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“Every beautiful song comes from a broken heart”, great music does not come easy. Every beautiful lyric ever written, and every heart-touching song ever sung has a story behind it. You may listen to all the sick beats, drumming against your earphone, and groove to it. But when it comes to listening to soulful music, you hit a pause, sit down and feel it. When you listen to “When I’m Yours”, by Murray Head, you let the song wash over you, you start feeling every bit of it. That’s what inspires Johan Feder to make music that touches the soul.

In July of 2020, A shy music lover out of France, dropped his first ever single. His song “Shipwrecked” touches all the chords of heart. The lyrics of the song are bound to transport listeners to another world. It is about the struggle of letting go even after staying in love. Johan has written “Shipwrecked”, by drawing in from his experience. His words echo with listeners on a cellular level. The lyrics of Johan’s “Shipwrecked” go this way –

“And every time, that we set sail

I am so afraid that I will fail.

Is it still the same?

Is it still the same?

I will ruin everything,

So, why do you still cling?”

What makes this song so intense, is its vulnerability. You can feel his emotions in your bones.  Johan isn’t afraid to sing his heart out, and share his soul with the listeners. The song starts with a gentle guitar opening, followed by his silky voice. But it is the chorus that slaps you right on the face with overwhelming emotions. The song is an underrated masterpiece in itself, it may be Johan’s first, but it is definitely one of his bests.

The music video of “Shipwrecked”, is a delight to watch. It is set on a beautiful beach, giving the video an other-worldly feel. The earthy colors, the subtle elegance of chosen landscape, and the dreamy subjects, make this video a visual treat. It is as soothing to watch, as it is to listen. Johan doesn’t create music because he has to, he does it because he loves it. When he was a kid, he fell in love with music. His life has had music ever since. He learnt how to play piano and guitar at a young age. Johan mastered these instruments, and wanted to create art out of it.

But after his high school, he went to London, to attend business school. It is there he learnt that, even though he could crunch numbers and build businesses, his first love would always be music. After attending business school, he went on a trip that changed his life. A boy, who was shy and closed off, went to new places and met strange faces. Johan’s travels changed him. He learnt he had a soul of a wanderer and a heart of an artist.

After his travels, he took acting lessons. With his rugged charm and edgy looks,he started earning a name for himself. He starred in French television shows and ads. Johan’s acting career made him a known face, but he wasn’t satisfied with doing just that. Music was always at the back of his mind. When asked about his favourite artists he said, it was the artists of 70s-80s who held a special place in his heart. He is a huge fan of Floyd and Radiohead.

But the man who he can relate to on a spiritual level is Murray Head, the English actor and singer, who got nominated for Oscar for his film “Sunday Bloody Sunday”. When asked about him he said “ I love that man!”. His album “Say it ain’t so Joe”, is one of Johan’s favourites. He recently did a cover of the song “Never Even Thought”, by Murray Head. He sings his heart out in this one, you can hardly tell whether you are listening to the original or a cover.

Another cover of Johan that became instantly popular was “Take on me” by A-ha. He took a  pop song and made it his own. His magical spin on “Take on me” has earned many views on Youtube as well as IG Tv. Johan sings this cover, not in a music studio or made out setting, but in a scenic spot, just above a river, with raindrops pouring down. It is this natural setting of the video that makes his voice more endearing.

Most of his songs aren’t shot in cold, hard, ill-conceived, set up places, but his songs always have nature as a backdrop. When asked what makes him choose his settings he says, he has an affinity towards nature, so it is obvious to perform where natural beauty is. Even his cover of “Never Even Thought” by Murray Head is recorded in a gorgeous scenery, he sits under a tree with his guitar and plays the song out.

His love of nature comes from his travels. Johan is also a man who is passionate about biking. His road trip across Europe, made him a pro biker. He loves his Harley as much as the next man. Being on the road gives him a chance to introspect. Johan says that hitting the road every now and then, clears his head. It is a way for him to go soul searching.

Johan Feder’s music carries part of his soul. He puts his all into creating music that would resonate with his audience. Sometimes he worries whether his audience will like his renditions or not. But every song he sings, seems to be becoming better than the previous one. His journey in the music industry has just begun. But his relationship with music has stood the test of times. His soulful music is a safe haven for every music lover.

 

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