Jon Bellion

“My artistry is my baby.”

“Rapping was a hobby; when I went to college, there were a ton of dudes rapping. I think that's where I got my rapping chops up.”

“If I could be generous and move forward and spread my feelers business-wise and also creatively, that's the best position to put myself in.”

“I think honest lyrics help somebody say, 'I was struggling with this, but if Jon goes through that, too, and if Jon's telling me that his life isn't as good as it seems on his Instagram,' that helps somebody in their day to day.”

“The first 12 bars of 'Pre-Occupied' explains my entire career.”

“I'm fascinated by Jesus and pray to him every day.”

“I was sick of waiting for people to jump on hooks for songs I produced. So I tried singing myself, and I haven't looked back.”

“I used to work at a catering hall in Hauppauge. Anybody who works as a server in a catering hall, more power to you, but I wanted to make music.”

“As long as I don't have to go back to the catering hall and wait tables anymore, I'm very happy.”

“I have a fan base eager for more stuff. That makes me more than happy. I know I have an army behind me.”

“I wrote 'Monster' and thought that it would solve a lot of my problems, that I'd have money in the bank, but I felt no different. I was still searching for something.”

“My brother is 10 years older than me, so whatever he listened to is what I listened to, and it was all rap.”

“I think some of the best music throughout the actual history of music itself came from cultures where they're not really looking for outside themes. It's developed from their hometowns - it's what they love and what they love to do.”

“'Translations Through Speakers' was literally, I'm translating very spottily what my aspirations are.”

“You can't really force kids to like music. I'm a firm believer in an organic fan base.”

“I'm just a product of the '90s, to be honest.”

“Sometimes I feel drawn to writing about my shortcomings because I'm chock full of them.”

“People don't realize I make records eight or nine months before they come out. I'm directing the videos; I have a lot of work to do. I'm very involved in all that stuff creatively.”

“I'm born and raised Long Island. Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Ben Gibbard - melody-driven guys... They shaped me, molded my music.”

“Originally, 'The Monster' started out as this indie, Florence And The Machine, tribal-y, almost Spanish-esque dance record.”