Honestly, I’m sure you’ve heard of Jon Bellion. If you haven’t, I’m positive you’ve heard at least one of his songs. I nearly jumped out of my car seat when I heard All Time Low on the radio here in Australia.
Not only does he have a crazy voice to match incredible sound production and creativity, but his lyrics are so moving and different and powerful, and that’s one of the reasons why he’s honestly one of my favourite artists ever. I’m not sure why it’s taken me this long to start writing this blog post.
I can’t remember exactly when I first heard Jon, but I know that it was a few years ago. The first song of his I ever heard was called Guillotine. To this day it’s in my Top Five songs ever, and I don’t foresee it moving from that place any time soon.
His lyrics are some of the best lyrics I’ve ever heard in my life. Listen to The Definition, his album released in 2014, straight through. It’s a trip. And then listen to The Human Condition which he released in 2016. That album has changed the entire way that I look at song writing AND song production.
Listening to Guillotine is an experience. To hear a voice that sweet and soft, with so many intricate layers in the vocals alone, combined with such hard-hitting beats and synths gives me goosebumps every time.
There’s bones in my closet, but you hang stuff anyway.
I remember audibly gasping when I first ever heard that line. In a song thats perfect for grooving along to and literally head banging, the lyrics are so perfect and soul-bearing it’s crazy.
Another song to listen to is Human. But listen to the acoustic version. It’s a little bit slower, lower even, but carries the lyrics so much better in my opinion. Just another list of my favourite lyrics:
- There’s someone gorgeous in my bed tonight, but I’m still petrified that I’ll die alone
- I’m just so sick of being human
- My mother calls I have no time to talk, but I can find the time to drink and smoke
- But Lauren call me when you hear this song (forever wishing I was Lauren)
- See I got GPS on my phone, and I can follow it to get home, if my location’s never unknown, tell me why I still feel lost
So basically the entire song. But it’s something about listening to literally only Jon and the piano paired up for this song that does something to the lyrics, that makes them ten times as powerful compared to the studio version.
Another asset that assists this obsession is his YouTube channel where Bellion posts behind the scenes clips, that show the step-by-step process of putting together the songs on his latest album, PLUS an insight into his thinking and ways of processing his thoughts into the music he releases. I’m pretty sure I watched all of them in one sitting.
Watching and listening to Jon literally pull together all the songs on his own and utilise the people around him to bring them to life is amazing.
And then on my birthday, on my birthday, Jon and Vice released a new song, called Obsession. @ me next time. Make it a bit more direct.
It’s pretty sweet. I’m desperately hoping it makes it’s rounds and somehow finds it’s way onto the radio here. If you think of the groove in Sexual by NEIKED, and then combine it with Jon’s sweet, sweet voice and real-shit lyrics, you have Obsession. Here you go.
One of my favourite songs from Jon is called Luxury. There is always so much going on in Bellion’s songs; it’s intentional. While sometimes other artists and musicians get caught up in the production process and add anything and everything in, the chaos that Jon creates has so much intent and cause behind it, it’s blinding. As a musician, its really inspiring.
Luxury is packed to the brim with amazing things. The main riff is a chorus of trumpets. Initially you assume he just pulled some trumpet players into the studio and recorded the line. Nah. He got one dude, to record every single note, each individual tone, pulled them all into a mixer, then played the line himself. The rhythm, the funk, the whole feel behind the trumpet line that drives this song is all Jon. I lost my mind watching The Making Of: Luxury. Lost my mind.
Add in the vocals. The lead vocals are so simple, but each phrase contains so many little intricacies, and whenever I sit and listen to one of Jon’s songs with the intent of understanding the lyrics and listening to what he’s saying, my mind is blown and it was no different with Luxury.
And then in the bridge, he brings in Audra Mae. Jon makes it clear that he has no cares for collaborating with big names for the sake of publicity. In remaining true to the authenticity all his music carries, Jon pulled Audra onto this track, solely for the quality of her voice and not for the weight of her name, and it’s like you can hear that in her voice. I can’t really get across how incredible listening to this and watching Audra sing while Jon listened at the same time was, so you just have to watch the behind the scenes video. Pls.
I’m desperate to see Jon live. His concerts look so hyped, and there has to be some sort of magic taking place when you get to hear those lyrics and those beats live. I’d pay hundreds of dollars to see Jon live. I’d go by myself if I had to. I know that won’t be the case because I have one of my best friends who can appreciate a great musician with me, but if it was necessary, I’d do it without blinking. No doubt.
Let me know what you think of Jon. Or if you’re already familiar with the genius, what’s your favourite song? Let me know! Hope you’re all well.
x
p.f
YOU SHOULD HEAR 