Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with John Lindahl

It’s opening night for pop sensation John Lindahl. As he prepares to take his first steps onto center stage—a moment he’s worked for his entire life—he remembers all the setbacks he had to overcome and all the industry heads who told him he wasn’t a star and couldn’t fill a room. While many would have been deterred, the discouragement fueled John to work even harder, making the release of his debut album that much sweeter.

Dedicated to those who have ever been told “no,” Opening Night marks an exciting new chapter for the underdog who refused to lie down. Pop Culturalist caught up with John for a candid conversation about rediscovering his self-worth and silencing the naysayers.

PC: You got your start doing musical theater. What role has that experience played in your career?
John: You can hear elements of it on my debut album, which is out now. I wanted it to feel like it’s opening night and that you’re sitting in a plush movie theater or theater seat listening to the music that I’ve composed.

I’ve learned a lot of great skills from theater, like how to project your voice, how to act, how to dance, and how to sing and perform. There are undeniably cool things about theater that you can utilize in any genre no matter what type of artist you are. I’ve learned a lot of performance essentials from theater like owning the stage, performing with people, and holding powerful notes. I learned a lot about how to be poised on stage and how to connect with an audience.

I’ll be honest, when I was young, my stage presence was trash. I was always a good singer. I could hit notes—that was never a problem—but I wasn’t a good performer. I wasn’t engaging to watch. But theater helped me realize how to compute what’s happening in my brain to my body. It was like, “No, you love this, and just let that exude through your body as well.”

PC: You’ve been really open and honest about the realities of the music industry and the challenges that you faced early on in your career. What did you learn about yourself during those times as both an artist and as a person?
John: That’s a great question. I’ve been going into detail about what happened on my Instagram page. I’ve always been a very resilient person. I may not be better than you at something, but I’m going to keep playing against you over and over until I win. I’m a very competitive person, having grown up playing sports.

What I’ve learned feels in a way like The Wizard of Oz. That’s another slight theatrical reference. [laughs] When I got signed the first time, I thought, “This is it! I’m about to embark on this journey. It’s going to be rainbows and sunshine.” My lawyer said to me, “This is only the beginning, dude. Buckle up.” He’s been in this industry for thirty years; he knows how it goes. But I truly learned how much I loved music.

People would try to knock me down and get me to quit, and I would be like, “No. I’m not quitting. This is what I’m going to do. I’m going to be the greatest artist of all time. I’ve always dreamed that I’m going to be that. Stop knocking me down.” I got frustrated, upset, and I was depressed. But the main thing I had to learn to work on was my self-worth because my happiness was so contingent upon what other people said about me and having them validate me.

I had to go home and produce my whole album in my studio, which is next to my room. It’s four feet by six feet, so really small. I had to fall in love with myself. As a young kid, I would go into every audition with this confidence. I knew I was going to get it because I knew my value, not to sound cocky or like an a*shole. But then getting signed to Epic, doing X Factor, I had people scrutinizing me all the time. I began to doubt myself and thought, “Maybe I’m not really who I think I am in my head.”

When I got dropped from the deal, I went home and started producing records and making my music. Everyone told me that I needed producers and writers and that I couldn’t do it alone, but I did. I had to fall in love with myself all over again. It feels amazing now because if anyone says something negative about me, I never take it personally because I know how hard I worked at this.

In the past, I would get so upset to the point that I didn’t know how to function. What I learned from facing those struggles early on is that you have to love yourself and know your worth and value. If you know that, no one can stop you. You’re not going to let anyone deter you.

PC: Love that! At fourteen, you were on The X Factor and received feedback that you weren’t a solo artist and you didn’t have the “It Factor.” Being so young, how were you able to silence those naysayers and push forward?
John: It was a punch in the gut. Ever since I was little, I wanted to be bigger than Michael Jackson. That was my biggest dream to be at a level like that. Other people might hear that and be like, “That’s not a big deal. He still made it on the show.” But to me, it made me feel like such a failure. Someone saying “you’re not important enough to reach your dream because I see you and I don’t see a star.” From six years old until I was thirteen, I was like, “It’s going to happen. I know that I’m special.” That was the first time that someone said, “No, you’re not.” I would say from fourteen to twenty, when I got my first record deal and did X Factor, I had to overcome those negative thoughts. There are people who work in the industry that I’m trying to get into, and they’re telling me that I’m not a star.

