On Thursdays Del Osei-Owusu sits down with an artist on the FOTN radar and gets them to tell their origin story over a cup of tea and biscuits. This week, it’s Johnnyswim and they brought Tiny Boxwoods from Houston Texas, the best cookies in the world.

Congratulations on the release of “Dopamine”, how does it feel?

Thank you! It’s a thrill to release it to the world and get it stuck in other people’s heads because it’s been stuck in ours for so long.

It’s a combination of jazz, soul, and spoken word, what’s the story behind the track?

The entire album came at an interesting time in our lives. We were between tours and albums, locked into the monotony of day to day life, dealing with changes in our career and industry and changes in our own physical and mental health. This song was one that seems like it wrote itself one afternoon while we chased its tail and tried to write and record it.

You collaborated with Tobe Nwigwe on this, how did that come about?

Tobe is a dear friend and insanely talented artist, so every album we ask him to collaborate. It’s a no-brainer to work with him. We sent him the album and he chose this song to add his voice to which is a dream.

You’re a duo from Los Angeles, how did Johnnyswim come together?

We met in Nashville in 2005. We were both writing songs and finding our place, but one day we wrote a song together and both felt the spark of something beautiful beginning. Here we are 20 years later still living in the warmth of the fire that spark started.

What did you listen to starting out?

One of the things which drew us together when we met was our love of music and the eclectic range of artists we loved. From old Cuban folk songs to Lauryn Hill to Dave Matthews to Joni Mitchell to artists we found at local coffe shops, we could drive around all day and share music.

You’ve been together 20 years this year, how has your writing process changed in that time?

Our process hasn’t changed much in that time. I think now we trust our instincts a little more and honestly try a little less hard to fit in.

Your new album just came out, what’s your favourite track from it?

Our favorite is Psilocybin. It’s a song about changing with the person you love. Of seeing them in their weaker moments and jumping in the deep end together. After 20 years together is something we find so beautiful.

What was the easiest and most challenging part of recording it?

The easiest was all being in the studio together. We had our favorite musicians (Jonathan Berlin, Drew Taubenfeld, Markus Huber, and Aaron Redfield) all in the same room. We would rehearse the song and have fun with it until we found what felt right and then we’d record it a few times top to bottom. It was so fun and felt like magic in the room. The hardest part was going home and having to edit all the great stuff we got.

Tell us a funny story from the sessions.

A favorite moment was trying to mute the piano manually to get the right sound. Abner and Markus were draped over the back of the piano while Jonathan played, trying to apply just the right amount of pressure so it would sound muted but not dead. There’s a picture somewhere of it that represents the fun we had. We were kids playing with toys and making something we were proud of.

You performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live recently, what was that like?

It is always an honor to play on Kimmel. The vibe there is so special. Everyone is kind and excited and Jimmy is the most welcoming host. It ends up feeling like a party.

You met after a church service, what’s your favourite go-to gospel song?

We both grew up listening to our mothers sing Great is thy Faithfulness and it’s still a family favorite.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Olivia Dean, Lola Young, the Minari Soundtrack, Ben Abraham, Adrianne Lenker, and Chet Baker sings

What three things are you looking forward to in 2025?

We’re thrilled to be back on the road promoting the album all year and coming to London! It’s been a long time and we’re sure it will be a highlight. Also looking forward to traveling with our kids a bit on tour but also for fun. Lastly we’re looking forward to taking a nap on a beach somewhere when all that is done.

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