Jon Bryant

For Jon Bryant, those words proved true, representing a career crossroads of sorts.

Coming off years of momentum and heartbreak, the Canadian singer-songwriter faced a hard truth: the music industry he once knew had changed, and so had the rules for survival. It was only after his best efforts failed to carry him forward to where he wanted to be that he found the authenticity that brought a new fire.

With the release of his new album, Therapy Notes, we recently caught up with Bryant to talk about the heartbreak behind the album, how vulnerability reshaped his career, and why letting go of old ideas might have been the best thing he’s ever done.

Analogue: Hey, I'd love to start with the release of the new album. You've done this a few times. With it newly in the rearview mirror, how does this one feel? Does it feel different this time?

Jon Bryant: It does feel different. I think because of streaming and how it’s changed album releases, it’s been a bit anticlimactic in some ways. It just sort of came and went—no big splash. And part of that's on me. I could’ve done more—like an album release show or some big event around it. But honestly, I've just been really focused on TikTok.

In that sense, I’ve been able to make a big deal about it by meeting people where they are. But if you think about it in the classical sense of releasing an album with lots of press and touring and radio, yeah, it feels really different compared to how it used to.

Analogue: Do you have a good relationship with that? Like, having to do TikTok, making content, staying in front of it all? Does that come naturally, or has it been a struggle?

Jon Bryant: It’s only started to feel natural in the last six months. Before that, I hated it. Honestly, I don't know if I hypnotized myself or if I just realized I had no other choice if I wanted to be heard. I’m super nostalgic about the 2010s, about how it felt being a musician then. You could post a photo on Instagram, and it would just reach people.

Now it’s so different. I think for a long time, I was afraid. I didn’t want to fail at it. I didn’t want to come across as trying too hard. So I avoided TikTok and avoided putting my face out there. I wanted everything I put out to feel curated and polished.

But after a while, it just wasn’t working anymore. My music wasn’t growing the way I wanted it to. I realized if I want people to actually hear these songs I pour my heart into, I have to meet them where they are.

Analogue: That’s a huge adjustment. Was there a specific turning point where you thought, "Okay, I have to change something”?

Jon Bryant: Definitely. I was applying to folk festivals—sending out applications like crazy—and getting nothing back. Not even a polite "no," just silence. It was heartbreaking. Finally, I just had this day where I said, "Screw it, I’m going to apply to twenty-five festivals in one shot and just see what happens."

I posted a video that night just venting, saying, "POV: you’ve been playing music for 15 years and never once gotten into a folk festival. Maybe this is the year." I didn’t think much about it, but it blew up. Suddenly, people were commenting like, "You totally fit the vibe! Why aren't you playing festivals?" It brought in a whole new wave of people who hadn’t heard my music before.

But truthfully, that post came from a place of being absolutely at my wit’s end. I was close to quitting. I was ready to walk away.

Analogue: Wow. Was that the first time you seriously thought about walking away?

Jon Bryant: Not the first time, but definitely the most serious. In the past, I would get discouraged but still believe that if I just stayed the course, things would work out. I had a lot of blind optimism. This time felt different. I realized if I didn't adapt—if I didn’t evolve with where music was headed—I was going to get left behind. And that was heartbreaking.

I didn't want to change. I didn't want to have to think about algorithms and social media strategies. I just wanted to write songs and tour like we used to. But the reality is, that world doesn’t exist anymore in the same way.

Analogue: Was COVID a big part of that shift for you?

Jon Bryant: Yeah, definitely. Before COVID, I felt like I had some momentum. Tours were happening, people were coming out to shows, I was building something. And then COVID just pulled the rug out. Suddenly it was like, "Okay, stay home. Wait it out." But after two years of waiting, it wasn’t just picking back up again. The industry had changed while we were all sitting still. And for a while, I resisted that change. I think a lot of artists did. But eventually you either accept it or you get swallowed up by it.

