On Following Your Dreams And Becoming a Full-Time Musician : Jonathan Yhome

They say dreamers can be dangerous men. The world fears them for they, more often than not, act on their dreams with an intention to succeed at all costs. Jonathan Yhome followed his dream and became a full-time musician. At Nagaland’s business town, Dimapur, Yhome strives everyday to reach his goal of becoming a successful musician. This is his story.

Photo : Jonathan Yhome

Will you be releasing an EP anytime soon?

I have not released an album or an EP yet, but I have officially written songs that have been featured as OSTs for movies, for example, ”Something New” was featured in the movie ”Nana – A Tale of Us” by Dreamz Unlimited. A song I wrote for my parents called‘‘Send Me Away’‘ was featured on The The REC.urrent. I’ve also released a single called ‘‘Before We Know” and Sofar Sounds featured another single of mine called ”Go Tell Your Mother”.

What sparked your interest in this field initially?

I started my musical journey when I first joined the Nagaland Conservatory of Music in 2013. Ever since I was a kid I was obsessed with music, I used to lock myself in a room and just listen to music for hours while my friends were out playing. It’s not that I completely neglected the other joys of being a child, but I just loved being alone and listening to music more.

I’m in love with the possibility of being able to make an impact on someone’s life without even knowing about their existence. It’s about the amount of emotions we put in our art and the freedom of portraying our art in any way we seem right.

Photo : Jonathan Yhome

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I’ve always tried to live by a quote I read long ago: “Be honest with yourself and your art. Be brave enough to let out every part of yourself on your art’’.

I guess, I also draw inspiration from experiences, from things that I love and people that matter to me. To put it briefly, I take inspiration from life.

What do you hope people take away from your music?

I want the audience to be able to connect and relate to my music. I invest a lot of emotions into my work. Connecting with a complete stranger through my music is the greatest compliment any artist can receive. For example, ”Something New’’ took me a long time to finish but it felt really good to see how well it was received.

What projects are you currently working on?

I’m working on releasing my first ever EP which I plan on releasing soon. I have also started to work with some musicians to begin setting up a full set band.