Jonah Nilsson, lead vocalist for Dirty Loops, a major YouTube sensation, has teamed up with guitar legend Steve Vai the new single “Diamond Ring,” out today on Jammcard Records. “Diamond Ring” showcases Nilsson’s incomparable vocal range and stylings accompanied by an incredible guitar solo from Vai, the hero of shredding. Even music icon Quincy Jones, who is a huge fan and champion of Nilsson, makes an appearance in the music video. You can listen to “Diamond Ring” HERE.
“He’s different though, he’s got the perfect balance of right brain creativity and left brain music theory. It’s in his blood,” praises Quincy Jones. “He’s got soul, with one of the biggest ranges I’ve ever heard.”
Quincy discovered the Swedish singer and multi-instrumentalist through his work with Dirty Loops, taking Jonah under the wing of his management team for a solo record, due out later this summer. “Diamond Ring” also features Kristian Kraftling (keys), Jesper the Creator (guitar), Kefa Figaro (drums) and Tobias Grenholm (bass).
“I’m so so excited to present this song that has been in the works for a long time!” Jonah shares. “It’s a very dance-friendly song with lots of fun musical elements with Steve Vai ending the song with a crazy solo! I thought to myself, this song needs the most epic, crazy, guitar-hero solo possible and there is only one person who could’ve delivered that. STEVE VAI!”
Jonah and Steve, both powerhouses in their respective talents, ran in similar circles in the music industry, and ultimately bonded over their common interest as master multi-instrumental musicians. They decided to work on “Diamond Ring” together, giving the song a genre-defying edge that blends rock, soul, R&B, funk and pop together under one roof.
“There’s a new breed of brilliant evolutionary musicians breaking onto the scene, and this track is the evidence,” Vai says. “It takes pop to another dimension of groove, musicality and overall bad-assery. It’s amazeballs.”
“Diamond Ring” follows Jonah’s recent cover of the Michael Jackson classic “Bad,” where he adds his own spin and signature technique to create a version that’s more powerful than ever. “Bad” features Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Anomalie and Justin Lee Schultz. Jonah’s take on “Bad” beams with all the elements of a worldwide pop star in the making, while paying homage to the soul and spirit that originally made the track a hit in 1987, and adding a modern flavor that gives this version an entire life of its own.
The funk-pop artist has come a long way since his childhood dreams of becoming an artist. Singing has been part of his life essentially since birth. Jonah started singing at his parent’s church choir at the tender age of one. Then, at the onset of his skyrocketing career, Jonah’s life changed overnight when he and a couple long-time friends uploaded their own covers of huge pop hits like Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” and Justin Bieber’s “Baby” to Youtube. The unique covers spread like wildfire in the music community, garnered them millions of views, and got them the attention of many acclaimed artists, namely 16x Grammy Award winning producer David Foster. David took them under his wing and signed the trio named Dirty Loops to their first record deal at Verve Records. And just like that, Jonah went from singing in his friend’s basement to becoming an international touring star.
Jonah has made a name for himself through his pop sensibilities and masterful knowledge of music theory from his studies at the Royal Academy of Music, which set him apart in this new democratized era in which almost anyone can call themselves an artist.
Since Jonah’s early rise to fame, he’s since got a few headliner world tours under his belt and has acquired a significant fanbase of high-profile musicians, including Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine, Brian McKnight, Rodney Jerkins, Dallas Austin and the incredible Stevie Wonder. Even though that’s enough for some, Jonah’s humble demeanor continues to push him forward. His cheery outlook on life gives you the sense he’s unfazed and ready to continue giving the gift of music.
Jonah’s debut single, “Coffee Break,” featuring Richard Bona, was self-produced and released in 2018 one version which also features LUCAS from the massively popular K-pop group NCT and released by SM Entertainment. Since then, he has also released a cinematic single “Borrowed Time” and the jaw-dropping performance video of “Work Shit Out” with Dirty Loops. Jonah will continue to share new music, and when asked about how his music will differ from Dirty Loops, he says that the music will continue to have the flirtatious and cheeky sound that they were notorious for, but with more R&B and pop elements.
“I never in a million years thought I’d be here,” confesses Jonah. His piercing blue eyes and huge smile gives you the feeling that he’s wholeheartedly telling the truth. “Living in the present has kept my feet on the ground. I just want to create meaningful music… everything else that happens is extra.”
