From his teenage move from Poland to Ireland to accumulating millions of streams, selling out shows across Europe, and touring with Madison Beer, pop artist, writer, and producer Jann has experienced a meteoric rise to stardom. His success is anchored in a sophisticated pop sound that merges emotive lyricism, a dynamic vocal range, and shimmering production techniques. With his latest project, “I store my fear and my pain in the nape of my neck”, Jann unveils his next bold artistic evolution.

From the opening notes of “Floating”, Jann immediately captivates listeners with soaring, choral vocals. As the project unfolds, he seamlessly crafts a collection of ethereal, hypnotic tracks that push the boundaries of conventional pop music. Mesmerising melodies and pulsating rhythms flow through songs like “The Letter” and “Kiss Kiss”, showcasing Jann’s remarkable musical versatility. His deep understanding of sonic layers and intricate soundscapes is evident in every moment of this mesmerising body of work.

Listen to the album…

We linked up with Jann to talk through how psychoeducation and therapy influenced this project, messages he hopes to convey to his audience and what fans can expect from his upcoming live shows in London and Manchester.

Hey Jann! You’re set to release your new album, “I store my fear and my pain in the nape of my neck”. Can you explain the narratives behind the project?

I usually don’t like describing my work in one or three words, but I would say the leading theme of this album is growth. The songs touch on many topics that might not all seem to relate to each other at first, but each one of them is a sublimation of different needs and dilemmas. I’ve always been fascinated with human behaviour and how multifaceted we as humans are. Since the beginning of this year I’ve been working very intensely and holistically on myself. Therapy and psychoeducation combined with bodywork and complementary vocal coaching helped me better understand how all things are connected and influence each other. The title “I store my fear and my pain in the nape of my neck” encapsulates that. It’s about psyche and soma.

What did your creative process look like for the project?

It varied, there were different stages of it. I imagine it like a sieve or a filter. You have to go through a lot to be left with what you are looking for. My favourite part of the creative process for this album is right now – when it’s done. It feels like passing an exam, a graduation. You immerse yourself in the research and studying, you get passionate about it. The closer you get to the deadline, the more intense it gets, the more focused and in the zone you are. And after you’re done, it’s gone. You can’t change the answers. You can only re-evaluate, see what you did and how you did it and learn from it. I approached creating this album with intent to learn and explore, with full openness, curiosity and humility. Usually, I’m quite a perfectionist but this time I was being very patient and forgiving towards myself throughout the process, and I think it helped me be more honest and adventurous than ever. In the end, I’ve had a lot of fun and felt a huge progress as an artist.

With the release of this album, what message do you hope to convey to your audience?

I really wish for all people to explore and really get to know themselves. Where they come from, who they are, and who they want to be. It’s the only way to grow. I also believe that better understanding of oneself helps being more loving and forgiving to oneself and in effect to others. Primally, I don’t think we’re too different from each other.

From Poland to Ireland to London, how have your geographical changes influenced your musical evolution?

Immensely. I don’t know where I would be If I didn’t move but definitely not as far as I am now. All in terms of educational, personal and artistic growth. Musically, it obviously opened my mind and exposed me to different sounds and expanded my bank, but I think it’s my writing that is the most influenced by it all. Without it, I don’t even know if I would have started writing at all. I had a chance to collect experiences, understand different perspectives and approaches, and cultural backgrounds. Like I said, I am very observant of people so I gained a lot.

In your words, how would you describe your sound and your music?

I think it ties in with the last question a little. You can hear Sinéad O’Connor, Polish jazz and rock bands that my parents listened to, the church music that I heard. My RnB, hip-hop and soul obsession from when I was a teen, my classical and choir background in Northern Ireland. The electronic and ambient music that I got into when I was at uni. It’s an amalgamation of everything I’ve listened to at different stages of life formed into something of my own. I keep adding to it and reshaping it. There’s plenty of nostalgia, sadness and loneliness in my music. I’m starting to be more happy in it, but I think right now, the feeling that I like to convey the most is uncertainty. Bittersweetness. Acceptance, positive but not quite happy.

You have upcoming shows in London and Manchester, what can fans expect from your live performances?

I am very passionate about live shows and I always give them my all. Probably the most exciting part is music from the new album. Both for me and the audience. I also worked very hard on my vocal technique these past few months so I hope I’ll give even better performances.

What does the rest of the year look like in terms of live shows and collaborations? Is there anything exciting in store that we haven’t heard about yet?

I want to create new music. I really fell back in love with the process while making this album and I don’t want to stop. I’m excited to try new things, work with new people. I also really hope to widen my scope in terms of live shows even more next year. Play for new people and fans who haven’t yet had a chance to come to my shows before. And we’re already working on it.