Jonathon Eley is a 23-year-old singer coming out of a small town in Southern Georgia and has always been determined to move forward in the music industry. On September 23, 2014, he released his debut EP "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly."
On May 5, 2014, Ryan Lewis of Macklemore announced he would be hosting a beat battle competition with David Buffalo Bitton. In an interview following the win at the beat battle, Eley stated that he submitted his single “Gravity” not knowing he would be selected as one of the 12 finalists for the beat battle.
After winning the competition, Eley’s career took a turn for the best, receiving media coverage by MTV, The Grammy Awards, Rolling Stone magazine and The XXL magazine. He was also featured in the June 16, 2014 issue of the Star magazine.
Eley's second EP "This is Easy" was released on November 4, 2016. His debut album was released in July 2017. Eley has also had a successful career in producing. He worked with America’s Got Talent semifinalist Jaycob Curlee and produced a full-length album.
For merchandise and tour information, check out Eley's website here.
"Where are your originally from?"
New York City. Well, Queens to be exact. I moved to Georgia when I was ten, so I always tell people I'm from Georgia.
"How old were you when you started singing?"
Probably 14, summer of 2011. That's when I started to produce my own music.
"What or who was your inspiration behind your first album?"
Childish Gambino was my main inspiration. This album was about paying homage. Telling people that 'This is where I come from, this is where I'm from.' I listen to a lot of J. Cole, lot of Logic, and James Blake.
"How do you want to become well-known?"
For starters, have good music. Good music always spreads. You should never be worried about how many people like your music. Start with your friends first and ask what they think about your songs.
"What was your first performance like?
It was a sold out event. I didn't put major promotion behind it, like flyers and other ways of advertisements. It was to see who would come out to support. It was truly amazing. Can't wait to see what the next one is like.
"Are you signed by any major record company?"
No, I'm not. Everything I do is independent right now until we get noticed by somebody. That's the plan.
"What do you hope for in the future?"
I hope for my music to be even more meaningful and powerful than it is. I hope for better conversation among Americans through my music, and also have a bigger platform. It's not about being famous-- I just want to get my music out to other people. I want to keep doing something different. I want more people to do this, like what I'm doing. The sky is the limit, and I want to take it as far as I can take it.
"Who do you hope to meet?"
Frank Ocean. That's a no brainer. Also, definitely Childish Gambino. There are many others I would like to meet but those are the main two artists.
"When is your first major concert?"
Tickets will be on sale soon. My first major performance will be on October 26 in Auburn, Alabama. College kids will be there, and I want to spread the word throughout this town. Hope to have a lot of people there and just have a great time.
