Meet John Lundun a South African-based music artist, music producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Having fallen in love with music at a very small age John made his first official debut in 2012. John has gone on to release several musics and he credits his style of music with African Electronic Soulful Dance Music. John has recently released some new music called ‘Crown’ featuring Jessica LM and ‘One Day’ featuring Fifi Matsho. Besides that, he also has a new EP dubbed ‘Aries’ named after the zodiac sign of his birth month. Lundun has a lot to offer this year and this is just the start of it as he gears up to give us more heat music..Here is what the artist has to say about himself, his musical journey, and his new music;
How best will you describe who John Lundun is?
I am a creative, music producer, and multi-instrumentalist who’s never content with following the trends of the day or simply conforming to the industry norms. I’ve always loved pushing boundaries and exploring. With the same energy that’s how I live my life, I’m so in love with family, nature, and traveling.
When did you make your debut in the music industry?
I would go back as early as high school to producing underground mixtapes. One day I was jumping into a taxi to school and the driver was playing one of my mixes that no one knew I produced, wish u saw the grin on my face haha. But my first official release was in 2012.
Who inspired you to make music? And is music what you always wanted to do?
Both my parents are musically inclined, my Father is creative himself having worked as a photographer, musician & he loved bikes. My mother released a gospel album in the late 90s. They are definitely my No1 inspiration.
It has always been music and soccer for me. At a point, I felt like I had to choose between the two and it was the hardest thing to do. Later that year I had a leg injury and my natural choice became music thereof.
How would you describe how your musical journey has been since your debut to this point?
Growing up, I was the kid who always listened to soul & jazz while my peers in primary school were bumping the latest popular songs. So I knew it wasn’t going to fit in & I was different.
And yes! It has been a crazy roller coaster. I have produced and been a part of No1 award-winning records but wondering when am I getting my big break, clearly, I’m talented and all the big artists want me in the studio but why isn’t my stuff catching fire?
What experience have you picked up through your musical journey?
At some point, I was playing keys in church while studying Jazz and popular music and producing house music with guys like Chymamusique at some point. So this taught me versatility and a more broad understanding of different music styles and feels. I’ve worked in almost every genre from HipHop, House, Afro Pop, Rock, Pop, Rnb, Gospel…
Do you have any musical influences?
Louie Vega, Dj Cleo, Black Coffee, and Jonathan Butler are my earliest influences on music in the industry.
What prompted you to write the song ‘Crown’? What is the song about?
I’ve always wanted to get in the studio with Jessica, I finally invited her to the studio to work on whatever… She was driving back from a funeral in Mpumalanga and I called her to say “damn, the electricity just cut… it’s load shedding for 4 hours!!” she laughed and said, “It’s cool we’ll chill it out”. You can imagine how many conversations you can have in 3 hours. One of the things we touched on was the importance of women in society and yet they don’t seem to be appreciated, instead, they grow through so much hell in society. So when the electricity got back, that’s the frame of mind we were in & Jessica wrote a beautiful song in celebration of all women.
What has the reception been after the release of the song?
I’ve had a couple of releases but this one just feels different, it’s a bit overwhelming I must say but I keep reminding myself that “this is what you prayed for, remember”. The song is speaking to people’s hearts and that’s magic.
Speaking of music, congratulations on your released EP ‘Aries’? What inspired the name and the whole EP in general?
I’m an April baby!! Lol
The title of the album is often one of the most important decisions to make, it sets the tone for the projects and gives listeners a sense of what to expect.
Aries is the astrological sign associated with people born between 21 March – 19 April. This Zodiac sign is known for its bold, confident, and independent personality traits, which may be characteristics I see in myself as an artist.
Is this like your debut EP? If yes how many songs are featured in the EP and would your latest song ‘Crown’ also be featured on the EP?
This is my 2nd Ep. It consists of 5 tracks including a remix and a radio edit.
Yesss!! Crown is the first single out of the Ep.
Do you happen to have featured any other artists on your EP? And how long did the project take?
I have featured some of my favorite vocalists on this Ep which makes it really special.
The other songs are “One Day” featuring vocalist Fifi Matsho & Ngiyabonga featuring Thando Zide. Took about 3-4 months of back-and-forth collaborations with these awesome artists.
How would you describe your music?
African Electronic Soulful Dance Music.
Generally, what challenges have you faced in your creative work?
It’s always a battle of the mind, wondering how people will receive the music. It’s always nerve-wrecking putting out innovative work. This can be a difficult balancing act, as creatives must strive to stay true to their visions and still cater to the needs and desires of others.
At the end of the day, what do you hope listeners take away from your music?
Feel the pure energy behind the music, and let this Ep be your “lift me up” these are songs carrying an important message. The beats make you wanna move, the melodies are ones you wanna sing along to. I want people to feel good and uplifted whenever they listen to my music.
Would you like to share anything else with our readers?
Don’t double-guess yourself, just do it. It’s through doing that we learn and we move forward. That piece of art, music, words, and creativity you are holding on to can take someone somewhere out of a dark place.
Do you have any message for your fans? And what more should they expect from you this year?
Look out for ARMC (Africa Rising Music Conference) coming up on the 23-24 May 2023 in JHB Hallmark House! This is a great way to connect with other creatives and just enjoy 2 days of great music.
Thank you for always having my back, through dark and happy times. I appreciate your love & support❤.
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