Jono Dorr
BornLos Angeles, California, United States
GenresPop, R&B
Occupation(s)Musician, producer, singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • guitar
  • bass guitar
Years active2009–present

Jono Dorr (born April 9, 1990) also known as Jonathan Dorr, is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He has written and produced music for various artists including Hayley Kiyoko, The Neighbourhood, Kehlani, G-Eazy, French Montana, Gnash, Bibi Bourelly, Skizzy Mars, Devon Baldwin, Janine, Phem, and Marco Mckinnis.[1] He has released several singles as a solo artist, and his debut EP, The Unexamined Life Part 1, was released on August 12, 2020.[2]

Early life

Jono Dorr was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.[3] He grew up playing guitar and explored many genres of music including classic rock, blues, and funk.[2] Throughout his childhood, he played guitar and bass in various bands.[3] While attending the Academy of Music and Performing Arts at Alexander Hamilton High School, Dorr participated in an electronic music class in which he learned how to create and produce music digitally.[4] He then started producing and songwriting with various singers and rappers.[4] Graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a major in Philosophy and a minor in Electronic Music, Dorr originally planned on becoming a lawyer to satisfy the wishes of his parents but instead opted for a career in music.[1]

Career

Motivated by his parents' ultimatum to either be successful in music or get a non-entertainment related job, Dorr started out by composing and recording cues for reality television shows.[5] This allowed him to support himself while also fine-tuning his production and songwriting skills.[1] In 2018, Dorr co-produced and co-wrote Hayley Kiyoko's breakout album, Expectations, which reached the Top 20 Album charts in the US, Canada, and Australia.[6] In 2019 Dorr became a solo artist releasing four original songs that featured his production and songwriting along with his vocals.

Unexamined Life Pt. I On August 12, 2020, Dorr released his first 6 track EP titled Unexamined Life Pt. 1.[7] The Ep's title was inspired by the famous Socrates quote, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”[8] Dorr told New Music Weekly that the album was about “choosing pain over ignorance, freedom over obedience, and purpose over greed.”[9] The release was met with positive reviews, being referred to as “an eclectic piece of work that is equal parts haunting, delicate, and devastating,” by popular music blog Imperfect Fifth.[2] The Ep was preceded by three singles. The first single, “High Tide” was released on February 20, 2020 along with a music video.[8] The second single, “Wanna Stay,” was released on April 23, 2020. “Quiet Footsteps,” the EP's third single was released on June 25, 2020 and is described as the essence of a pop ballad while carrying the spirit of the blues and a therapeutic purging of sad thoughts by Ray Sang at UK music blog, IndustryMe.[3] The fourth single, “Deep End,” was released after the EP on October 7, 2020 and featured inspiration from folk music with a sound compared to Bon Iver.[8]

Influences

Dorr's modern pop/R&B sound draws upon his varying musical inspirations.[1] He has specifically cited the raw, jarring quality of the blues along with the communal efforts of motown music as his biggest inspirations.[1] His combination of genres has created a sound that has been described as, “cerebral and grounded, a stunning contrast of darkness and light.” Dorr has been compared to such artists as The Weeknd and Bon Iver.[8]

Songwriting and production credits

Year Artist Album Title Co-writer or writer Producer
2020 Hayley Kiyoko I'm Too Sensitive For This Shit "She" check
2019 Devon Baldwin Underwater "Underwater" check check
"Don't Pray For Me" check check
"Someone New" check check
"Used To Be" check check
2018 Marco McKinnis Underground "Silence" check check
Janine 99 "Be By Myself" check check
"Hold On" check check
"Don't Love Me" check check
"Never the Right Time" check check
"Too Late" check check
"Unstable" check check
"Said It All" check check
"Numb" check check
"Believed In You" check check
"Wrong Thing" check check
"Get Through This Again" check check
Hayley Kiyoko Expectations "Expectations (overture)" check check
"Feelings" check check
"What I Need"
(featuring Kehlani)		 check check
"Sleepover" check check
"Mercy / Gatekeeper check check
"Under the Blue / Take Me In" check check
"Curious" check
"xx" check check
"Wanna Be Missed" check
"He'll Never Love You check check
"Molecules" check check
"Let It Be" check check
2017 G-Eazy Non-album single "Just Friends"
(featuring Phem)		 check check
2016 Bibi Bourelly Free The Real (Pt. #2) "Untitled" check check
Hayley Kiyoko Citrine EP "Gravel to Tempo" check check
"Ease My Mind" check check
"Pretty Girl" check check
"Palace" check check
Gnash us "Get Well Soon"
(featuring Phem)		 check check
Skizzy Mars Alone "comb" check check
2015 Gnash me "Tell Me It's Okay" check
Devon Baldwin Lungs EP "Closer" check check
The Neighbourhood Wiped Out! "Prey" check check
"Cry Baby" check
"Wiped Out" check
"The Beach" check
"Baby Came Home 2/ Valentines" check
"Greetings From Califournia" check check
"Ferrari" check
"Single" check
"R.I.P. 2 My Youth" check
2014 Devon Baldwin Non-album single "Blame" check check
The Neighbourhood #000000 & #FFFFFF "#icanteven"
(featuring French Montana)		 check check
Devon Baldwin Non-album single "Refuse" check check

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Songwriter Profile: Jono Dorr". Music Connection Magazine. August 27, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 "jono dorr, the unexamined life part 1". August 12, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "Jono Dorr Walks Out Into The spotlight With "Quiet Footsteps"". June 25, 2020.
  4. 1 2 "An Interview With Singer-Songwriter JONO DORR On His New Solo Track 'Quiet Footsteps,' Writing and Producing For Others and What's Next! | All Access Music".
  5. ↑ Team, Unheard Gems (June 19, 2020). ""Quiet Footsteps" - Jono Dorr | Review". Unheard Gems.
  6. ↑ "Songwriter/Producer for Kehlani and Hayley Kiyoko, Jono Dorr Debuts New Single". Divine Magazine. July 2, 2020.
  7. ↑ "JONO DORR: INTERVIEW". Unclear Magazine.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Ears Wide Open: Jono Dorr". October 12, 2020.
  9. ↑ Loggins, Paul (August 13, 2020). "Jono Dorr Releases Inspiring EP, The Unexamined Life Part 1". New Music Weekly.
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