Today we’d like to introduce you to John Cao.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I guess I’ve always been naively optimistic. Ever since being a little kid and listening to Britney and NSYNC, I knew I wanted to be an entertainer. I mean, which millennial didn’t? However, growing up as a Vietnamese kid in Norway, I was surrounded by more naysayers than believers. For some reason, my stubborn ass still decided to ignore any logic and doubled down on my creative endeavors. All the skepticism only fueled my drive to prove people wrong.
Lying awake with crippling angst one night in the summer of 2015, I decided to move to Los Angeles, both to chase my dreams and to escape the status quo — everyone around me was getting married or pregnant or both, and I’m just not about that life. SoCal turned out to be a wild ride; upon arrival, I felt like I finally belonged somewhere. The music community is so supportive. There is actual Asian representation. At last, I could be myself.
Then the novelty wore off. Surrounded by so much talent, excruciating self-doubt became a recurring friend. I’m anxious about visa and money issues. My loneliness is killing me (heh). The city stripped me of my naivety, and underneath is someone who may not have his shit together, yet somehow still stays optimistic. And boy does that make me inspired!
My earlier singles are fun and all that (and hey some reached top 10 on iTunes Norway), but over the course of this past year (especially the last six months) I’ve finally begun to find my voice. I don’t know if the city made me braver or because I’m just done overthinking, but I dare to dig a little deeper when I write, whether it’s about the kind of stuff that keeps me up at night or just about me having too much fun for my own good. Being honest with myself is both liberating and empowering, and that realness is bleeding into my latest work. I’m excited to share it with the world.
Please tell us about your art.
At the core, I’m a pop artist. I sing, write, and produce my own music (although I do love collaborating with others). The songs I’ve already released are fun EDM and dancefloor-oriented tracks. I feel like they capture the good vibes of my early days in L.A. Pretty well. Lately, as things got hectic, writing has become a form of therapy for me, to get things off my chest and make sense of the chaos in my head. Recurring themes are wishing to stop time, fear of being left behind, and my desperation to matter.
Along with that mentality came my obsession with vaporwave, synthwave, Italo disco, and 80’s synth-pop. I spend a lot of time living inside my own head, which makes me relate especially to synthwave and vaporwave, as they tend to (sometimes ironically) depict fictitious realities within distant memories. Their aesthetics evoke feelings of both calmness and longing in me, and these genres inspired me to move towards a nostalgic pop sound for my upcoming e.p.
That approach makes sense to me; I’m a 90’s kid feeling so lost in the present I try to escape back to simpler times through my art. I think a lot of millennials will be able to relate to that.
We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
Trust and believe, I totally relate, having moved here without knowing anyone. I think being proactive and openminded is key to making connections in l.a. Look up songwriters and artist networking nights, such as lasc. Go to free shows, events, and open mics. Or even dm other artists on social media.
Go to these events as often as you can. People will start to recognize you and striking up a conversation feels more natural. I find it hella scary to start talking to people I don’t know (it’s a Norwegian stereotype), but I make it a rule to speak with at least three people every time I go to these events. Like, actually connect as human beings and exchange contact info and plan to hang out. I think it’s important to make a personal connection first, and if a professional one comes from that, then it’s great. If not, you’ve at least gained an awesome friend. That’s how I met some of the best people in my life.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My music is available to stream and download on every platform, although I’d appreciate if y’all could listen, follow, and add my tracks to your playlists on spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5kub6FqTa19npge2I05vGX?si=tCpXcPeUTgG0k8kxjJkNug
I’m super excited about my upcoming e.p., and you can follow me on IG to stay up to date:
https://www.instagram.com/johncaomusic/
Contact Info:
- Website: http://johncaomusic.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johncaomusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johncaomusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/johncaomusic
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDsB7bE9C2N2z8Ct74rdhaQ
Image Credit:
Magdalena Ostrowska, Tommy Lennon, José Alves.
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
