John Kolar: “I grew up in love with the music of The Beatles. I would ask for their albums on CD every Christmas and listen to them from front to back”
Hailing from the hills of Morgantown, West Virginia, John Kolar is an up-and-coming indie singer/songwriter with a love for rock, pop, country, and jazz. His recent single, Tie My Shoes, was a tune that placed me into a hypnotic and floaty haze I didn't want to end, and then came the utterly beautiful Skipping Stones.
Getting the feeling that I'd unearthed something of a rare gem, I was intrigued to learn more about John Kolar and his artistry. Thankfully, he was keen to share, and this led to us chatting about some of his biggest influences, how he transforms an idea into a song, and what he has in the musical pipeline. So, without further ado, please welcome the hugely talented John Kolar!
Welcome, John - thrilled to have you with us and looking forward to learning more about you! Now...before we get into the nitty gritty, can you tell us what first drew you to music and how you discovered your passion for it?
Music was a big part of my household growing up, so I was surrounded by it. I picked up a guitar at around 6 years old and started seriously taking lessons at 11. I've always loved listening and playing.
Your previous single, Tie My Shoes, was a tune I described as "an intoxicating little number". I instantly fell in love with it, and I'm wondering if there's anything about the track you'd like our readers to know.
Tie My Shoes is a song about dealing with modern relationships. We've never been more connected as a civilization with real-time communication, but this can also be burdensome and cause anxiety. I wanted to create a somewhat playful song about this experience, and Tie My Shoes came out of it.
Your brand new single, Skipping Stones, is another absolutely stunning piece of music. And that violin...Wow! What does the song mean to you, and how do you hope it resonates with listeners?
Thank you! Skipping Stones is a special song for me because it embraces my Appalachian roots. I grew up in West Virginia and was fortunate to be surrounded by great people. I wrote this song as a love song, not only for a romantic partner but for the mountains of Appalachia and the type of people who live there. I was fortunate to have many Appalachian musicians involved in this track as well, which made it extra special.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences? Who did you grow up listening to? And would you say that your tastes have changed over the years?
I grew up in love with the music of The Beatles. I would ask for their albums on CD every Christmas and listen to them from front to back on car rides with the family as we travelled to visit family for the holidays.
My dad was into a lot of classic rock, so he introduced me to The Eagles, Kansas, and other similar bands. I also grew up playing guitar in church every week, and that helped me to understand song structure and music theory in a unique way, learning that music in alongside learning popular pop and rock songs.
Photo Credit: Megan McGinnis
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” What would your life look like without music, and what fills your days when you’re not busy creating?
Music occupies most of my waking life! If I'm not making music or teaching about music, I'm reading or gardening. I like to read a blend of fiction and non-fiction. I like Kurt Vonnegut and popular science non-fiction. I find a lot of inspiration for my song lyrics in these books. I also really love gardening. It is a great outlet to get outside and healthy for the body and the soul.
Can you walk us through your usual songwriting process? Not for a specific track, but overall - how do you transform a spark of inspiration into a finished song?
I normally write the harmony first. I really like music theory, especially chord theory, so I often play some chords and then try to find at least two distinct song sections. Then I find a melody that sounds good in my vocal range, and then write lyrics from there.
I'm constantly writing down lyrics in phone notes and notebooks, but they don't always match the tone and vibe that I'm going for in a specific song. Sometimes, I'll write an instrumental and then go back and find the exact lyric that fits, and it's a great feeling!
OK, John – desert island time! You’re allowed to grab 3 albums before being stranded on an island. Which do you go with?
Definitely a Stevie Wonder album. Probably Songs in the Key of Life. I'd also have to take a Beatles album, probably Revolver. I'd probably also want to take something heavier, so maybe something by Bullet for My Valentine, they're one of my favorite metal bands. I like their album The Poison.
Thanks so much for chatting with us, John! It's been awesome to connect with you again. Before we sign off, what’s next on your creative radar?
I'll be releasing a song a month this year until November. This will be leading up to a 10-song album. My next song, Tuesday, will be released on May 13. I'll be working to write, record, mix, and master the remaining songs, and I'm excited about the project!
Thanks for having me for this interview!
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