New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Today, John Splithoff announces the release of his debut album, All In. Out April 23 on his own Pleasant Lane Music, All In marks the culmination of John Splithoff's near decade-long stretch of highs and lows, victories and defeats underscored by a series of hit singles. From surpassing 100 million streams to breaking the Top 10 at AC radio, headlining tours and playing Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, Splithoff has paved his own path to indie pop and soul stardom, but on All In he shows how a slow burn can yield the brightest fire.
Recorded in New York and Los Angeles, All In was completed before the arrival of COVID-19 but feels particularly fitting for the times. Across these 11 songs - self-produced and largely built from demos created alone in his apartment - John Splithoff traces his journey through a period of immense introspection and isolation. Grappling with loneliness in the face of longing and desire, he's taken the time to figure out who he really is and the result is bold, self-assured and "irresistibly smooth" (UPROXX). Through performances both "sensual and soaring" (American Songwriter), Splithoff transforms doubt into determination and self-reflection into celebration, pairing personal revelations with invigorating arrangements full of harmonic sophistication and intoxicating swagger.
On "Steady," John Splithoff offers a touching tribute to simpler times, togetherness and those you can lean on most. Unearthing vintage home footage, the video captures candid moments of nostalgic, childlike bliss, and he says:
"I wrote 'Steady' at home in New York City at the end of 2019. At the time, I felt a lot of doubt about making music and was stuck creatively. More often than not, writing songs for a living is incredibly difficult to turn into a 'steady' job, and these lyrics come from a place of gratitude for the people in my life who have kept me grounded and have helped me get through just about anything. After demoing out the song at home, I went to Los Angeles for a month to work with the producer duo Likeminds, and came back the day lockdown was issued in New York.
As the uncertainty grew with COVID, checking in with friends and family through everything was key to staying inspired and encouraged. The last year has made me very nostalgic and going through 50-plus years of archived family history to create the visual brought up a lot of emotions. More than anything, it served as a reminder to do better at keeping up with my relationships, and I hope watching the video makes people want to call their dad, mom, sister, brother, partner, or distant cousin twice removed."
For the first time in his career, All In shows John Splithoff crafting songs that flow seamlessly into each other, forming a cohesive collection that thinks about the world for more than three minutes at a time. Rich and immersive from start to finish, he nods to influences that range from personal heroes like
Marvin Gaye and
Prince to contemporaries like
John Mayer and Calvin Harris. Playing most of the instruments himself, Splithoff simultaneously channels a carefree independence and a burning need for connection, driving home themes of soul-searching and self-awareness with a buttery smooth delivery.
On songs like the tender title track and buoyant "Holding On To Me," John Splithoff celebrates the joy of infatuation as he learns what it's like to find yourself while growing with someone special. Elsewhere on the album he defines success on his own terms ("
Thrive"), meditates on what really matters ("Value") and insists on pushing forward no matter how difficult things get ("
Good To Go"). It's been a long evolution since his days growing up outside of Chicago, studying jazz in Miami and couch surfing in Harlem, but after a meteoric rise John Splithoff is poised for his biggest breakout yet.
All In Track List
Note to Self
Value
Fahrenheit
Holding On To Me
Steady
Thrive
WGYG
Not a Thing I Would Change (Interlude)
Slow to Rise
Good to Go
All In