That six-year time was filled with a lot of battles and me trying to find my self-worth. I feel like I’m still finding it more and more each and every single day. I’m loving myself more and more. I want everyone to feel the same way about themselves. But from fourteen to twenty, I was really exposed to a lot of naysayers, and from twenty to twenty-two, I was finding that love for myself again while working on my skills. My light never burned out; it was just dimmed.

PC: Despite all those setbacks, you continue to persevere. Who or what instilled that fight in you?
John: My family. We’re all very hard workers. My mom owns a bunch of different businesses. She’s an Iron Man athlete. [laughs] That says a lot about her. She’s really resilient. My dad is super tenacious, hardworking, great guy, and a great salesman. He’s a really honest guy. My family has been amazing. I had great role models, and they taught me how to work hard at what I do because it’s really hard to figure out how to work hard on something creative. There’s so much you need to manage, from working on your skills to social media to performing. They really help me structure that. The innate drive was always something that I had. But they helped me refine it.

PC: Challenges aside, you had a lot of really memorable moments. When you look back, is there one that sticks out to you?
John: There’s a few that pop into my mind as you asked that question. I’ll give you two! There was an incredible moment when I was on the Grammys with Ed Sheeran, Herbie Hancock, John Mayer, Questlove, and Adam Blackstone, singing backup. That was so much fun. I was so nervous in rehearsal. They almost had to kick me out because I was missing notes and stuff, which is funny because I normally don’t do that. That was an incredible moment. I’m super grateful to everyone. Adam Blackstone and Andre Person were the ones who got me hooked up with that, so thank you to them!

But my favorite, most memorable moment that I can think of is when I was in the studio in 2013. I was seventeen at the time and Justin Timberlake was in the same studio. I met him a few times. He came into my session while I was working. At the time, he was working on Michael Jackson’s posthumous album XSCAPE. While I was chilling, he came into the studio and was like, “Hey, John, come here. I want to show you something.” I was like, “All right. Sick.” I go in and they started playing a song, and I didn’t know Justin was on the second verse. His wife, Jessica [Biel], was there too. I’m listening to the track and I’m like, “This is amazing.” Michael is my biggest influence growing up, so I was freaking out over this. Then the second verse comes and Justin is on it. I started screaming. I was having a fanboy moment in the room. I was dancing and having the best time. I was jumping on Justin and I was like, “Let’s go!” I was so hyped.

At the end, Jessica was like, “So I take it you didn’t enjoy that?” [laughs] I was going so hard. I know Justin remembers that. Those two guys, growing up, were some of my biggest idols. Hearing them together on a record that no one has heard yet was crazy! That record will always hold a special place in my heart because of that experience.

PC: Your debut album is out now, and it’s been years in the making. What can fans expect? How are you feeling?
John: I’m really excited. I feel like this is a very pivotal moment in my life. As far as what they can expect, I’m being more candid about what I’ve been through. The old music industry had this artist mystique. You weren’t supposed to reveal too much about yourself. But I have a lot to say story-wise. I have a story that I feel a lot of people can relate to outside of music. Everyone gets knocked down and told “no.” This album is for anyone who has aspirations or anyone who’s ever felt afraid to have aspirations. The album is structured in the classic hero story paradigm like Rocky. The first two records are establishing my character and what my character wants. He can see off into the distance, but he’s not there yet. Then in the middle of the album, it’s more Rocky meets Adrian, having relationships issues and hardships related to my career. Then by the end of the album, we reach the pinnacle. We reach the zenith. I’ve achieved my goal. It’s a true journey. I want the album to have the same feeling you would if you were watching Rocky.

