Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Jannik
Jannik is a singer-songwriter as well as a classical musician. After growing up in Germany, he studied music in New York City and London. Opera performances have taken him around the world, while he started to release his own music in March 2024. In 2026, Jannik will release his debut album, following the lead single City Of Love.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My earliest memory is listening to the German pop group No Angels every single day when I was three years old and using any remotely similar object as a microphone, pretending like I was performing on stage with them.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
My love for performing came before my love for creating, which essentially was born out of the need to create music I can then perform. However, I’ve since fallen in love with the creative process behind making music more than I could have ever imagined.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
I am currently working on my debut album. Lyrically, it’s a very personal record. I’ve already released the lead single, City Of Love, last July, which is about how a breakup can change the way you see a place, turning a once-beloved city into a reminder of what was lost.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
After experimenting with a pop/rock and alternative sound for a while, I would describe my current music as electro pop, blending introspective lyrics with catchy melodies.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
As an opera singer, I am trained to make the biggest sound possible to fill huge opera houses and concert halls with my unamplified voice. When I started to record my own music, it was a huge shift because I learned how to play with the microphone. Generally, there’s so much you can do in a studio that would never work in a live setting. It’s a fascinating world, and I love finding all sorts of sounds to tell the stories I want to tell.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
A situation in life that sparks a songwriting concept, my piano or guitar to write the song, and my producer Tim Klute and his studio to bring the song to life with a fire production.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I’ve been very inspired by the music Tove Lo has put out since becoming an indie artist, especially 2 Die 4, Cute & Cruel, and No One Dies From Love. I also love Ethel Cain – perfect for a moody fall/winter evening.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
I don’t think my music would exist at all without my personal experiences; they inspire and shape my songwriting entirely. I find it fascinating when songwriters create musical worlds writing about fictional events or things they didn’t experience themselves, but for the moment, I need my personal experiences to inspire my writing.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
Music can stir so many emotions, but I try not to have any expectations in that regard, everyone’s response to any kind of art is so unique and individualized – I hope listeners feel whatever comes up.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
The most important lesson is that music has the power to heal and that it’s something I can rely on. Especially the songwriting process has a cathartic nature in my opinion – it’s like journaling, but better, because it has melodies and harmonic structures that add something words alone can’t express.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
There are so many! I love the Roundhouse in London and, of course Madison Square Garden in New York City would be iconic. As a kid, I made most of my concert memories at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, so that would be incredibly nostalgic for me.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Keeping my current sound in mind, I think a collaboration with one of the Swedish pop queens, Loreen or Zara Larsson, would fit perfectly and be so much fun. Other than that, my all-time favorite singers/performers/artists are Madonna and Beyoncé, and I can only imagine how mind-blowing it would be to work with one of them in any capacity.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
My Spotify is https://open.spotify.com/artist/6xDO0S43EB6UoUyiWy0TGD?si=vTF3NncYSsK0a5aNJ4_9Qw and I am grateful for every single stream. My instagram is https://www.instagram.com/jannikhorlitz/ hit me up and let’s chat about music. My website is https://www.jannikhorlitz.com if you want to find out more about work as an opera singer as well.
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I cannot wait to release my debut album in 2026; there are so many songs I am immensely proud of. Of course, it would be amazing to some day see my music chart or to go on tour with it, but at the end of the day, my dream is for people to actually listen to it and enjoy it. There’s so much music that means a lot to me, and it would be incredible if my music meant something to someone else as well.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
That I love to experiment with sounds and genres because I am a huge music nerd and how passionate I am about music. It’s been my first love since my earliest memories.
