Jonny West has been hard at work refining his craft and crafting his art to make 2021 his year. His latest single and music video “Homicide” is an end-of-love story told with a sardonic smile and an open heart.
There is no pretense with Jonny West, he is Candid and cheeky, not putting on airs for the sake of coming off as something he is not, and the same authenticity that drives his music -zig-zagging between dark humor and honest sentiment- also drove the interview that we have for you today.
The video for “Homicide” feels very intimate, then again, so does the song. Did you have a hand in the direction/conception?
Hi, yes I knew I wanted this new video to be a one-shot take just like the last single and my camera operator and I had the idea to film something as isolating as the song feels, so that’s where we ended up.
What gets you through a breakup? what do you do during that period of transition to deal with the emotional strain?
Drugs. Jk. Don’t do drugs. Umm i don’t know I usually just try to write out what I’m feeling in songs and then leave those feelings there in the song. Cuz if I didn’t do that I would feel too much and idk if that’s always the best. So I do my best to leave it in the song and then in my real life look at things with the glass half full. I believe at my core everything happens as it should. So when things end that’s how it’s meant to be.
You’ve cited Tyler The Creator, and Kanye as some of your influences, yet -as far as genre goes- that seems like an incomplete picture. who else would you add to that list?
I don’t think the music has to match to be influenced by the art as a whole. The way those guys live their truths in their music is more what I try to emulate. I guess for genre influences idk it’s always changing. I’ll listen to a smash pop song and be like “oh I wanna try to write my own version of that” and then near the end it’s become it’s own thing cuz I get bored and the song has evolved so much by the time it’s finished. At least that’s what I feel like happens.
I know hip-hop was your first true musical love, and you certainly do make use of it. What other genres out there you’d like to explore?
I’ve been deep into Portuguese music lately but till I learn how to speak the language I probably won’t dabble into that anytime soon.
Your last EP came out in 2019, are you preparing a new one? perhaps a full-length album?
I actually have a second EP locked and loaded that is leagues better than the last one. So I’m hyped, happy, and ready for that to be in the world. As far as an album goes I have a few concepts I’m constantly going back to and revamping so we’ll see. I just like doing what I want and if it makes itself into a flushed-out body of work; sweet.
Lastly, if you had to dispose of a dead body, how many friends would you be calling? who brings the shovel?
I’d call a solid 5 homies then after the body was dealt with tie up the loose ends… jk love You guys.
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photos / Daniel Prakopcyk
story / Samuel Aponte