"Sonically diverse and vocally impressive..." - American Songwriter
An intimate solo show in Meadow Hall
Adult contemporary artist John Splithoff’s 2018 Top-10 single “Sing to You” reached 150 million streams, landing him a major label deal and a variety of A-List collaborators, including Sting and producer David Foster, opening slots for Teddy Swims, and others, and an ongoing working and touring relationship with jazz trumpet legend Chris Botti. Splithoff has continued touring non-stop since then, playing his own headlining shows and joining other acts (Andy Grammer, Gabrielle Aplin, Ben Rector, and others) as a guest, bringing his soulful genre bending style to high profile shows, domestically and internationally.
Citing influences from Marvin Gaye, Earth Wind & Fire, and Sade, to Michael McDonald, Fleetwood Mac and Christopher Cross, Splithoff’s sound recalls the music of his childhood. “Call it yacht rock if you want, but the music associated with that is important to me.” But Splithoff is quick to cite younger artists he admires, including Benny Sings, Clairo, Men I Trust, and Mac DeMarco. “I think they’ve brought unique musicality into popular music,” he says, “hearing people play some tasteful keyboards or write a song with a bridge that goes to different places.”
One early song written for Far From Here was “Plateau,” born directly from the atmospheric sounds of Splithoff favorites The War on Drugs and Khruangbin. Elsewhere on the album, “Same Page” has what he calls “the smallest bit of twang,” an echo of a camping trip in the desert of Arizona, while “Kyoto Snow” evokes his unforgettable, first-ever journey to Japan.
For listeners who are new to John Splithoff and those who discovered him as a live performer or as part of the 150 million streams for “Sing to You,” what Far From Here presents is an artist reborn. Out of the turmoil and disruption, the uncertainty, the ups and downs of the last few years, Splithoff emerged with a transformation in his attitude and his approach.
“The biggest thing was writing some songs that brought me peace,” he says. I felt like my writing had become a whole lot of checking boxes for other people. With these songs, though, it was just sitting down and getting back to the genuine joy of creating and writing music.”
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