I live in the valley of California, where the temperature rarely drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, let alone gets cold enough where it will snow. When I was nine years old, it snowed in my little suburban town and schools were closed for the day. With this extra time, though most kids were trying to make snowmen out of half an inch of ice and dirt, my mom took me to the doctor. I had been losing weight, sleeping longer than normal, drinking excessive amounts of water, and all around not acting like myself. That day I was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I am not superstitious, I’m just a little ‘stitious, I suppose, because for years after that day, when it was forecasted to snow in El Dorado Hills, California, I was really nervous that something bad would happen to me. Realistically I knew that this was so silly, but pre-teen me was convinced.
Now I live in a city where apparently it snows (Seattle, you continue to test me), and the only “bad” thing that has happened is that my phone got too cold to function and shut off when I was walking home one night. But alas, I am healthy and still alive. I am, however, struggling to find effortless happiness. In all honesty, I don’t know why, which almost makes it worse because I have nothing to pin my discontentment on. I have heard of seasonal affective disorder, which I suppose could be the cause of this feeling. It’s freshman year, I am figuring this whole thing out and taking time for myself, all of which I know is fine.
This leads me to this month’s edition of “Music for Moods”. Recently I have been feeling gray, despite the occasional blue skies and sunny days. Despite the low level of stress I am under and the support system that I know I have, I am feeling slightly bleak. And when I am feeling this way, a sure fire way to get me out of my funk (even if it is in a small way), is to listen to Jon Bellion.
Image courtesy of jonbellion.com
I was introduced to Jon Bellion very briefly three years ago, by a boy I was dating at the time. He played “Woodstock (Psychedelic Fiction)” for me when we went on drives and I was immediately hooked on the unique sound. It was unlike anything I had ever heard and it quickly became attached to many happy memories. A few months after me and said boy broke up, I looked up the song and incidentally found Jon Bellion as an artist not just as a song. He had three free albums on Soundcloud which made it easy to listen to him for hours on end and before I knew it, I knew all the words to “Translation Through Speakers”, “The Separation”, and “The Definition”.
Jon Bellion album cover art
Singer/songwriter Jon Bellion makes contemporary pop that mixes R&B, hip-hop, and indie rock influences. Born on Long Island, New York, Bellion grew up focusing on his love of basketball. However, in his junior year of high school, his long-gestating love of music, spurred on by such influences as Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, J Dilla, and Eminem, came into bloom after he began writing songs on his brother’s keyboard. After high school, Bellion enrolled in the music program at Long Island’s Five Towns College, where he ensconced himself in the vibrant local music scene. After graduating, Bellion continued pursuing his performance career, eventually garnering wider attention after his song “The Monster” was included on Eminem’s 2013 album, Marshall Mathers LP 2.
That same year he released his first full length album, Translation Through Speakers, followed by The Separation later in 2013. A third mixtape, The Definition, appeared in the fall of 2014. The single “All Time Low” arrived in 2015 and accumulated tens of millions of streams by the time his debut album, The Human Condition, was released in June 2016 via Capitol Records. The album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 chart.
By the time The Human Condition was coming out I was a big fan of Bellion; I had preordered the album which meant I got a few songs ahead of time. I cried when I listened to “Maybe IDK” for the first time (and the second and the third and the fourth), and this was the first time music ever made me cry. The way that Jon Bellion so masterfully manipulates sound and so unapologetically delivers his message makes me so happy no matter where I am at in my life. I can listen to him to help myself get over my “gray” moods. I can listen to him when I am feeling yellow and blue and anything in between. When I listened to The Human Condition beginning to end for the first time, I took my dogs on a walk so I was alone and in fresh air to fully appreciate it. After listening to the album’s incredible 13 songs, the outro, “Hand of God”, came on. Towards the end of the song, a choir was powerfully integrated into the song, pulling lyrics from all the other songs on the album to create a beautiful summation of the art on the album.
Image courtesy of Vancouver Weekly
Jon Bellion is such a humble, unique and genuine musician. He made his first three albums free because he wanted his fans to have access to them, and for him it wasn’t about money. All of his albums tell a very raw and human story, radiating with emotion and character. Every sound in every song he has tailored from scratch to be exactly what the song needs. To be thoroughly impressed, check out the making of two of my favorite songs, “Luxury” and “Guillotine” on YouTube! It really gives you a sense of his talent and hard work as well as how incredibly his brain works to create his music. You can spend hours watching how Jon makes his music and never not be impressed (at least I can).
Bellion just finished his third tour of The Human Condition and now is taking a break and working on something new. I really cannot express my love and gratitude to him not only as an artist, but as a human. He is very appreciative and loving towards his fans, which I really appreciate and respect.
His music is so fun and funky but also very honest and real. If you’re feeling like expanding your horizons I highly suggest checking him out. If you’re already a fan, I highly suggest being my friend, so we can jam together.
Image courtesy of Mercury News
Even though “Woodstock” was the first song I heard by him, and one of my favorites, I would have to say my all-time favorite is “Human”. I listen to it when I am sad, when I am on night time car rides, or with my friends, or when I am feeling joyous and infinite. It still gives me chills.
Would you look at that, my mood is getting better already.
BRIDGET BENEVIDES | Maybe I don’t know, but maybe that’s okay | KXSU Music Reporter