Jann Klose – Creativity, Collaboration, and the Power of Community

1. Your new single “When I’m With You” feels like both a sonic and emotional celebration. What inspired the song’s message about human connection, and how did your collaboration with Everett Bradley help bring that vision to life?

Thanks for taking the time to listen! I brought the idea of writing a song about appreciating your best friend to Everett and he came back to me with the beat that you hear in the track. Marcus Dembinski, my producer who also plays drums on the track, then added the synth riff on the chorus which tied it up. 

2. The music video is a striking stop-motion piece filmed across New York City. What made you choose this technique, and how did the idea of the Daumenkino (flipbook) concept come to you?

This is the second stop motion video I’ve done. My song “Doing Time” was the first over 10 years ago, a collaboration with the NY Film Academy. I’ve always been fascinated by the stop motion effect. It’s a visual trick to slow down time. Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” video continues to be a great inspiration.

3. Shooting over 2,000 photos in just six hours sounds intense! What were the biggest creative or logistical challenges of filming a stop-motion video in a city that never stops moving?

Yea, it was intense and fun! Director Sam Casey did a beautiful job piecing all of those images together. The biggest challenge we had really was to tell on-lookers to behave naturally. They kept getting politely out of the way when we just wanted them to keep moving! 

4. The video captures genuine interactions with random New Yorkers along the way. Was that spontaneity planned, or did it just happen naturally during the shoot?

Completely spontaneous! Just about everyone you see is someone we met during the shoot. It was intentional. 

5. You worked again with producer Marcus Dembinski, and Everett Bradley also contributed as co-writer and co-producer. How did their influences shape the sound of “When I’m With You” compared to your earlier singles like “Surrender”?

I’m a big believer in doing your best not to repeat yourself while also staying true to your own voice. Both Everett and Marcus encouraged me to take some risks with sound and style on this one. It also felt like the song asked for it! I’m very happy with how it turned out and I’m glad the two songs sound entirely different. 

6. The single draws from 80s synth-pop influences like A-ha, Billy Joel, and the B-52s, yet still sounds modern and personal. How do you strike that balance between nostalgia and originality in your songwriting?

It’s tricky! There are so many directions one can go into. At the end of the day I find balance if I can close my eyes, listen and get pleasure out of the sonic landscape message of the song. Collaborating with people that have slightly different sensibilities to my own is important. 

7. You’ve had an incredible global journey—born in Germany, raised across Africa and the U.S., and now performing around the world. How do those multicultural roots influence your musical identity today?

It challenges me to stay informed and learn about local culture and simultaneously get exposed to new ideas I otherwise wouldn’t have. It’s a great gift. 

8. You recently recorded at Abbey Road Studios and are preparing your eighth studio album with some major guest artists. What can you tell us about the direction and themes of this upcoming record?

I don’t wanna give away too much here but know that this next album will be different than anything I’ve ever done before. 

9. You’ve collaborated and shared stages with legends such as Pat Benatar, John Oates, and Suzanne Vega. What’s one lesson or piece of advice from those experiences that’s stayed with you?

That we are all just people that work really hard to stay in the creative space and we never stop learning. 

10. Between your music, acting background, and hosting Making Sound with Jann Klose, you wear many creative hats. How do these different artistic outlets feed into each other and keep your inspiration alive?

Well, the podcast was all about creating community in the beginning as I started it during the pandemic. Unlike most other podcasts started during that time, mine kept going. It was truly a silver lining. I love talking to talented, creative people. I’ve had so many great conversations and have developed great friendships from the show. We are approaching 150 episodes now!  

Information: Jann Klose – Music, Singer-Songwriter