INTERVIEW: Alternative Pop from John Conlin

Toronto-born and Los Angeles-based artist John Conlin has been making an impact in the dance pop sphere with his catchy sound and honest lyricism. His musical journey began at a young age, displaying a talent for the piano by the age of four, while his passion for composition and production took root early, with a self-taught journey into the world of music production on his first laptop.

As he explored his readily apparent knack for crafting infectious melodies, his own original musical vision began to take shape. Each song he writes seeks to document universal emotions and personal experiences with his music standing as a powerful reminder that, even in the darkest moments, a glimmer of hope and light is always within reach.

His unique sound is built on bold synths, powerful beats and poignant storytelling that’s won over fans with its ability to lift listeners from despair to a place of sonic euphoria. The world got the first taste of John Conlin’s original sonic output back in 2019 with the release of his debut single “Radio Silence.” Followed up with the sophomore single “First Gear” the next year, he’s since dropped multiple well-received releases at an increasing rate.

Now he brings us his latest release with the brand new single titled “Love Me Just a Little.” This thrilling alternative pop anthem cut with rock vibes thematically covers the intense yearning for love in the depths of the night.

Started off with spliced pitched vocal shots as the beat builds up, John’s slick vocal leads enter to spin picture painting lyricism as the arrangement swells around his voice. Soft pulsing tones and sweeping sonic textures glide above the shuffling beat, injecting a gritty edge with electric guitar chords and shimmering synths as John’s voice soars above to deliver infectiously catchy melodic leads.

Building throughout, the song bursts into a rousing finale where layers of vocals back up John’s expressive leads and the full band sound delivers an energising listening experience that’s impossible not to live. Instantly memorable and thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, “Love Me Just a Little” sees John Conlin deliver an emphatic pop anthemic that’s relatable, moving and truly dazzling.

We caught up with John Conlin to find out more about his musical journey so far, his new single “Love Me Just a Little” and what he’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with John Conlin below.

Hey John, how’s things?

Hey there, Plastic Magazine, things are going great! I just got back from Europe doing a vocal engineering and arranging gig, which was a lots of work, but super exciting!

What’s your earliest memory of making music?

My earliest memory of making music would be around 10 or 11. I’d always been very musical (I grew up playing piano and alto saxophone), but it was around this age where I started looking away from the notes on the page and started noodling around and creating my own melodies. I’ve always been a melody-first writer and I think it’s because of my classical piano background. From here, I started making arrangements in garageband on my first macbook and I’ve been going ever since!

Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?

My fav artists are Freddy Mercury, David Bowie, Lady GaGa, Madonna, and Prince. I really love the over-the-top theatrical performances that they’ve given throughout their careers. The way they effortlessly capture your attention from their stage presence and aura gives me goosebumps.

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

I find a lot of inspiration from the world around me. Sometimes I’ll be watching a show on Netflix and hear a character deliver a line that sounds really poetic and I’ll quickly open my notes, write it down, and figure out how to incorporate it into a song later.

What was your highlight of the year for 2023?

My highlight of 2023 was performing at the Springboard Music Festival in Memphis. I’d never had the opportunity to play a festival before, and as someone who loves performing, it was a massive deal to me. I loved getting to showcase my music and soul to a crowd of people in a part of the country that I’d never played before.

What do you love about the Los Angeles music scene?

I love that you can find a community. I make very electropop, catchy music and I’ve found a great group of artist friends that identify and love my subgenre.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

I’d say the perfect environment to listen to my music is walking down the street in the middle of the night, blasting it on your headphones. I feel like my music has a bombastic, “lovers-in-the-night” aura to it and I think you really gotta be moving to best enjoy it.

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?

A dream artist to collaborate with would probably be LANY or Troye Sivan. I really love the dreamy-pop landscape that their music lives in and would do practically anything to write with/collaborate with either of them.

How did you find making your new single “Love Me Just a Little”?

I found it to be a pretty quick writing session. My songwriting typically goes 1) I write the bulk of a song myself and then 2) I turn to another songwriter to edit/polish the lyrics up. The most challenging part was the recording process. This song is pretty difficult to sing and even though I had the option to potentially move the song to a lower register, I really liked the way it sounded in this key. The ad libs at the end of the song were really a challenge, but I love pushing myself to the edges of my comfort zone.

What message did you want to get across with this release?

With “Love Me Just a Little”, I wanted to get across the painful feeling of wanting to be wanted. I feel like a lot of today’s “dating culture” is really superficial and because a lot of people meet online, I feel like more people want to play the field than settle for the first person they connect with. There were so many first dates I’d been on that went super well and I’d then find out that the other person didn’t want anything serious and it would always make me feel like screaming “oh god, can someone just love me a little already”?!

What artist have you been listening to most recently?

I’ve been super into Tate Mcrae’s new record. She’s such an absolute star and the new music is incredible. I’ve also gotten really into Phil Collins and Joni Mitchell. Joni is such a stunning writer like OMFG. I’m studying her catalogue right now to try and becoming a better lyricist.

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

I want people to be able to dance to my beats while also take in my honest lyricism. I love pop music. I love dance music. I really love good storytelling. And I hope that people can relate to my stories about love, heartbreak, and everything in between while also being able to get up and move their bodies.

What’s been your favourite live performance so far?

My favourite live performance so far was actually a few agos. I played a show at “The Holding Company” in San Diego while wearing a purple, feathery fuzzy coat and massive Elton John-esque sunglasses. I debuted some new, unreleased, music and I felt like such a freaking rockstar.

Who would be 3 artists to headline your dream festival? And where would it be?

Three artists that would headline my dream festival would be Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, and Billy Joel. All three of them have such iconic discographies. Mariah literally has some of the best songs of all time, Beyoncé is the greatest live entertainer ever, and Billy Joel was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to and would die to see him again.

Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow your footsteps?

I think you really have to love what you do and have high self-esteem. I’m definitely nowhere near where I want to be in my career and I have to divorce my feeling of self-worth from my streaming numbers. It’s a constant uphill battle to remind myself “hey, I’m still really good even though it takes me forever to crack 1000 plays on spotify”. I also try to not compare myself to my peers cause that’s the kiss of the death. I know my time to be celebrated is gonna come one day.

Finally, what do you have lined up for the rest of 2024?

I’m gonna be releasing a song every 4-6 weeks for the whole year, which is super nerve-wracking but also exciting. I hate making a song and then waiting for “the right time” to put it out. I’m past the point of waiting for a “viral” tiktok moment to release my music; I just want it to be off my harddrive and out in the world.

Listen to Love Me Just a Little below