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Jon Alkalay is an EDM Producer & Indie Artist originally from Brazil, living in Austin, TX. Very reminiscent of classic dance/pop bands from the 80's like Pet Shop Boys and Erasure.
JON ALKALAY
DREAM IN BLACK & WHITE
Press
"Dream in Black & White” – An EDM Inspired Powerhouse!
Rick Jamm, October 22, 2016 in jamsphere.com
The EDM scene has yielded plenty of artists who have found their way to widespread radio success. Among these artists Jon Alkalay and his new single “Dream in Black & White”refreshes the minds of Dance & EDM fans as to why they fell in love with this sound in the first place. Growing up in Brazil and later on moving to Austin, TX exposed Jon Alkalay to many different influences.
However he says that it all started at home. His dad was a classical music aficionado and baritone and his mom, who emigrated from Portugal, continues singing Fados. Besides these huge influences, Jon grew up listening to different Latin, American and European pop, rock and EDM, which is all reflected in the music he makes.
He clearly shows that he has an EDM style that uses an impressive mixture of disco, techno and Pop gurgles throughout his music as well as the smooth mystical undertones that carry the listener through the different synapses of the brain. Furthermore Alkalay is one of the very few music EDM artists and producers who actually sing their own songs. Ask David Guetta or Zedd to do that!
“Dream in Black & White” brings fans a sound that inspires bursts of varied images in your head and takes you back to a specific time where you felt free. This dance inspired powerhouse of a song features energetic paced verse while the chorus is meant to invoke a type of relativity between the listener and the music itself.
With his new single, Jon Alkalay looks set to build on the success he has enjoyed over the past few years, playing to his strengths as a musician and singer, as well as experimenting with new styles.
Though I don’t think Alkalay needs to experiment or push a lot more boundaries, because he is already seated in the crossover pop music lexicon. “Dream in Black & White” feels like a wrap up of his previous productions in the electro-pop sphere and a potential move to something slightly different, though we will just have to see.
His sound has matured, developing far beyond the type of music that is suitable for a simple DJ set. There is an undeniable feeling of intent, an intangible sense that Alkalay has poured himself into the production on the single.
With each successive listen it becomes more apparent; every single note has a purpose, every snare hit and synth squeal was methodically placed and painstakingly produced. Jon Alkalay attention to detail is stunningly thorough, every single beat has been toiled over, worked and re-worked, until what is left is nothing short of perfection on “Dream in Black & White”!
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Rising Dance Producer and Recording Artist Jon Alkalay Tops Charts with Debut Album
Mika Lucio - Scandalouswomen.com , May 2014
As the number of electronic dance music fans continue to swell, new independent artists are emerging with sounds that capture the reminiscent vibrations of 70s disco, 80s electronic pop, and the house styles of the 90s. With an innate ability to draw music lovers to the dance floor, EDM is by nature infectious and free-spirited. Solo artist Jon Alkalay in his debut self-titled album release travels back to the retro sounds of dance vocalists such as Stevie B and new wave dance bands like Information Society. His latest track releases Hardly Ever Rains, Putting Myself First, and GPS demonstrate the man behind the music and his quest to be one of the most sought after EDM artists in the industry.
Utilizing a blend of synths, electronic piano chords, and drum beats, Jon Alkalay’s latest singles produce a varied style that reveals the influence of Euro dance music and other international styles. “Hardly Ever Rains” showcases Alkalay’s rock vocals with electronic styling and special effects enhancements. The song is a whimsical track with an upbeat, fun-loving feel; possessing a faint resemblance of Owl City’s most recent chart-topping style.
Jon shares with listeners a personal perspective on the track Putting Myself First where he describes finally pursuing his dreams of stardom. The song is a feel-good dance track that will empower fans while cranking up a good dance party at the same time. The track includes some mixing with strings and fast drums giving it a high-energy boost. Alkalay’s dance vocals are full and his lyrics are an honest culmination of his journey throughout the music world. It is a resounding track that could be categorized as motivational and uplifting.
Jon continues to rock the party with his single GPS, a progressive dance hit that has a futuristic, digital feel and new wave beat. The track is packed with special effects such as racing cars, and computer-generated vocals, indicating Alkalay’s eclectic style as a producer and recording artist. Techno music fans will enjoy the intricate design of this track along with his upbeat ambiance.
Hailing from Brazil and now living in Austin, Texas, Jon Alkalay hung up his suit, tie, and 9-5 in the corporate world, determined to become a leading electronic dance music producer and recording artist.
