Introducing “John Lindahl’s Cult Classiqué” – an album accompanied by its own six-part series, unfolding into a cinematic experience.
The narrative revolves around the main character, Johnny, portrayed by Lindahl himself, drawing inspiration from the artist’s personal stories.
In his day-to-day life, Lindahl takes on the roles of a singer, songwriter, dancer, actor, recording artist, director, and producer. Within the film, he delves into the sinister mind of his character, Johnny.
The first three songs, ‘Welcome to Hargrove (Overture),’ ‘Johnny,’ and ‘You Don’t Know Me,’ unfold the narrative of Johnny’s story. These scenes, capturing the essence of thrill and horror, are all filmed using a 35mm camera.
Following the release of his debut album, “A John Lindahl Holiday,” and the anticipation of a tour in 2020, the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the entire process, casting a shadow that led Lindahl into a state of depression.
LINDAHL: “I honestly went into a pretty deep depression afterwards because I envisioned this big thing, this grand thing that I wanted to kind of take on tour and do all these things.”
The release of his latest album marks a turning point—a journey of picking up the pieces from where they left off.
During the quarantine period, Lindahl began watching interviews with script writers and directors, drawing inspiration to craft a film that would complement his latest album.
LINDAHL: “I think this is a piece of my creativity, a piece of myself as an artist that I haven’t fully tapped into that I’ve always wanted to tap into and in creating this album, I realized I want to brand it as a film as well.”
The first part of the film, titled “John Lindahl’s “CULT CLASSIQUÉ” (Part 1): ‘JOHNNY!’,” kicks off with the album’s overture—a sequence inspired by previous films that had left a lasting impact on him. The overture featured choreography by Lindahl himself, alongside Marty Kudelka, known for his work with artists such as Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, and One Direction.
LINDAHL: “That (the overture) obviously comes from my roots, watching Singing in the Rain and even theater. Old films used to just have that, even if they weren’t musicals, they would have overtures that would kind of be an overarching thing for all the themes and motifs within the film.”
He singled out the final song of the first part, ‘You Don’t Know Me,’ as one of his favorite scenes, describing it as the catalyst that made him realize this was more than just a song—it was a film.
LINDAHL: “That was where ‘You Don’t Know Me’ came from because I was just so frustrated. I created something, so I know I have something, and people just aren’t seeing it. You don’t know me, you don’t know what I have.”
In a particular segment of the video featuring ‘You Don’t Know Me,’ shot in a bathroom, the sequence showcases the main character, Johnny, navigating through the bathroom with each move meticulously crafted with the camera, enhanced by ~killer~ special effects, courtesy of co-director Josh Michael Payne.
Looking ahead to the upcoming parts of the film that complements the album, Lindahl assures audiences that every character will have their moment and arc.
LINDAHL: “By this first part, you know, we’re introducing everyone. But definitely by the second or third I think the viewer will be very aware of what motivation is maybe except for Johnny.”
Lindahl also emphasized the significance of the back half of the album, highlighting the song titled ‘Don’t Be Scared.’ This track serves as a personal message to himself, encouraging him to keep moving forward.
Keep an eye out for his limited capsule collections, each corresponding to the six parts of the film, and watch Lindahls full interview here, where he delves deeper into the creative process behind the film.
For more of JOHN LINDAHL check out his socials:
Instagram: @johndlindahl
X: @JohnLindahl
TikTok: @JohnLindahl
Youtube: John Lindahl