Jonathan Robert is blessed with a generous creative instinct. Prolific by necessity, versatile by nature, he typically works on three albums at once. Although he gives each project the time it needs to be distinctive, there is always one among them that is on the verge of completion.
Known initially as the singer, guitarist, lyricist, and songwriter for the band Corridor (signed to the legendary label Sub Pop), he began thoroughly archiving his overflowing ideas in 2015, after his girlfriend gave him a Tascam four-track recorder. The process eventually evolved into Jonathan Personne, his versatile solo project. This opened up a world of possibilities for him, fueled by his enthusiasm for a wide range of musical genres aligned with his lo-fi sensibilities. He began compiling demos with similar sounds and inspirations, and before even releasing a track, his discography was taking shape.
He chose the moniker Jonathan Personne (which translates to 'Nobody' in French). This represents both his determination to not become a specific person, and his multifaceted artistic identity. Inspirations like desert dream pop, Morricono-esque spaghetti rock, jangle pop à la The Clean, samples and sequences, Latin-influenced stylized grooves, and eloquent indie rock reminiscent of Galaxie 500 or Yo La Tengo appear across his five albums in just seven years (with Corridor albums in between).
His debut album, Histoire naturelle (2019), features tracks from his project’s early years. The album showcases permeable lo-fi rock that is both minimalist and intriguing, and pays homage to grandiose soundscapes arranged with limited resources. In the following year he released Disparitions, a powerful, classic rock-esque collection of songs written while the previous album was being mixed. Jonathan Personne then began working on what would become his fifth album, but, sensing a significant shift in direction, chose to focus on another set of songs instead. That's how his self-titled album, which showcases his interest in sound manipulation, was released in 2022, earning acclaim both here and in Europe. He returned in 2025 with Nouveau monde, a melodic, sometimes noisy record that brings together previously unreleased songs from different eras, but is by no means an album of outtakes.
In 2026, Jonathan Personne redefined himself once again with Répertoire, the fifth album he began working on six years ago, set for release on August 28th via Bonsound.
