London-trained Singer, Rapper and Songwriter offering accessible online singing and rapping lessons for beginners and intermediates via webcam

Find out more about Jonathan

• When did you first develop a passion for music and your favourite instrument?

  I first noticed my passion for music during my childhood. I was exposed to a lot of gospel music and was even part of a children's choir. Although I had a lot of admiration for the musicians, I was always amazed by the vocal abilities of the singers and choirs. During my teen years, rapping solidified my love and passion for music as it was where I felt most at home, helping me to express my thoughts and emotions. Branching out into songwriting and music production helped maintain my openness regarding different genres and ways to express myself through music. I once wrote in a lyric "music's always been my outlet, every day I've got it on kinda like an outfit". I think that sums up my love and passion for music really well.
  
  Although I have a strong appreciation for many instruments, my favourite is the human voice. I think it can sometimes be forgotten in discussions of instruments, which I think is a shame. Human vocals are so unique in their versatility as an instrument, from singing to rapping to beatboxing and everything in between. Two singers will never sound completely the same even if they sing the same key and I find that amazing.

• Is there a particular type of music or artist that you listen to on a loop without driving you crazy?

  I think my first love will always be Hip-Hop as I not only listen to it but also create it. I love imaginative flows and wordplay, and I love the challenge that comes with bringing that together. At the moment, I find myself listening to a lot of Lin Manuel Miranda. I think he has such a great way of creating music and has such a varied catalogue, I can find one of his songs to fit any moment and have it playing on repeat (e.g., the soundtracks from Hamilton, Encanto, In the Heights).

• Explain to us the most difficult or riveting course you could personally give to a student of music.

  A deeper understanding of Rap
  I think a lot of us are critics when it comes to Rap. We can decide what sounds good and what doesn't but we find it hard to say why. This course is designed to provide that background and show what skills are needed to rap as well as offer the "why" we feel how we do when we hear different styles of rap. There is also an opportunity of learning how to rap yourself, giving you first-hand experience and maybe even a new appreciation for people who rap.

• What do you think is the most complicated instrument to master and why?

  I would say from what I know and have read of the instrument, the Oboe may be the hardest to master. This is because after playing it for a while you will probably still sound terrible. It requires lots of patience and perseverance! Although for myself, I am currently learning to use a Maschine MK3 which has a steep learning curve as well.

• What are your keys to success?

  Patience - Some things take time and don't always work to our timeframe. Be patient
  Perseverance - This can mean having to double back on yourself to find another way to your goal but always keep moving.
  Practice - The more time you allot to something the better you will become at it. Make sure you are practising the things you want to succeed at.
  Willingness - Learning is not just being around the tools and people equipped to teach, it is coming with the willingness to take the information on board and to apply it where and when necessary.
  Selective hearing - Not every critic has your best interest in mind. If you receive negative feedback, only focus on the feedback that you can use to improve. For example, "you can't sing" is not helpful criticism. "You don't sing on key" gives you what can actually be improved.

• Name three musicians you dream of meeting in your favourite bar in the early hours of the morning. Explain why.

  Lin-Manuel Miranda - Bumping into Lin-Manuel in my favourite bar would be surreal! This is mainly because I would 100% jump at the opportunity to speak to him about musicals and ask about his journey through that world. We could maybe share some of my ideas for possible projects and see where that could take us!
  
  Kendrick Lamar - I'd love to come up with lyrics and flows with Kendrick Lamar, and also be able to ask him about the different voices he uses and the inspiration behind them while going bar for bar. It'd definitely be a dream to bump into him in my favourite bar.
  
  Michael Jackson - I think listening to this legend coming up with melodies and being a part of the creative process would be amazing, in addition to listening to his views on the music industry. I'd love to know about how he bought the Beatles' masters and any other anecdotes he'd have, so we'd have lots to cover way into the early hours of the morning.
  
  By the end of the night, having met all 3, I truly think we'd have a demo to release lol

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to music or your days at music school.

  While attending singing classes, I would be called on occasion to sing acapella in front of the class. There were around 13 students with myself as the only male for a time. The first time I was asked to sing, I sang 'Favourite Girl' by Marques Houston. I remember feeling very tense, focusing on every note I sang right and all the ones I didn't. After my performance, I was really disappointed in myself. At this stage in my life, I had performed to large crowds numerous times, while rapping and other forms of performing so I expected better from myself. My teacher after taking a moment said to me, "Do it again and this time sing to everyone in here. I want you to point and act out the song and seeing as it's a love song, I want you to choose people from the class to sing to as you perform." I was very confused and already started feeling nervous about having to sing a love song to a group of women I didn't know very well in the class. I focused on my actions and gestures and who I was singing to as I performed. Once I was done my teacher said to me "See, that was soo much better - no vocal shakes and you sounded a lot more convincing". I realised she had taken my attention away from my vocal performance and redirected it, allowing my body to naturally do the rest. It also allowed me to work on my stage persona and understand better the importance of embodying the message you're portraying through a song, bringing your audience into the story you're telling.

• What little touches make you a Superprof in music?

  I believe that my student-focused approach makes me a Superprof. Anyone can gain knowledge but knowing how to digest and use that knowledge is the real key. I help my students to understand the material and make it as relatable to them as possible. I understand that my students have different aims and come from different walks of life, so adjusting my approach to accommodate these needs and wants is imperative.