When alt-rock artist, John Harvie came out swinging on his debut album, told ya. in August of 2022, he made it very clear that he wasn’t messing around. Complete with thirteen incredibly candid and vulnerable (and not to mention catchy as hell) songs, told ya. easily cemented his place in the pop-punk and rock scenes, showcasing his fearlessness and versatility. Now, about a year and a half later, he hasn’t lost any momentum, with tour dates alongside artists like girlfriends and Shinedown as well as a handful of new singles under his belt.
Currently, you can catch John Harvie playing some of his newest tracks and encouraging plenty of crowd participation from old and new fans alike while he’s on the road with Meet Me @ The Altar. The tour just made its stop through Denver, where Harvie not only effortlessly won the crowd over with heartfelt songs like “Beauty In The Bad Things” and fun sing-alongs during “Bleach (On The Rocks)”, but also spent plenty of time meeting with new fans after his set. With certainly more music and hopefully more tour dates on the horizon, with caught up with him to reflect on told ya., look back the whirlwind of the last few years and discuss his plans for the future.
Prelude Press: Man, where do we start? You’re currently coming off of two successful years, following the release of your debut album, told ya and a handful of new singles last year. Looking back on the whirlwind of the past couple of years, what have been some of the highlights for you?
John Harvie: Honestly just the people I’ve met whether it be through touring or writing. Everyone says don’t meet your heroes, but for me that hasn’t been the case at all. I’ve been able to tour with my idols like Shinedown, collaborate with legends like Aaron Gillespie, and make great friends with all the bands I’ve listened to as a kid. Never underestimate the power of relationships and friendships.
When you first started writing music, or even when you first began seriously pursuing it during COVID, did you ever envision yourself where you are now? What do you wish you could tell yourself back then?
This has been a trajectory I 100% could not have imagined haha! I’ve always wanted people to enjoy the music I make for myself and it blows my mind that even when I drop a surprise song, people listen and I have a small, dedicated, and growing fan base. I’m in a bounce back time in my career where I’ve experienced my first true highs and lows, so I’d just tell myself to keep the tunnel goggles on and just show up every day. The moment is coming.
Now that told ya. is a little over a year old, what are some of your favorite things about the album as you reflect on it? What are you most proud of?
I think the part I’m most proud of is how cohesive the album is. I know I’m biased but there’s truly no skips. The album will get its true time to shine in due time because it is timeless. I pride myself on trying my best to make music that ages well, and this was an amazing album to kick my career off with. I could go on and on about how I wish more people were able to find out about it but the beautiful thing is… there’s still time. It’s cool to promote your music even years after it comes out.
What was the most exciting or rewarding part of working on the album?
I just felt on top of the world the whole time. I had one of my favorite drummers play on the whole thing, I had butterflies in my stomach after writing all the songs, and there was just this overwhelming feeling of excitement that those notes bring me back to when I listen to the album.
Last year, you followed up the album with a handful of new singles, including “At My Worst”, “Roses” and “Figure 8”. What goals did you have in mind with these new songs, coming off of an album release?
I didn’t really have any goals other than to have people realize the sound is changing, while also not alienating the pop punk fans. I got put through the industry ringer for a while, which has happened to some of the greatest artists in the world so I’ll never complain about it. There was just a moment where I was like “alright I don’t fucking suck, that’s for sure… so I’m gonna make shit I wanna make and you can either take it or leave it until I figure out the vision for the next project.”
Now, you’re getting ready to kick off an exciting new year with tour dates with Meet Me @ The Altar throughout the end of February. What are you looking forward to the most at these shows?
Adding new family members to the JH wave. Meet Me @ The Altar does a great job of having a super young, rabid fan base, so I’m gonna bring as many of them in as I possibly can. I just put all my value in how many asses can you put in seats. Not streaming numbers or insta likes or tiktok fame or any of that bullshit (although it’s extremely important to have a balance of both).
Nothing is more valuable than live music.
For someone who might be seeing you live for the first time at an upcoming show, what can they expect from you live set?
Lots of yelling, crowd interaction, and great fuckin’ songs.
With 2024 just beginning, do you have any other big plans for this year? Could fans expect to hear some more new music soon?
I’m gonna drop a couple more singles this year whilst prepping for something big picture… if you pick up what I’m saying. Gonna put everything I got into the singles to increase the platform!
Looking toward the future, what goals do you have for yourself or your music?
I wanna have a song top “Bleach (On The Rocks)”. I’m ready to take this thing to the next level. I wanna sell out a couple more headline shows, and obtain a consistent 250k monthly listeners.
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Pull up to the shows and stream the music babyyyyy
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