Having already spent the past year churning out a wealth of rich and enigmatic offerings, Chicago-based artist Jon Le Vert is back once again to deliver his woozy new single 'WHITNEY (TOO YOUNG)'.
Capturing a wonderfully rich and immersive atmosphere for his latest outing, 'WHITNEY (TOO YOUNG)' continues that adventurous nature he has been pursuing lately. With its broad and textured production perfectly set to his impactful vocals throughout, he is returning to the fold with one of his most compelling efforts yet.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most recently.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The human voice, to be honest- as far as I can remember I was in love with melodies though the guitar was the first instrument I genuinely gravitated toward… still gotta learn it though.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
It started out with Michael Jackson, like as a really young kid… I guess as I got a bit older I went searching for a new favorite artist- someone more relevant & gradually became aware of Kanye West- being from Chicago myself & seeing his coming-of-age story, combined with his sheer talent, it was dif icult not to become a fan. The irony is both of those artists reached incredible heights & both fell from grace rather harshly.
What was the first album you remember owning?
I grew up with hella CD’s and cassettes at home - both of my parents had damn good taste in music. But personally? I believe it was My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (thru iTunes of course).
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Such a good question… probably ‘Garage Rooftop’ by Q.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Not necessarily- though I do prefer to be alone. I like to let the ideas arrive as organically as possible- no formula necessary.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Kanye in his prime- Kendrick, maybe. St Vincent would be pretty awesome. Frank Ocean or Beyonce would be iconic. Anyone I’ve been a fan of would be an honour.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Being able to create basically whenever. Tech + the internet make it so accessible.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Not many ways to make a living- it’s almost as if people expect music to be free, which is def a product of streaming culture + the double edged sword that is tech.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Two things come to mind: When writing, be 3-dimensional and take accountability... And that music is like painting with sounds. The colors, textures, layers, etc come together to make beautiful canvases. That’s what I aim for- finding beauty in these ‘paintings’.
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Jon Le Vert's new single 'WHITNEY (TOO YOUNG)' is available to stream now. Check out the new video for it in the player below.