While developing his sound, he cites influences such as the Pet Shop Boys, Lady Gaga, Zedd, and Erasure as being instrumental in his vast love for music. He embraces Brazilian, Latin, American, and Euro styles of dance, pop, classic, and rock music; he incorporates many of the elements from these genres into his productions. On the heels of his debut 12-track album, Jon Alkalay is rising the charts having already reached the Top 10 in Dance and Pop Charts on Amazon MP3 this year. Keep an ear to the street for what is to come from this electronic dance sensation.
Interview with Jon Alkalay
Crazy Pellas, January 2014
Thanks for taking the time to do this interview Jon Alkalay. Tell us a bit about yourself, your name, age, where you’re from and an interesting fact if you like...
My real name is Jonatan Alkalay. I am 38 years old and I am originally from Brazil. I have been living in Austin, Texas for the past 14 years and an interesting fact about me is that after having worked as an executive for a Life Insurance Company over the past 10 years, I decided to quit at the end of 2013 in order to pursue my dream of being an artist. Some people might think I am crazy to quit a stable job and good salary at this point in life to follow a dream. Of course there were other reasons that also contributed to my decision, however it all came down to finally trying to live my only and biggest dream. Am I crazy? No. Crazy are those who don’t believe in dreams and spend their whole lives depressed in their 9-5 jobs seeing life go by in front of their computers and only imagining what their lives could have been if they had decided to take a risk and go after their dreams.
Is there a story behind your name?
My mom is Portuguese, my father Bulgarian and they ended up meeting and staying in Brazil where I was raised. My name is from Bulgarian lineage and therefore not common in my country therefore my whole life I had to spell it to everyone! When moving to US, the issue persisted since my first name doesn’t have the H, common for Jonathan, therefore until today I have to constantly repeat to people “Without the H” and still a lot of times they will miss that. Thus, I decided to make it shorter and go only by Jon. After debating so much what my stage name should be, I came to the conclusion that my first and last name are unique, so I decided to keep my real last name as I believe it to be different and strong, even though I also have to spell it everywhere since people never get it the first time :)
How long have you been singing?
Since I was born! Well, in front of live audiences I started when I was around 17 yrs old in a Jewish choir in Brazil where I participated for 5 years. After that, I sang only for fun in conference parties related to my past job, until I decided to pursue music seriously and fulfill my dream of producing and releasing an album of my own material.
What first got you interested in becoming a singer?
Being an artist is what I have always wanted for as long as I can remember. Since I was 3 years old, I never cared for toys but only records. I still have records from that time!!!! Therefore, music is the most important part of my existence. My parents always joked that maybe I would be able to survive a few days without food but not without my records. And that is still true up to this day. I still have memories from early childhood, maybe at 5 or 6 already singing for my parent’s friends and relatives. The passion and gift have been always there.
What/who inspires your music?
As a dance/pop artist, all major current pop stars as well as from the last 5 decades have inspired me. That includes Michael Jackson, Madonna, Avicii, Zedd, Katy Perry, Elton John, Whitney, Gaga, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Donna Summer, Simply Red, just to name a few… But if I had to pick just one act which inspires me the most, that would be the Pet Shop Boys.
Do you see being a singer/rapper as a career, or as a hobby?
A career, which I will pursue with all my strength until I am able to make a living from it.
What are you trying to do with your music? Do you want to help your community? Are you trying to get rich? What is your goal for your music?
My goal is to make people feel good through my music, to make them dance and make me dance! I don’t care about fortune or power. I just don’t want to end up going back to an office environment since that was killing me inside. I suffocated my music for too long so that I could make a living and also please people around me. Now it is time to be whatever I want, as I say on my debut single “Putting Myself First”.
Have you ever performed live? How did it feel?
Yes. There are only two places that I ever felt complete and true to myself. When recording on studios and when performing in front of a live audience. I simply cannot fight against my nature anymore. If I am not able to do that professionally from now on, I believe I will end up soon enough on a madhouse, as I do not see any other purpose for my life.
Do you have any kind of management, publishing or distribution team behind you? If so what are their responsibilities?
Unfortunately, I was on an entire different career, therefore, I never had time to look for music industry professionals to be able to guide me or work with me. Since I just barely quit my job, I would like to find a manager to work with, which from what I have been researching it is pretty hard since most managers are looking for acts who already have been playing gigs and have constructed some fan base and I am only at the initial stage. Currently I am wrapping up my album, which I intend to release through CD Baby independently by the end of January. The idea is that after I release it, I will start promoting it myself in all possible ways I can, and that include playing local gigs as well. And hopefully along the way I will find a manager who believes in me and will want to pursue this journey together!
