Jonathan “Jon” Bellion is an
American singer, songwriter, and producer from Long Island, New York.
Jon Bellion is a name that might not be the best known amongst the
larger audiences, yet it is not right to say that he is a complete
unknown either. Although “The Human Condition” (2016) is his
first studio album, he has released his music online for free for
years now. What really speaks to his talent is that he has gathered
quite a following of fans through these online releases. He also has
writing credits for the Grammy winning song “The Monster” by
Eminem featuring Rihanna and the song “Trumpets” by Jason Derulo.
His debut album, “The Human
Condition” was released on June 10, 2016 and is probably his most
personal work to date. It is an interesting blend of hip-hop, pop
rock, and alternative r&b. As the title suggests, the album and
the songs on it are about the human condition, or what it means to be
human. As Bellion himself has said in an interview regarding the
album, “Us as humans all have the same problems. We struggle with
pride and tons of different issues that nobody really wants to talk
about. So I figured if I'm the honest one showing how human I am, it
will make people feel better about themselves.” The songs not only
reflect the different sides of being a human being, they also reflect
Bellion's own character, beliefs, and attitude towards life.
The cover art for the album is also
something that definitely deserves to be mentioned. The art direction
came from Bellion himself, but the visual development and execution
were by David Ardinaryas Lojaya. Every song has its own artwork which
represents the message within the song. The art makes the experience
of listening to this album not only an auditory but also a visual
experience.
The songs are all co-written and
co-produced by Bellion himself. The album shows his amazing writing
skills, from witty lines to unique sounds, he is not afraid to
experiment with different sounds to get the best and most unique
sound. Bellion actually gives the fans a glimpse into his
song-writing process in a Youtube video (shown below) where we can
see the making of three songs, two of which made the album.
He Is The Same
The first song starts the album off on
the right track from the start (no pun intended). It is a message to
everyone who knows him that despite the recognition and money he gets
from his music, he is still the same humble, laid-back person he has
always been. The song has a very rhythmic back-beat, which seems to
be very characteristic of Bellion. Another aspect very characteristic
of most of his songs is the switching between singing and shouting or
rapping of lines. I find his songs often to be quite unpredictable,
with not knowing where he will take the beat next. I think that is
one of the aspects I enjoy most about him as an artist.
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| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“Couple million in the bank, but /
Nothing has changed, he is the same”
80's Films
The next song is a nostalgia for the
past. It is pretty self explanatory, throwing back to the sound of
the 80's, mixing in the modern. He also makes the 80's reference to
The Breakfast Club and Cyndi Lauper.
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| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“Just like the 80's films / We'll
hook up in my back seat and let my best friend drive.”
All Time Low
This song was one of the singles that
was put out before the release of the album and was almost an instant
hit. It is understandable because of its catchy beat and creative
lyrics. It is a song about admitting to making mistakes and being
wrong and hitting an all time low.
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| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“Now I'm a ghost, I call your name,
you look right through me.”
New York Soul (Part II)
The fourth song on the album is an
homage to his home town, New York and reminiscent of his childhood
there. On this one, Bellion shows off his rapping skills while
keeping it real about the lives of the wealthy.
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| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“Let me give the kids just a little
help / Tell 'em money is not the key to wealth / Cause if it can stop
the pain / How the f*ck did you explain the bunch of millionaires
that killed themselves?”
Fashion
The piano-led ballad of the album
focuses on the addiction people have to materialistic things, or
fashion. It talks about how people never feel like they have enough
and just want more and more.
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| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“There's an aching, there's a hole in
my chest / It's amazing that the crown of a king doesn't change me.”
Maybe IDK
This song is filled with many questions
that we might not know the answers to and tells us that, well, maybe
that's okay, we don't always need to have all the answers to
everything. It tells us that it's alright if we are uncertain about
the future.
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| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“Maybe I don't know / But maybe
that's okay.”
Woke The F*ck Up
The seventh song of the album was also
one of the singles that was released in 2015 and it is simply about
the realization that you have messed something up and now need that
one specific person to be back by your side.
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| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“We live in an age where everything
is staged / Where all we do is fake our feelings / I've been scared
to put myself so out there / Time is running out, yeah.”
Overwhelming
This one can be considered to be a love
song. It is about a love that feels so overwhelming and also the need
to impress the loved one. Once again, what draws people in is the
witty lyrics paired with a catchy beat in the background.
 |
| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“Yeah, I think I got one / And every
single thing about her is so / Overwhelming.”
Weight Of The World (feat. Blaque
Keyz)
The struggles of feeling like the
problems of the whole world are on your shoulders and then, after
finding God, realizing that thanks to His help, you don't need to
carry that burden alone any more. The song is slow and calm but ends
with a rap by the featuring artist, Blaque Keyz.
 |
| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“Was calling out for help, but heard
no noise, no noise / Only the sound of my back breaking / But ever
since you and your arms saved me / I don't hold the weight of the
world anymore.”
The Good In Me
This is an emotional song about how
loving someone can destroy you and everything good about you or how
the wrong person can suck all the good out of you. In the chorus, an
acoustic guitar makes a rare appearance, but it fits with Bellion's
voice perfectly.
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| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“Try to survive, keep my spirit alive
/ But like a knife in the woods / Yeah, you hunt down the good in
me.”
Morning In America
This one tells a bit of a different
story compared to the rest of the album. It describes a life that is
sadly very real for quite a lot of people, especially in America,
filled with drugs, problematic parents, teen pregnancies and so on.
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| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“I've been trying to keep up with all
of these great expectations / So I keep faking.”
iRobot
A love song of a different kind.
Namely, this is about a love that destroyed a person and caused them
to shut down their emotions, so they are like a robot, unable to feel
anything any more.
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| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“I was a human, before you killed me
/ And ripped my heart out, I knew what love was.”
Guillotine (feat. Travis Mendes)
The third song that was released as a
single prior to release of the album, which was actually the very
first one released, is still one of the most catchy songs from
Bellion. The release of this one gave the fans a taste of what
Bellion is capable of with its witty lyrics and undeniably catchy
beat.
 |
| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“The secrets you tell me I'll take to
my grave / There's bones in my closet, but you hang stuff anyway.”
Hand Of God (Outro)
An incredible end to the album
featuring The Andraé Crouch Choir. It tells the story of a man who
has lost his way, but the message is not to lose faith, since
everyone's lives are in the hand of God. This is an amazing end to
the album because throughout the song the choir sings bits of the
songs that appeared in the album, bringing everything together in one
song. The powerful energy of the choir makes it perhaps the most
important track of the whole album. Really a strong end to the story
with a message that is just as strong.
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| © J. Bellion, D. A. Lojaya |
“When you're lost in the universe,
lost in the universe / Don't lose faith / My mother says, “Your
whole life is in the hand of God.”
Overall, I think this is an amazing album that tells an important story and reflects on Jon Bellion's character. Seeing as this is only his first studio album, I cannot wait to see what he has up his sleeve in regards to future work he will share with the world.
Listen to the whole album on Spotify:
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