Fascinated by sound and music at a young age, Jonathan Mansilla, known as JONY, has strived to pursue a career as a singer, songwriter and producer in Waterloo Region. With a passion for creating, Mansilla has set himself apart from the rest as not only is it his dream to create music, but he also strives to help others release their inner creativity.
Born in Kitchener, JONY described his childhood as artistic and bursting at the seams with creativity.
“Ever since I was really young, I’ve always loved being creative. There was one time when I even created a movie idea. I got myself, my little sister and my good friend that lived across the street to act in it and asked my mom to film it. It was called Spy Guy and it’s actually still on YouTube right now,” JONY said. “I’ve always loved being able to express myself through the content I’ve created, and seeing how others react. From cartoon animations to school prank videos, that has always kept me coming up with new ideas.”
Throughout his childhood, JONY had more passion in learning about the creative process rather than the typical studies of math and science. In elementary school, he was captivated by the art of animation. After self-learning about the basics of animation, JONY had the idea of creating a show about a rock band and their wild adventures, but in order to have his vision of this band come to life, he planned on learning to play the guitar. After teaching himself the chords and how to play, he was hooked on music. Leaving animation behind, he created a band with his friend from school who played the drums and he was fully consumed by the music.
Upon creating more music, JONY got to a point where people began to resonate with what he was producing. The problem was that in order to gain more exposure, he needed the proper equipment to take his passion to the next level
“I researched online and made some phone calls, only to find out that to have my songs professionally mixed and visually represented it would cost thousands of dollars that as a teenager I didn’t have,” said JONY. “There really wasn’t a way that I could afford it on my own, and I would get frustrated trying to figure out my next move. My only realistic solution was that I had to learn how to do it on my own.”
Spending every spare moment learning about producing music, his drive for success only got stronger. JONY has taken courses from some of the top audio engineers in the world like Andrew Scheps, Fab Dupont and Luca Pretolesi, who have worked with major musicians in the industry like Adele, Beyonce, Major Lazer and many more. By taking these courses and attending seminars, it has allowed him to become completely independent as a singer, songwriter, and producer in the industry.
JONY enrolled in the international business management degree program at Conestoga College and after completing his first year, he decided that the program wasn’t geared toward the career he truly desired. He switched to the marketing program, which he realized would help increase the awareness of his brand as a musician, and would aid him in the process of opening his own recording studio.
During his post-secondary studies, JONY found himself performing in various spots around the region and has even performed in Los Angeles. JONY said how he loves performing in any venue but feels nostalgic about Maxwell’s in Waterloo as he used to play there when he first started out.
“I love performing in Los Angeles, as it is a completely different environment and it gets me very inspired. Since Los Angeles is a large portion of where the music industry is located, you get that feeling of ‘anything is possible’ when you are there,” he said. “I do have a lot of history with Maxwell’s in Waterloo and there is a lot of stories tied to that place.”
Lauren Cao, a fan of JONY’S music, found out about JONY through a marketing campaign that was on Facebook and Instagram that targeted Kitchener, Waterloo and Toronto.
“I’ve seen JONY perform at Maxwell’s in Waterloo and he is an awesome musician. What I like about his music is how he is able to write relatable songs in a variety of genres yet still capturing his own signature sound,” said Cao. “His energy on stage is electrifying and he definitely knows how to entertain a crowd.”
After the completion of his program at Conestoga College, JONY decided it was time for him to take the jump and open his own recording studio in the Waterloo Region. JONY STUDIOS is a compilation of hard work and dedication with the mantra of helping other independent musicians in their journey with creativity.
JONY’S career as a musician has skyrocketed since the opening of his recording studio. With many accomplishments under his belt, JONY was the No. 1 singer and songwriter on ReverbNation in Kitchener, and was also a finalist in the SOCAN Canadian Songwriting Competition for his song “Beep Bop Bow.” He has continued to rise in popularity over his several social media platforms as he continues to release new music. His 50s’-inspired song “Moving On” currently sits at over 13,000 views on YouTube.
JONY STUDIOS offers services like audio production, video production, guitar and mastering and professional recording services. The company also has clients that range from musicians from the region to technology companies. Respecting the Process, a media and marketing company in Kitchener, has worked with JONY STUDIOS on multiple occasions.
“JONY is reliable, talented, smart and great to work with for audio needs and music production,” said Adam Rochon, chief process officer at Respecting the Process. “He has fully supported my video company through our audio needs and unique wants and I am always excited to work with him.”
Since he started in the music business, JONY had been collecting gear and saving money, so when his studio opened, he already had the majority of equipment he needed. The pressures of running a business like paying rent, investing money in a website and many more, always sat in the back of his mind. However, JONY said everyone should take the jump and go after what they truly desire.
“When my savings started running low, I decided to Uber on the side. It gave me the flexibility so I could do the work on my studio or with clients when I needed too,” he said. “The beautiful aspect of taking the jump into the business was that I learned a lot. I became better with working with people, finding a property to rent and learning the rules of having a business. With Uber, I met so many different types of people which brought me out of my comfort zone.”
JONY has also worked with Marc Lafleur, CEO of truLOCAL, an online tech company that connects people to high-end and locally sourced meat products. On JONY’s website, Lafleur said the services JONY offers are above and beyond.
“JONY was amazing to work with, not only did he save us by working his magic on our voices and sound, he turned the whole experience into a blast. I’d highly recommend him and hope to use his services again in the future.”
Inspired by artists who manifest their vision into a reality, JONY said people like Elon Musk, John Mayer and Ed Sheeran are people who bring great value to the world. Musicians are capable of bringing people together and connecting them in a way that most people can’t. The greatest musicians are the ones who can make people feel something through their music. With the beats and rhythms of his music, JONY strives to give every one of his listeners a chance to connect with his content.
Since starting his music adventure as a teenager, JONY has evolved as an artist. Moving from acoustic to rock and everything in between, he has found his niche in every genre.
“I currently don’t stay restricted by a certain genre. I just release the songs that I get really excited about and resonate with what’s going on in my life,” he said. “My music has become very personal, and there is usually a truth behind every song. Looking back at some of my older songs, I am able to know exactly how I was feeling at that time in my life. It is very liberating to be able to release those emotions and it acts as a form of therapy for me.”
With such successes under his belt, from performing in Canada and the U.S. to opening an independent recording studio, JONY has been able to follow his passion in the music industry. His personal and professional achievements prove that if you put in the hard work, it will pay off. Sometimes in order to become successful, you need to take those risks and dive in head on.
“I feel like music chose me, as weird as that sounds. I believe that everyone has a gift that their heart tends to gravitate towards but most people shut down the feeling because of fear,” said JONY. “People look at their life as black and white because of the social conditioning that has been ingrained in them, when in reality it can be full of different colours like a magical epic journey.”
Connect with JONY
Spotify: http://smarturl.it/jony
Instagram: http://instagram.com/officialjony
YouTube: http://youtube.com/officialjony
Facebook: http://facebook.com/officialjony
Twitter: http://twitter.com/officialjony
Snapchat: officialjony https://www.snapchat.com/add/officialjony
For Audio/Video Production Services go to: https://www.jonystudios.com
