With an infectious brand & a ruthless drive, this 21-year-old Northern California-raised Filipino American keeps setting the bar at a very high level. A Vocal Performer, Music Producer, Audio Engineer, Marketer & among other things, Joshua Nathan Ortañez AKA “JNO” is set on an all-genre musical journey to tell engaging stories to the world through his music. Ancestrally from Luzon & Mindanao, Philippines, but born in The Bay Area on March 20th, 2000.
Music runs through his veins and stems from his family across generations. He started singing and playing the piano at a very young age, which would eventually lead to getting years of professional vocal and occasional piano lessons from a multitude of credible instructors/professors.
Through constructing genuine melodies, chords, rhythms & harmonization’s by a wide variety of distinctive instruments along with many talented artists “JNO” pulls you in on an emotional rollercoaster of feelings & moods. What he wants you to feel is a relatable affection to what you hear. Each single he releases has a stemming ideology behind why every song is made but it’s up to the listener to analyse what it’s about from a personalized view.
Now residing in San Francisco, California. With a professional home studio, “JNO” has released 19 singles + 4 features starting from 2017. No EPs or albums have yet to be released but sooner or later in the future, there will be.
How did you get started, and what has led up to where you are today as an artist?
I got started into music ever since I was a little kid. I would sing & play the piano, but over time I began to take music more seriously. I slowly crafted my skills and expanded my knowledge of the music itself. Through hard work over many years, I kept on releasing new songs, collaborating with new artists, and always had an open mind.
Who do you feel has influenced you the most as an artist?
I feel the besides my family’s influence over music, names like The Weeknd, Bruno Mars, and Michael Jackson held a huge musical influence over my life along with the band Journey.
What do you feel sets you apart from other artists and gives you your own sound?
I feel what sets me apart from other artists is I have a very unique sound over my songs, whether its through the tonality of my voice, or the instruments I chose to produce with.
What has been your biggest challenge and what do you feel you have learned from it?
My biggest challenge is coming to a realization that you always learn something new every step of the way in life. What I learned is you never stop learning.
Tell us about your latest project, what have you got going on at the moment?
My latest project is “No Love Left” which is a sad ballad experimental pop song filled with hopelessness and resentment. At the moment I got a lot of music projects in the mix along with my “jno” brand development.
What advice would you give to anyone new coming into the industry?
My advice for anyone new coming to the industry is to just keep hustling for what your love/passion is. Nothing successful is done overnight but with enough persistence, anything is possible.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank for getting you to where you are now, anyone you’d like to give a shout-out to?
I would like to thank my followers, friends, & family as I wouldn’t be where I am now without their loyal support.
How can fans find you?
Fans can find me on essentially every single platform, just type “JNO” in the search bar.