First capturing the hearts of thousands of fans through live streams from his bedroom in 2016, Jonah Marais’ humble beginnings in Stillwater, Minnesota, led him to a whirlwind career as a co-founder and member of the renowned and beloved boyband Why Don’t We.
The band achieved global success spanning the six years they spent touring worldwide and reaching milestones such as RIAA Platinum-certified singles and five RIAA Gold-certified singles… Did I mention with over 8 billion streams?
Well known for his role in the boyband, Jonah is reintroducing himself to audiences and embarking on his solo musical journey.
This past summer, the Minnesota native released his debut solo project, The Jonah Marais Mixtape, signaling the first few hints of this new chapter, featuring tracks such as “Heaven,” where Jonah has collaborated with acclaimed writers and creators such as Ryan Lewis and Jason Koenig.
In our conversation, Jonah shared his experiences collaborating with two industry heavyweights: GRAMMY-winning producer and songwriter Ryan Lewis, best known for his work as part of the duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and acclaimed director Jason Koenig, whose impressive portfolio includes projects with Ed Sheeran and Macklemore. Both have played a significant role in shaping Jonah’s sound and vision as he embarks on his solo journey.
Jonah Marais – PC: Jason Koenig
With a headline tour played across cities in the US over this past year, Jonah is joining alternative-pop band Nightly on the road in support of their upcoming 2025 tour for a handful of dates across the country in support of their upcoming 2025 tour
With a focus on connecting with his audience, the 26-year-old musician is gearing up to release his debut solo album in 2025, a deeply personal project that marks a significant milestone in his career.
The Knockturnal chatted with Jonah in the midst of touring across countries to talk about his latest single, “Slow Motion,” touring and growing as a solo artist. In conversation, Jonah reflects on this new chapter in his life: “It’s a beautiful time to be in the driver’s seat of my career and connect with people through my music.”
Fans can look forward to more singles, music videos, and live performances as Jonah continues to solidify his identity as a solo artist.
Read our full interview with Jonah Marais!
THE KNOCKTURNAL: To begin, I wanted to talk about your newly released single “Slow Motion” featuring Ryan Lewis – this is the first single from an upcoming debut album. Can you share the story behind the making of the song and why you chose it to represent as a lead single from your upcoming debut album?
JONAH MARAIS: This song started a while back in the studio. I was with my friends Jason and then Ryan as well. And yeah, Ryan came in and started playing the main kind of riff on the piano and then started making a beat because I really liked it, and it came together. And more than anything, I think ‘Slow Motion’ was just kind of like a party. I felt like, oh my gosh, this song could play at a club or at a house party or something. They come on, and people would vibe with it. So that was exciting. And then I was just sort of pulling from, I don’t know, I think I live a hectic life and always on the move, and it’s rare when you can be with someone, and they slow everything down for a little bit, and that the idea.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Being that there is a full album coming soon… and this is such a big deal because you have an opportunity to fully express yourself vulnerably as an artist, whereas before, there were so many other factors to consider being in a band. What has the songwriting and production experience of creating this record been like, and what has it meant to you so far?
JM: I was definitely just worried and vulnerable, coming out of the band and going out on a limb a little bit, experimenting and seeing what happens. Luckily, I connected with Ryan, who is such an incredible dude, and opened up his studio to be in LA and also in Washington. Having a safe space to explore different parts of my voice and different sounds and throw out lyrics has been crucial. I feel like you have to have a space where you can actually throw out bad ideas, and no one is judging you. It’s been a beautiful next step in the journey, and it’s gotten me super excited. The album’s going to be awesome.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Being that we can now get to know you as yourself as an artist, I wanted to ask about your first experiences growing up when it came to discovering your passion for music. Do you have a memory, whether it’s from your childhood – it could be an album that had an impact on you, a concert you attended, the fact that your dad was a musician – something that really impacted you and inspired you to pursue music?
JM: I love that you did your homework! I would say we were always singing as a family at church and around the house, and music was in my blood. It was very around me, but I remember vividly that it was fifth grade. I stayed home because I really didn’t want to go to school, so I pretended to be sick. I looked up how to play my favorite songs on YouTube and on the piano. I had taken some piano lessons before that, but it was all kind of classical, and to me, it was a little boring. I literally quit piano lessons because it was not my thing, but something struck me to look up how to play my favorite songs that are playing on the radio because I discovered pop radio.
