We recently connected with Jonny Bloom and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jonny thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the toughest things about progressing in a creative career or as an entrepreneur is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?
Yes! I have. For me, one of my biggest challenges in both my career and in life has been overcoming health issues both physical and mental. I grew up with epilepsy, had seizures and didn’t know if I would be able to drive or go to strobe-heavy live music concerts. And for me, that was my life. I just wanted to go out, experience music and find my way to being on the stage.
Congruently with that, I was also studying music theory and composition in college with the goal of being a teacher or getting into music therapy. But in my early twenties I also developed bipolar disorder—which really threw off my groove. My epilepsy was basically in remission, but I traded it out for a mental illness. So that was fun.
With my bipolar, I had to learn how to live all over again. Normal jobs didn’t work for me anymore because of the nature of my condition. It kind of steers the ship in terms of what I have to do day-to-day. Like, if my mood is too low or too high-strung, I need to take time to readjust and I needed to find a career that allowed for that. Now that I’ve finally got that figured out, I’m super happy with how things are going. Teaching and performing full-time are perfect matches for what I need and want to do. And I get all this time to work on the creative side of music: where my passion and deeper ambitions lie.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a full-time musician + multi-instrumentalist. I write, record, and perform under the stage name Jonny Bloom. My day-jobs are teaching and performing, but my passion and career-goal is to eventually become a full-time musical creator/writer.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I like the idea of using music and storytelling to help others learn emotional fluency. I love the quote, “Our inner world is a reflection of our outer world.” And in American society, you can see that. There hasn’t been much emphasis on teaching healthy coping skills or communication skills. A lot of people who are hurting don’t know how to fully process their pain—and that damages us. It distorts our views and leads to destructive behaviors both towards ourselves and others.
So, my mission is to give back in the same way I felt like I was helped out. Music and therapy really kept me going. So, I want to make music that incorporates things I’ve learned from therapy. I want it to allow people to be vulnerable without it feeling ‘too heavy, preachy or depressing’ and really push for the positive spin on things, because it’s always there. There’s always something positive to take away from even the most terrible experiences.
And that’s a big part of what I wrote about in my album Open Letter. (which I highly encourage readers to check out) It’s my feel good album about healing, keeping hope alive and making it through to the light at the end of the tunnel. If you’re a fan of Daft Punk, Gorillaz, Glass Animals or Red Hot Chili Peppers… I think you might really like the album.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish the resources that exist today existed back then. I’m really proud of our community for making more mental health resources available. I was able to get the help I needed through Comprehensive Life Resources. They are proactive in helping people get linked to therapists, psychiatrists, or group therapies. Absolutely wonderful people. They are here to have your back, and I encourage anyone to reach out if you feel stuck trying to get connected to mental health resources, or if you feel like you’re one step away from a crisis. They’re here to help you get back to your life.
https://www.comprehensiveliferesources.org/
Comprehensive Life Resources Home
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jonnybloom.bandcamp.com/album/open-letter
- Instagram: @jonnybloom_music
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556156079777
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSbVeHqy-l8wNBW1j6tLTOQ
Image Credits
Main photo taken by: Jimmy Humphryes Drum + Guitar Photos from additional taken by: Jesse Beecher Other photos: N/C