4 minute read
Emerging Artist, Old Soul
By Greg Ceci
Jonah McLean was born in Warkworth, Ontario, and still calls it home today—but that hasn’t always been the case. Like many young boys, he threw himself into sports, eventually moving to Texas at fifteen to pursue a golfing career. He finished high school in Florida, then earned a golf scholarship at the University of North Carolina. But disenchanted with the game, he left university early, drawn back to his roots. It turns out, home is where the music is—and always was.
His journey began on a drum kit at around seven years old. His Dad's taste in classic rock fuelled his new passion as he jammed along with Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, CCR, Fleetwood Mac, The Band and The Beatles. By ten, music took a back seat to sports. “I didn’t pick up a guitar until I was seventeen and got a quick lesson from a dear friend of mine, Jeremy Early. I was pretty busy with golf at this point so I used to just pick up the guitar for ten to fifteen minutes a day.”
Music’s pull eventually proved irresistible. At twenty-three he took vocal lessons, leading to his first live performance at a community fundraiser for the Arts and Heritage Foundation. It was a life-changing moment. “The first song I wrote that was actually good ended up getting me an Ontario Arts Council grant. The 2022 song is called Beautiful and Ordinary. I always sort of tip my cap to that song because it led me down the songwriting path.”
Now fully immersed in music, McLean explores themes of passion, pain and pleasure for the hopeless romantic while drawing from his vintage roots and mixing in a dash of modern sensibilities. All you can ask of a new artist is to be authentic and pour their entire being into their art. His emotionally charged voice, rich with tone and control, anchors his authenticity.
Songwriting, he says, is like swimming in the deep end. Ideas are shooting stars: fleeting, but powerful if caught. “Sometimes it can be a couple days where I go as far as I can, then come back to it. When I do this, it feels fresh again.”
A self-taught producer, McLean is meticulous about sound and vibe. With soulful folk songs, described as having a vintage feel reminiscent of the 1960s and 70s - still, humility grounds him. “If it lacks feeling, there’s not much there. I think we all go through different periods of art, but it’s important to keep pushing forward and take risks.”
He's primarily playing solo gigs but does include a stand up acoustic bass player for some shows with hopes to eventually incorporate a full band complete with pedal steel and violin or fiddle. His goal is simple: keep growing, keep performing, and see where the music leads. Surrounded by supportive family and mentors, he leans on their advice while staying true to his vision.
The landscape for musicians has greatly changed over the past few decades with promotion, marketing and image cultivation becoming important factors but Mclean is old school and still believes that honest, authentic music should always be first. “I wish music was all about the music. I get it with the whole marketing thing and that you have to adapt to the current times - but it’s the art that really keeps me attached to it.”
Having released his first EP and writing new material, McLean reflects, “I’m proud of myself for growing and continuing to make progress. I was never really sure what I wanted, but stepping out on my own has helped me figure it out. I mean, I still don’t know exactly what I’m doing most of the time but I’m a heck of a lot closer to it.” jonahmclean.ca
Remember, your next favourite artist lives right in your own backyard and it will always be hip, vogue and in fashion to support local artists and live music.
Photography by John Halley