I think it was Jay Sean’s “Down,” and I learned how to play that. And then I came to school the next day before music class. I sat down at the piano, and I was playing it, and a bunch of the kids came in. Everyone was so fired up about it because that’s a song that we all liked, and it was a pivotal moment for me.
Jonah Marais – PC: Jason Koenig
THE KNOCKTURNAL: What would you say are some of the challenges and also benefits that you’ve picked up from working as an independent artist?
JM: I’m actually in the driver’s seat of where I want to take my career and where I want my sound to go. For instance, the tour that I’m on right now is kind of an extension of the last tour that I just did, and it felt so good to be back out on the road for 15+ shows… In the past, there were big companies that were making the decisions for me, and it felt so good to be a little bit more homegrown in making those decisions. I would say that the challenging part has been that labels provide security in terms of money. So that’s something that we’re building independently as well, and I’m excited about, but it’s not just like a given.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: On the subject of live music and touring, it was announced that you will be joining Nightly on tour! This is an opportunity to not only reintroduce yourself in a live music space to your fans who have been around for a decade but also it gives you a chance to introduce yourself to audiences who aren’t familiar with you yet. How are you feeling about joining this tour and connecting with new audiences from this new era of your music career?
JM: I’m so excited about the nightly tour, mainly because I’m just a huge fan of them. I think it’s a great opportunity to connect with people who have the same music taste as me. I love their music. That’s the fan base that I’m looking forward to having in the future. It just really adds up. I feel really lucky that I get to go into the studio and create art, and there are people on the other side who are waiting for that art to come out into the world, and anytime there’s a chance to expand that, it’s so beautiful.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Something I love talking about with musicians is how all of the visuals and aesthetics are made when it comes to attaching it to a release, whether it be a single or an album. Because of social media, a lot of artists are really tapping into creating visual themes and eras out of the music they release. Could you touch on this upcoming era of music and what inspired you with the visuals, imagery, and aesthetics?
JM: We haven’t gotten too into the visual space yet, other than with ‘Slow Motion.’ It’s been fun. We’ve just been creating lots of, there’s one video that I did that I’m excited about where I went in my videographer’s backyard and he shot a hose and an umbrella, and it looked like it was raining off the umbrella. Because I’m independent and one of my good friends, Jason Koenig is a very well-acclaimed music video director and has access where we can be free and think of ideas and film stuff right on the fly and make it, and it’s interesting how music videos have shifted a lot.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: You have had so much experience touring and traveling and being in front of so many audiences over the years. You completed your first headlining tour in the US not too long ago, and you’re continuing to play a couple more shows for the remainder of this year. A lot of artists in recent years have come out and been outspoken about the toll that touring can take on their mental health. How do you kind of unwind and recharge after a tour? What do you do to kind of stay grounded before diving into a new project and a new album or release cycle?
JM: After a tour, I try to have a few days of just chilling, not doing too much because touring is a totally different pace of life. When you’re out on the road, it’s always “Go, go, go.” I love it so much. It’s such a high being on that stage and connecting with people and feeling the energy in the room. To let that go and move forward into a different part of life that’s not touring can feel a little bit like a low afterward. I like to let my body feel that for a little bit and make the transition into every day going to the studio or whatever. I try not to book too much for a few days after. I like to write on the road if I can… to set up a little mic and computer in the green room so we can lay something down.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Who are some of your favorite artists from this year that have inspired you?
JM: I would say in the last year, I’ve gotten a lot more into country music, which I didn’t expect. I feel like a lot of people these days like country, just the storytelling aspect. So I mean, I love the new Post Malone album, even though he wasn’t a country artist before. I saw his show, and it was so good. I would say I’m a huge fan of The Eagles. They’re such a classic band, and I grew up listening to them, and I got to see them at The Sphere a few weeks ago, so that was amazing, in Vegas. Obviously, the pop girls are crushing it right now. It’s so fun to see Sabrina, Olivia, Rodrigo, Chappell, Tate McCrae, Billie, Charlie XCX….It’s been the year of pop stars returning, which is exciting as a music fan. More than ever, you can really connect and create music in any genre
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Is any of your upcoming music possibly country-inspired, or are we staying more pop?
JM: I think I’m staying more pop for now, but I think down the line, that’s something I’m intrigued by. I really love the storytelling aspect of country music. I think some of those aspects might weave their way into this next album, but I would say after this album comes out, I might even venture more in that direction. We’ll see!
Stay tuned for news and releases from Jonah in the future here.
Purchase tickets to see Jonah next year on tour opening for Nightly here.