Analogue: There’s something really interesting there because I think a lot of artists have this dream that the music should speak for itself. Like, "I'll just make the music, and the right people will find it." But it sounds like today you really have to fight for your work. You fought to make the album. Now you have to fight for it to exist out there, too.

Jon Bryant: Exactly. And for a long time, I didn’t want to believe that. I thought, "No, if the music is good enough, it’ll find its way." But the reality is, attention is everything now. If you're not fighting for people’s attention, no one’s going to find the songs. And honestly, it hit me: I have a label that believes in me. I have a manager who has stuck with me through the highs and lows. How dare I not fight for the music?

It feels icky sometimes to have to self-promote so much, but it's not icky if you believe in what you're doing. I had to let go of this idea that I was somehow cooler if I didn't promote myself. I think I secretly wanted to be like Prince—just this mysterious figure who didn't have to do any of that. But there’s only one Prince, man. (laughs)

Analogue: Let’s talk about Therapy Notes. What are you most proud of with this set of songs?

Jon Bryant: I’m really proud of "The Best Part." It was a song I never thought would see the light of day because it felt so personal. I wrote it kind of in secret, almost just for myself. The verses came out fast—maybe 25 or 30 minutes—but the chorus took months.

I couldn’t figure it out. I kept wrestling with it, asking myself, "What’s this song actually about?" And it finally clicked: it’s about holding onto the best parts of life when everything feels overwhelming. And the crazy thing is, that song has connected more than anything I’ve ever put out. It blew up on TikTok. It's been my most saved and shared song yet.

Analogue: How do you know when it’s time to let go of a song you’re struggling with versus when it’s worth pushing through?

Jon Bryant: It’s tough. I think it comes down to instinct. When I was writing "The Best Part," even though the chorus was frustrating me, there was something in my gut that said, "Don’t give up on this one." The verses felt so raw and true, like I was literally doing therapy on myself through the song. And the chorus needed to reflect that honesty. I knew if I could just figure it out, it would be worth it. Some songs, you can feel when they’re not clicking and it’s okay to walk away. But others, you just know you’re supposed to stick with them.

Analogue: It’s interesting, because your breakthrough moment—both creatively and in the marketplace—seems tied to your most authentic, vulnerable moment. Do you think there's a direct connection there?

Jon Bryant: Absolutely. That’s the magic. When you’re just being a human being, not trying to be perfect, people connect with that. I think we're all craving authenticity, even if we don't know it consciously.

When I’m scrolling on TikTok or Instagram, what grabs me isn’t the perfect, polished stuff. It’s when someone’s just being real. I think when I allowed myself to be vulnerable, that's when everything changed. People could feel that. They wanted to come on the journey with me, to root for me. Some fans even offered to throw a baby shower for me and my wife. It's wild. But it showed me that vulnerability is actually a strength, not a weakness.

Analogue: Staying on that theme—how do you know when a song is too personal to share? Where’s the line?

Jon Bryant: I think it comes down to what you're comfortable with living with. I heard once, "Write like everyone you know is dead." I love that, but it’s easier said than done. There are definitely moments where I hesitate—like, "Do I really want my parents to hear this?" or "Is this going to hurt someone?" I don’t want to throw anyone under the bus. But I’m getting closer to letting go of those fears. I think the more honest I am, the better the songs become.

Analogue: What was the cutting room floor like for Therapy Notes? Were there a lot of songs that didn’t make it?

Jon Bryant: Yeah, there were about 25 songs floating around. Some were unfinished. Some didn’t fit the album's theme. Some were actually great but didn’t quite belong. And by the time we were locking in the album, it was too late to add anything new. But the nice part is, a lot of those songs have found a home on the next album I’m already working on.

Analogue: You’re already in the next one?

Jon Bryant: Yeah, I started writing for it about five weeks ago—basically the same day I released Therapy Notes. There was no "take a victory lap" moment. I was ready to move on, ready to write again. With the baby coming and so much change happening personally, I just had a lot I needed to say.

VISIT: Jon Bryant