JJ Hannon talks about his single ‘Not Over It’ and the digital age

JJ Hannon. Photo Credit: Niko Stycos .

Artist and social influencer JJ Hannon chatted about his single “Not Over It,” and being a part of the ever-changing digital age.

Idea for the new single

On the idea for the song “Not Over It,” he said, “I wrote this song about not being over somebody. I released it on January 25th, and it’s my first release off an EP that I’m working on. I wanted to get something out there for the fans to give them a taste of my new sound and to let them know that there is more music coming. I love that song!”

“I was definitely going for that retro emo vibe with perhaps some Blink-182 inspiration,” he admitted. “I really like early ’00s, pop and funk music.”

The digital age

On being a part of the digital age, Hannon said, “It feels amazing. I’ve been on social media since I was 12 years old. I started posting modeling type of photos when I was 12 on Instagram.”

“I definitely saw this coming. I knew that it was the future and it wasn’t going anywhere, so I think I was blessed to be able to be one of the first people to take advantage of it at a young age,” he added.

AI on the future of the music industry

Hannon went on to share his thoughts on AI (artificial intelligence) on the future of the music industry. “I think that AI is huge,” he said. “I think it’s crazy that people have AI girlfriends. I’m trying my hardest to stay away from that part of it.”

“When it comes to problem solving, I think that AI is amazing, and I definitely think that it’s going to change the world, and it already has,” he added.

Future plans

Regarding his future plans, he noted that he plans on releasing a new EP and touring again for the first time in over three years. “I plan on taking some acting classes this summer, and taking acting more serious, so that I can be cast in some serious roles,” he said.

Advice for young and aspiring artists

For young and aspiring artists, he encouraged them to “believe in themselves.” “You are your own biggest fan and you are your own worst enemy too,” he said. “It’s really a mind game, it really is.”

“If you believe in yourself and see yourself becoming something, then you can do it,” he added.

Dream duet choice in music

Hannon listed Jay-Z as his dream duet choice in music. “I would really love to collaborate with a rapper, and I would love to collab with Jay-Z, especially because he is from New York. That would be a dream collab for me,” he said.

Superpower of choice

If he were to have any superpower it would be as follows: “I would love to be able to go back in time and help people not make mistakes.”

Stage of his life

On the title of the current chapter of his life, Hannon said, “The New York City days.”

Primary sclerosing cholangitis

Hannon also opened up about living with Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), which he described as a career and life-defining moment. “Recently, I was diagnosed with a rare liver disease, and I was not taking music as seriously as I wanted to, and I wasn’t taking life as seriously as I wanted to,” he said.

“Over the past year, it has been such a wakeup call and I have been re-focused on my dreams. This was a blessing in disguise because now I wake up every single day with a chip on my shoulder because I know that I need to get to work,” he elaborated.

“Everyone gets dealt different cards for different reasons,” he acknowledged.

Favorite motto to live by

His favorite motto to live by is a lyric from the song “No Love” by Eminem: “Throw dirt on me and grow a wildflower.” “When I’m in the dirt, I feel that someway and somehow, a flower can grow,” he said.

Johnny Valentine

Hannon had great words about fellow musician and social influencer Johnny Valentine. “I’ve known Johnny for quite some time, he is a great guy,” Hannon said.