Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jon Jen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jon, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I first dabbled with music production on and off while I was in school. Back then, my college coursework and studies meant that I couldn’t dedicate as much time as I’d have liked. So at the time, most of my “production” consisted of sampling tracks from YouTube that I ripped, creating some hip-hop drum loops to slap on the top, and calling it a day. It was fun, but I had no clue what sound design, mixing, or mastering actually was.

Once senioritis started to set in and I was about to graduate, I finally got around to learning more about the basics of laying out a full track, starting with EDM remixes. I don’t think I got more than 300-400 plays on those Soundcloud uploads, but back then, I was over the moon that anyone listened at all. It wasn’t until I’d started my full-time marketing job however, that I really kicked it up a notch and took things more seriously.

In the beginning of 2020 when the pandemic first started, my mental health took a turn for the worse, especially since I was stuck at home and I was navigating a new relationship that turned long-distance. It was then and there that I truly realized the potential of writing original music as an emotional outlet, and pretty soon after I delved headfirst into detailed video tutorials and masterclasses. Through all the twists and turns, I finally released by debut single “Walk Away” in the beginning of 2021. I was really proud of all the time and effort I’d put into the track, and even managed to get some feedback on Twitch streams from artists like Illenium and Nurko. Shoutout in particular to Wolfpup, a vocalist who’s based in Australia that featured on the track and I’m glad to still call a friend today. I was very lucky to find such a talented singer & songwriter by change through a shot-in-the-dark Reddit post!

Jon, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My artist name, “JONJEN”, is simply just my first and last name put together. I’m hoping that my music is an exact and authentic reflection of who I am as a human being, flaws and all. So although I think it would be cool to have an alias as my artist name, I’m also glad I can be myself instead of an alter ego as I continue onwards in my journey.

I’d also consider myself a producer and electronic artist first, and a DJ second. But even though I have more experience in the former than the latter, I still have so much fun playing live shows and am really excited to continue honing my DJing abilities. Most of my songs fall within the EDM genre of Melodic Bass, but I’m super inspired and draw influences today from progressive / stutter house, Midwest emo, hyperpop, garage, and even heavier trap / bass music. Typically when I play shows, I’ll go pretty broad on the sounds and genres within my song selection, while still trying my best to tell a dynamic story through my performance. There’s a reason people say “variety is the spice of life”, right?

Beyond my passion for electronic music, a part of me is very much a visual artist as well. I’ve been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember, especially since I had a speech impediment as a kid and felt more comfortable expressing myself without talking. I can’t tell you how many days I spent as a kid just doodling while reading comics and watching anime. Those days are in the past, but now as I’m getting back into filling in my sketchbook, I also want to explore how I can bring my visual artistry into my electronic music project. It would be a dream of mine to perform live visuals one day, once I figure out the right setup and vision to bring it to life!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

When I started to take music more seriously, I was under the impression that every song I made had to be as close to perfect as possible. I’d scrutinize every little detail, tweak and re-export my tracks over and over again, and eventually got tired of listening to my own works in progress. While I consider my improvement in mixing and mastering a part of getting over this hurdle, another part of it was also a mindset shift. Eventually, I told myself that if I finished a song for good, moving onto the next one would allow me to explore new sounds with even more confidence and inspiration. This taught me to think of my whole discography as a track record of my progress, and to appreciate how far I’ve come when I listen to my earlier work rather than feel inadequate about it.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It’s absolutely being able to connect with others and contribute to their lives, no matter how big or small the impact. I’ve met some of my best friends through pursuing music, and getting to partake in the local Bay Area EDM scene has provided me with such an amazing sense of community. I try to write all my songs about personal topics and lived experiences; for example, “Woven Together” is about figuring out a long-distance relationship, and “Until I Can’t” is about my mental struggles with seasonal depression. Reading comments and messages from others that they relate to my music makes my day every time.

Sometimes I feel bad that I can’t watch all the TV shows and play all the games that my friends do, or that I lose sleep over working on songs and preparing for sets while still having to work full-time next day. But when I feel the rush of playing my favorite songs and dancing on the stage alongside the crowd, nothing can really compare. I’m excited to shift my sound towards a new direction this year, and can’t wait for some of upcoming shows in San Francisco and South Bay. I’ll be playing both solo and B2B/B3B sets, supporting some of my favorite artists such as Crankdat, Kaivon, and Fairlane.

Finally, I’d like to shoutout Neon Owl (an amazing artist & philanthropy community), Gleam Music Group (my management and DJ collective), and Cosmic Academy for making such a difference on my music journey so far. I’d never get to where I am now if it wasn’t for others, and I absolutely can’t wait for what’s to come next!

Contact Info:

• Website: linktr.ee/jonjen
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonjenmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonjenmusic/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonjenmusic
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Fvv7NUrcjBwOC3r9wfgaI

Image Credits
Jason Chew, Eric Dew, Niko Ramirez, Brandon Morales, wlbwes