Musician to Know: Tobias Jesso Jr.

It’s not often that you discover an artist who can simultaneously make you sigh, sob, and want to die just so he can sing at your funeral. 29-year-old Tobias Jesso Jr. does just that.

A little over two years ago, the Vancouver native was still coming off a bad breakup and struggling to make it as a songwriter in L.A. His threshold broke after being seriously injured by a vehicle while riding his bike…which someone then stole immediately after.

A scar on his hand now serves as a reminder of the events that ultimately prompted his move back to Vancouver, where he filtered feelings of failure and rejection through an abandoned piano. Reminiscent of a modern day Bob Dylan, Tobias’s soulful voice and words — never precious — convey a beautiful mess of emotion. His sound is like your favorite drink. It goes down smoothly and idles in your blood stream, keeping company your thoughts at the bar long after everyone else has gone home.

In Just a Dream, Tobias sings:

“I can’t explain the world to you. I can’t explain the things that people choose to do.”

His lyrics are blunt and bare-faced. Tobias doesn’t write or sing with arrogance. His compositions aren’t racked with complexity; they’re approachable. Tobias sings like someone who has stopped trying for success. Maybe that’s why he found it.

Tobias Jesso Jr’s debut album, Goon will be released on March 17th.