FEATURES “DIAMOND RING” WITH LEGENDARY GUITARIST STEVE VAI AND NEW SINGLE “INDEPENDENT GIRL” WITH GRAMMY WINNER JACOB COLLIER
SIGNED TO QUINCY JONES MANAGEMENT, VIRAL GENRE-DEFYING ARTIST BREAKS THE MOLD WITH MASTERFUL SOLO DEBUT
“Uber funky” —Guitar World
“A mix of pop, funk-soul and R&B with Nilsson’s own distinct retro-twist… The record displays Nilsson’s vocal range and knack for crafting catchy melodies as the singer delivers the goods in excess.” —Earmilk
Jonah Nilsson, lead vocalist for Dirty Loops, a major YouTube sensation with over 60 million views to date, is breaking new ground today with his debut solo album Now Or Never, available via Jammcard Records. Totally individual and complex in his creation, the pop virtuoso combines elements of R&B, funk, soul and disco for a confident release that hits on all the right beats. Now Or Never includes the recent singles “Diamond Ring” with a shredding guitar solo from the legendary hero Steve Vai, as well as the cover of Michael Jackson’s “Bad” featuring Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Anomalie and Justin Lee Schultz. Fresh off the record is a brand new single “Independent Girl” with 5-time GRAMMY winner Jacob Collier.
According to Jonah, the effervescent track “Independent Girl” has been years in the making. “A few years back I flew to London and wrote this song together with Jacob at his studio. This song is the result of two friends who’ve known each other for a long time, hanging and writing together. It makes it extra special for me to release this out into the world.”
Packed with high-energy bangers, Now Or Never delivers on every level of pop greatness, even tugging on the heartstrings with songs like “Borrowed Time” and “I Just Need” with Tobia Grenholm on bass and Jesper Naenfeldt on guitar. Jonah says “I Just Need” is a song that “goes out to all you lovers out there! I hope to be singing this at a lot of weddings! Don’t forget to tell your loved ones that you love them!”
Signed to Quincy Jones management, the music industry mogul has long been a fan and supporter of Jonah since his early days. Quincy discovered the Swedish singer and multi-instrumentalist through his work with Dirty Loops, before taking him under his wing. Quincy even makes a special cameo in the music video for “Diamond Ring,” a track that also has contributions from Grenholm (bass), Naenfeldt (guitar), Kristian Kraftling (keys) and Kefa Figaro (drums).
“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.”
As a funk-pop artist, Jonah 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, R&B tendencies and wide 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. Jonah will continue to share new music, and when asked about how his music differs 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.”
NOW OR NEVER TRACK LISTING:
1) Diamond Ring
2) Independent Girl
3) BAD
4) Coffee Break
5) Borrowed Time
6) I Just Need
7) Now or Never
8) Last Farewell