It’s a true understory story like Hamilton. I mean Hamilton’s story is more tragic, but like the first act. All he wanted was to leave his mark on this world. Everyone was telling him he’s an illegitimate-born kid. He didn’t come from the right family. He couldn’t be a Founding Father. Then he ends up being the first secretary of the treasury, is a genius, and also a war hero. He was resilient and he fought. That’s what I want people to take away from this album. You don’t have to be born with that trait; you can develop it. You can develop that tenacity if you really believe in yourself.

PC: With this being your debut, what’s been the biggest takeaway that you took from putting together this album?
John: The biggest takeaway is that it all started with me. It was Logic’s intention that we have it imprinted with Def Jam for the label. But after I got off tour in early fall of 2018, I was supposed to be signed in early 2019, but I was feeling really anxious about finishing it.

I had 90 percent of the album done in the winter of 2018. It was really cool because I took the initiative to work on it and self-start. I’m always a self-starter, but even though it took a year and a half to get it out—because you have to involve different people and get everyone on board—I’m proud of the fact that I really self-started this whole thing. I wouldn’t have been able to put this album out as soon as I have if it wasn’t for that. I believe in my creative impetus. I can do this at home. It started off as creative expression, but it turned into an incredible album that I think is my best body of work.

PC: With everything that you’ve gone through, does it make this moment feel even more special?
John: Yeah! I’m really proud of the music. Prior to everything that happened to me, I didn’t feel like I had a story. It was just a lot of love, which people can’t necessarily relate to. You want to feel something when you look at someone. You want to see the struggles that they’ve faced. That’s why we care so much about the characters in stories: because we care when they triumph.

My biggest thing now is that I can look in the mirror and say, “I have a story. I overcame the obstacles, where a lot of people would quit.” It’s my favorite body of work, not only from a musical standpoint but also its themes. It’s the theme of the underdog trying to be their greatest. You can feel it.

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2020, what does the rest of the year look like for you?
John: First, I want everyone to stay safe and stay inside. I want to thank all the essential workers. I know a lot of people that are still working to get us food. It’s amazing, and I’m truly grateful for those people that are risking their lives every day for us. It’s unbelievable. But I would say when people are at home, find a source of creativity because that’s the best release that you can have right now. I’m so grateful to have that right now—to be able to be creative, make videos, make music, and to write stories.

I love that I have that. But hopefully when the coronavirus subsides, I’d love to tour. I think seeing me perform is the best way to see me. It’s cool seeing me on video and seeing my music video, but I’m a product of the stage and theater, so that’s where I thrive. I love interacting with the crowd. I feel at home when I’m able to look into someone’s eyes in the audience and sing to them. But I hope to tour this year. I’m working on new music constantly, so I’d love to release new stuff after this album. I can never get enough of releasing music as long as I feel proud of it.

But again, the number-one thing is I want people to stay safe, stay inside. Whenever this coronavirus ends, I’d love to shoot more music videos. I’m always ready to hit the grindstone and work. That’s my number-one thing. There are no distractions in my life. I don’t party. This is what I’m into. It’s Kobe’s Mamba mentality and trying to be the greatest at whatever you do. This is what I’ve devoted my entire life to. But again, I want to be sensitive to everyone and what’s going on right now. So many people have lost their lives. It’s awful. So I want everyone to do their part, stay inside, while I’m still going to be working to get ready to go because once this virus subsides, I’m ready to come out of the floodgates, firing.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
John: I love Abel. I love the Weeknd. But, I guess people would be surprised to learn that I love Green Day. I love punk rock music. Oh, I also love trap music. Scarlxrd! It’s trap music, but he screams the whole time. It’s like screamo but trap. I love all types of music though. I love orchestral symphonic music, R&B, soul, old-school hip-hop, trap, funk, reggae, rock, everything.

