Photo Credit: Camila Noreiga

Jonah Kagen releases his new single & cinematic music video “Barcelona” today via Arista Records. Jonah dives deep into his vulnerability in this uptempo heartbreak anthem with a 2022-bossa nova flare. It was produced and co-written by Michael Pollack (Maroon 5, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Bebe Rexha) and David Kingston.

Jonah adds, “This song is for anybody who’s had someone they care about move away. For me it was “Barcelona”, but I know the idea of wishing someone hadn’t gone to that place and hoping they would just come back is something many people can understand. Maybe listening to “Barcelona” will let you groove your pain away. Who knows. Give it a shot.”

LISTEN HERE

1. You seem to take a new musical direction with this track. How come?

I don’t think that I intentionally took a new musical direction with this song, but I’m so happy with how it turned out. It started with an idea on an acoustic guitar, just like all of my songs do, and the more we played with it, the more we realized that it needed a more upbeat groove.

2. What was this song inspired by?

The song was inspired by something that happened to me just before I graduated college and moved to California. I met someone I really liked on the very last day of school, but she left to study abroad in Barcelona about a week later, right when I left for LA. It was an extremely frustrating and unfortunate situation, and I felt that I needed to tell that story. I really was jealous of Barcelona because it got to have her and I didn’t.

3. Do you remember writing this song? Do you remember the mood or feeling of those moments?

Of course I remember writing this song! I felt exactly the way I describe in the song–jealous of Barcelona.

4. What is the main message here?

The main message is really that I just envy a place for getting to have this person while I’m alone in California. It’s also about all of the frustrating things that occurred as a result of us being so far away–I’m waking up while she’s out with her friends, not hearing from her for days, wondering what she’s up to, etc.

5. What words would you use to describe your music and style?

I find it difficult to describe my music and style, but if I had to choose a few words, I would say that it ranges from an acoustic folk-inspired sound to more upbeat dance-inspired music, all rooted in ideas that come from an acoustic guitar. I want to make music that tells real stories that is digestible for everyone.

6. What do you want to accomplish as an artist?

As an artist, I really just want to affect as many people as possible. It’s never been about anything other than that for me. I feel as though I have a very unique opportunity to change people’s lives for the better, and I just want to do it to the best of my ability and bring people an experience that they wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else.