What are some accomplishments that you have achieved, and are most proud of?
Besides the fact that I decided to put on a brave face and quit my job to follow my dream, I am extremely proud of having composed and produced 11 out of the 12 songs of my album. I practically did everything by myself and now I am currently working with an audio engineer to help with the final mastering and mixing.
Additionally, I have been already promoting my debut single “Putting Myself First” for the past two months on the Internet and the music video (also done independently) reached 100,000 views on YouTube in 60 days, which honestly for me sounds like a lot since I am practically unknown and just getting started. I also just posted a new indie video as well for my second single “GPS”. It is a fun and catchy tune, which I hope could turn into a big hit!
Have you ever made any contact with major artists or other high positioned people in the music industry and do you keep in contact with them?
Not yet, but I sure intend to after I have finished working on my album.
What one tip would you give to other aspiring independent artists?
If a dream only lives in your mind, it will never be more than just a dream. Therefore, start somewhere. Establish a plan, follow through, and do not let obstacles or criticisms let you down.
What do you see is in the future for the music industry? How do you think it will evolve/change?
I’ve seen the collapse of the music industry around the beginning of 2000 with Napster and digital piracy and that’s what made me change careers since the future seemed dark for the industry. 14 years later, people are more aware that music is a product that has a value and must be paid for, after all, there are many people supporting the artist on the background, who are involved in the creation process, and depends exclusively on that income to survive. I believe the future for the music industry is bright. Look at the vinyl comeback!!! I can even dream about some new record stores opening in the future in contrast to so many we’ve seen shutting down. That would be another dream come true!
Do you feel like the internet is helping you as an independent artist?
Definitely! I believe the Internet is one of the best promotion tools (if not the best) for new artists to be heard all over the world.
How do you think social networks such as Facebook and Twitter have affected the music industry?
In the past, artist promotion was in the hands of a few and concentrated solely on radio, tv, magazines and newspapers. Today, artists do not need to depend on anyone other than themselves and their fans to spread the word. What most powerful advertising tool then word of mouth? And we are talking about globalized word of mouth! Not to mention the advertising tools that sites like Facebook and Google offer which can provide a good kick-start on the spreading.
Where can we hear your music online?
On all streaming platforms.
What projects are you working on at the moment?
Finishing my album and developing ideas to promote it.
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years time?
Making more music, performing around the world, and also producing music for other artists.
Do you have any shoutouts you want to give?
To all my family and friends who have been extremely supportive and believe I am only partially crazy for quitting my job and going after my dream… LOL
Cited from: http://www.crazypellas.net/cms/interview-with-non-alkalay-353/#ixzz2pf157rJ6
Debut Single and Upcoming Album
ArtistPR. November 2013
Never say never. A lifelong dream is coming to fruition right before our eyes for Jon Alkalay, Austin’s latest up and coming indie musician who’s spinning an eclectic mix of dance-pop that’s destined for the best playlists and club mixes around the country. Fresh off his first single and music video for “Putting Myself First” and now readying his debut full-length, this is an artist on the precipice of explosion.
Born in Brazil and transplanted to the musical hotbed of Austin, Texas, Alkalay brought his international influences to America in hopes of carving out his own niche in the music business. Discouraged but not defeated by the collapse of the industry in 2003 brought on by internet piracy and downloading, his dream was put on ice for the next decade. Now revived and revitalized, his fiery passion for songwriting is back with a vengeance, coming to life through “Putting Myself First.”
After hitting YouTube in early November 2013, Alkalay’s debut single immediately started racking up thousands of views from dance and electronica fans from around the globe. Influenced by a versatile range of artists such as Zedd, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Madonna, Adam Lambert, David Guetta and many others, his inspiration and affinity for crafting an infectious, memorable hit leaves an immediate, lasting impression on the listener.
Alkalay is now busy in the studio – writing, producing and putting the finishing touches on his debut album which is planned for release in late 2013 or early 2014. With designs on promoting the record at clubs around the country, “Putting Myself First” is just the fuse that’s lit the beginning of a promising young career.
The music video for “Putting Myself First” is streaming on YouTube now, and fans can download the single via iTunes or Amazon. Connect with him on Facebook or Twitter to stay updated on all of the latest music and keep your eyes peeled for his debut full-length album coming soon.