Interview: Jonathan

Croatian rock back, Jonathan released their latest album, To Hold in North America at the beginning of March. Now the band is in the midst of their first US tour. We got to ask Jonathan a few questions about being from Croatia, playing SXSW, and World Cup fever.

You have been around since 2011, why is the time right now to tour America?

It takes a lot of effort to go on tour overseas, especially for a band from Croatia that doesn’t have foreign booking agent so I guess we were just ready now. And we got invited to play New Colossus Festival in NYC and a couple of more shows in the US so we started to make all this to happen.

Is there anything specific you are excited to see in America?

America is a beautiful country with a beautiful nature and it will be great to see a little bit of that beauty from the van. We’re also very excited to see SXSW cause it’s a biggest, greatest and most important festival of that kind, at least that’s what they say.

What are you looking forward to experiencing at South by Southwest?

Don’t really know, to feel that energy and the vibe of such big festival with so many artists. We are hoping to find somebody who will take care of our business in the US and worldwide.

You sing in English on your albums. What inspired you to sing in English as opposed to Croatian?

It’s something that came up naturally for Zoran and we embraced it. We grew up under the influence of MTV music back in 90s, so that’s probably the reason why it seems so natural.

How do you think the Croatia rock scene compares to other countries?

I can just say that we’re the balkans and we’re putting a lot of heart and passion in whatever we do.

After your American tour, what is next for Jonathan?

I think we’re going to make a new album.

Finally, 2018 was big for Croatian soccer with the team making the finals. Did you watch the World Cup? Where did you watch it? What was it like to see Croatia go on such a big run?

We are not really in to the football but that thing was huge, it was really hard not to be sucked in to the general euphoria. We had watched it everywhere, coffee shops, breweries, bars, at home… It was crazy.

Tour Dates

03.14•Flatstock Stage – 3:30 (Austin, TX – Inside convention center)

03.17•P&H Café (Memphis, TN)

03.19•Stone Arch Brewery (Appleton, WI)

03.20•Elbo Room (Chicago, IL)

03.22•Pianos (New York, NY)

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