PC: First album you bought?
John: My dad had everything on iTunes, and we had a lot of CDs, so I didn’t really have to buy albums. But when I was fifteen or sixteen, I got my own record player. So Mayer Hawthorne. I love Mayer Hawthorne. He’s in my top ten favorite artists. He’s one half of Tuxedo. He’s an incredible soul artist. He’s self-made and dope. I remember buying his heart-shaped vinyl for “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out.” It was the coolest thing ever.

PC: First concert you attended?
John: I went to musicals all the time, but I’ll say my first pop concert was Justin Bieber’s My World 2.0 tour at the Honda Center. It was unbelievable. My sister and I went to that. I was thirteen, and it was crazy. I had the best time.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
John: I have two! The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was so transformative for me. My family didn’t listen to hip-hop, and in the area that I grew up in, people didn’t really listen to old school hip-hop, but I wanted to learn about it. That was the first album I dove into. It was so inspiring for me because Lauryn’s singing was incredibly immaculate. She was destroying it. Then she would bust into rap and kill that, as well as producing and writing the album. That was so inspiring for me. It’s something I incorporated on my debut album. The paradigm of rapping your own verses, singing your choruses but singing a soulful hook—that was something that I learned from her. She’s so versatile. I was very impressed and transformed by that.

Another album that got me through being dropped from the label was 2014 Forest Hills Drive by J. Cole. That album will always hold a special place in my heart. I had this single coming out called “Holy,” but then the labeled dropped me. So Florida Georgia Line got the song. It became a global hit for them. I remember they kept pulling the rug from under me. They kept saying “no” but not because I didn’t do a great job on the song; it was because they thought I wasn’t a star. I didn’t suck the air out of the room when I walked in. I didn’t have that energy. I didn’t have this or that. At seventeen/eighteen, it was something I couldn’t control—like the way that I spoke or the way that I walked.

So I flew out to New York to have this meeting with them. They took the record away from me. At the time I was in LA, so I was like, “No. I’m going to buy my ticket and fly out to New York. I’m going to perform in front of them and prove it to them.” I flew out, and I did that. I did a good job, but then my A&R came down to the holding room afterwards and said, “You won for coming here, but they’re not going to put the record out. They don’t believe in you.” It was really hard for them to tell me that. I remember walking back to my hotel in the rain, listening to the intro, listening to the album. I could have taken a cab, but I decided to walk back and listen to 2014 Forest Hills Drive in the rain. It sounds really dramatic, but honestly, I didn’t want to sit in the car at the moment.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
John: My biggest goal is to sell out arenas all over the world. But I would say probably first thing that comes to mind is Madison Square Garden. I feel like that’s a milestone for anybody. I love Honda Center. Definitely that was where I went to my first concert, where the Ducks play in Anaheim. Or Staples Center. It’s so generic to say Madison Square Garden. [laughs] So I’ll say Honda Center, but my gut is saying Madison.

The first time I went to New York, I was seventeen. I remember I flew in on a red-eye. I was flying there to get to an audition or to meet the record label to potentially get a deal. I remember seeing the skyline, and the sun was shimmering on the building. It was the most picturesque thing you could think of. It was out of a movie. I ended up getting the deal that same day. No matter what happened to me in New York that was traumatic and made me feel broken down and depressed, I always knew that city loved me and I love that city. It’s a mutual thing.

Me doing a hometown show is a given. But selling out Madison Square Garden and knowing everything that I conquered would be a dream come true.

PC: A must-have on the road?
John: I drink a ton of tea. I would say my saving grace is honey and hot water. I have that all the time. It helps me get through my shows. But the funny answer—everyone on tour made fun of me—but it’s fig newtons. I was the only person on the Logic tour that had that in their dressing room. Everyone was making fun of me at first.

But then by the end of the tour, everyone would come in my room and eat all my fig newtons. Everyone was like, “Why does John have fig newtons?” But by the end of the tour, I was like, “Y’all keep coming in and eating all of them. I don’t even get to have any.” [laughs] The professional answer is water and honey to keep my voice right. The funny answer is I always have fig newtons on tour.

To keep up with John, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify. Pick up or stream Opening Night today.