We were fortunate enough to catch up with musician Jonny Ong following the superb release, ‘Don’t Wake Me From This Dream’. Read the full interview below!
Hi Jonny, how did you first get into music?
I’ve got my Mum to thank. She got me a guitar when I was 13, but I honestly had no interest at the time, haha. It wasn’t until I discovered the music of The Beatles when I was 16 that everything changed; that was the moment I knew I would pursue music.
Who influenced your latest release, ‘Don’t Wake Me From This Dream’?
The 60’s era: I love everything about it, from the music to the fashion and art. I really wanted to capture the essence of the classic rock bands that have influenced me since day one. The song itself was inspired by a dream where I was being led around a deserted island by a mysterious woman. I was woken up and instantly had the lyric idea. I tried to visualise the dream in my music video for the track, putting a psychedelic twist on it with the help of artist and illustrator Alvaro Ortega.
What draws you to the classic-rock genre?
I simply love it. It’s where I feel most at home musically, especially as a guitarist.
‘Don’t Wake Me From This Dream’ has been superbly produced by Scott Knapper; what was that process like?
Scott is a brilliant producer with a very sharp ear, and he’s just a great person to work with. I’m really happy he’s on board for the upcoming album.
Also, the release was mastered at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. Can you tell us more?
Since I’ve been tapping back into my Beatles roots, I thought there would be no better place than to master it there. The iconic history of the studio is so inspiring!
What motivates you to make music?
Just the fact that I’m still able to, as I really couldn’t picture myself doing anything else. One thing that I really learned over the last few years is that life is unpredictable and anything can happen, so I’m so grateful to be back writing and able to work alongside the people that bring the best out in me creatively.
What is your biggest mistake in the music industry so far?
Being too trusting of certain people. It takes time to build a solid team that you can rely on for your music, whether this is writing in the studio or on the marketing side. It’s so important to find people that resonate with you creatively and who truly believe in your projects. There are too many money-motivated people in the industry that are very good at hiding their true colours, and when you’re working so closely with them on something so important to you, it can really affect your relationship with your art over time.
What are your other passions aside from music?
Not in any order: fishing, scuba diving, and herpetology (the study of amphibians and reptiles). I find them fascinating!
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
As mentioned before, some of the shady characters are about. Also, the need to be so hands-on with marketing and pushing your music out there. I’d honestly love to just be able to create.
What sets you apart from other artists?
That’s a really difficult question to answer yourself as an artist. I’m really not too sure. Perhaps, I don’t think there are as many artists in this day and age that are looking to capture the elements of past eras like the 60s in their music. I think many artists look ahead to what’s next, what is the future of music. So I’d say perhaps what makes me different is that I’m looking the other way by trying to capture that era as accurately as I can.
FVMusicBlog October 2022
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