getting sucked into that world.

Film sounds like it’s really opening up some creative doors for you. So what are you currently watching right now?

At the moment, I just finished watching Snowfall. It’s hard the way the colour gradient works, the way the world looks and how the aesthetics inform the audience about the world - it goes hand in hand with the story. Everything is interlinked and I love the way it’s shot.

Snowfall is set in LA, which brings me onto my next question. If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would you perform and why?

This is tricky. When you are growing up, everyone loves the thought of America, like you haven’t really blown until you’ve broken the US market. Don’t get it twisted, that would still be cool, but it’s not super high on my priorities right now because of everything thats going on there right now. I’d love to perform in Nigeria because that’s where I’m from. I’m yet to do anything ther musically, but it would be sick to perform there at a big venue - I’d like that.

Making music that has African influence, one of your previous EP’s being called African English, what does being Nigerian mean to you, both musically and personally?

I was born in Nigeria and lived there until I was 10. It feels like there are 2 halves to my life - there was me before and me now, to the point I’ve lived here longer than I lived in Nigeria. I feel like a lot of my influences are now very Eurocentric and western but that’s still home, thats still where I’m from. I still feel connected to the culture and the language, especially through my parents. It’s important to me to not lose that because I’m here. I still try to drop some Yoruba phrases here and there even if the songs not Afrocentric because it’s a strong part of who I am.

Whose your favourite Nigerian Artist?

As a musician I love Burna Boy. When it comes to purely music, he’s the waviest guy out right now.

Talk to me about African English, what was the reception like for that project? Would you like to do a longer project more based around African influences?

I never really plan anything - which is one of the best and worst things about my process, it can be quite chaotic. African English wasn’t even really planned like that - I was in the studio in Jan/ Feb 2021 with my friends and I got sent a beat from a producer in Ghana that was Sankofa and I loved it, but I had to fight for it because it wasn’t even supposed to be my tune. Kente Kwame sent me a beat as well, that was On The Low, it was just a bunch of random things that ended up sounding well together. The reception was actually really good for the project and people always tell me I should continue making music like that, but because I don't like to be pigeonholed, if I feel it, then I will, If not, then so be it.

Your upcoming release, Omolola will be released August the 9th and it’s an Amapiano record, how did that come about ?

It came about because KDbeats, who helped me make Ready Now from African English, sent me a bunch of beats and Omolola was on there. I mess with Amapiano but I’ve never tried to make anything with it but the way I am, I’m always gonna try a ting. I thought the beat was wavey and vibed to it, and everyone around me keeps telling me it’s their favourite song of mine. Im giving the people what they want, it’s a proper vibe. I’m very excited about it.

Honourable mention to GHOSTSDONTFLOAT. A lot of people don’t really do singing duets in this country - is that dynamic something you want to explore further? If so, what female vocalists would you want to work with?

GHOSTSDONTFLOAT was one of the first songs I ever made, when I was 18 back in the Soundcloud days. I really loved it but I couldn’t do it justice back then, so when it came to doing Spanish Blue I shouted Ayeisha Raquel and asked her if she wanted to be on it. I love the vibe of the song, the back and forth, the way our vocals complemented each other, it was really fun. In terms of female artists I want to work with: Bina, Jaydonclover, Pullae and Bukky, although Bukky and I already have a song together.

When it comes to progressing as an artist, what are some of the difficulties you’ve faced when trying to market your music in this country?

The problem is, and it’s almost a cliché, but the UK is very stiff and there is a fear of experimentation in this country. When it comes to the music scene and the mainstream, it feels like everyone plays it safe and everyone gravitates to whats hot and move on when something new arrives rather than taking a chance. The consumer base also complains about how UK music is washed and there are no new sounds, but they still consume the same music, which is a weird dynamic to navigate. I do feel like there is room for change and people are open to trying something else. There is a lot of stuff happening in the “underground scene” - I hate that term but there is a lot of stuff from up and coming creatives in the music scene. It’s a great time to be making music, to be honest.

Seeing artists branch out to countries in Europe and make stronger efforts to reach demographics there, is that something you also want to explore?

Of course. I’m not from the UK , I love London but I wasn’t born here, so I’m loyal to wherever the music takes me. If that’s Europe, if that’s where the money is, I’m there. But I also want to leave a legacy here so that people coming after me and my group don’t have to face the same difficulties that we’ve had to deal with. My plan is to build a bridge between our scene and other scenes and basing that around inclusivity. I don’t plan to blow and snake the UK for greener pastures, I want to build something.

What’s next

There’s quite a bit coming to be fair, I’ve laid low musically the last few months because I’ve been working on a project that will be 9 tracks, with the first single being released in September. It’s called “No One is Coming to Save You,” and it’s mainly alternative R&B with a bit of rap in there. It’s a lot of things, but it’s a passion project for the last year for me. It’s like a spiritual sequel to Spanish Blues but the darker version, turning it on its head. Hopefully people catch it when it comes out.

John Alone is Back! His latest release Omolola is out now on all platforms.