Spotlight: Thunder Jackson Pushes the Boundaries of Indie Pop
WITH WISTFUL AND MESMERIZING FALSETTOS - Thunder Jacksons is shift the tapestry of conventional indie pop. Kyle Bradley’s alter ego, Thunder Jackson, has taken him on a journey of soulful and heart-aching indie pop that is impossible for listeners to not be drawn to. His recent reworking of the classic 80s pop hit, a-ha’s “Take On Me,” is one example of the Oklahoma native’s ability to lure you in with his entrancing vocal tone. The magical rendition is melodic and dramatic as it’s transformed from an up-tempo synth tune, to a slowed down, more thought-proving track that emphasizes its heartfelt and yearning lyrics. Bradley describes the bittersweet song as one that he’s always adored. He recounts, “I was having a tough week of writer's block and one thing lead to another and it sort of just came out as I was playing my piano. When I broke down the lyrical meaning, I instantly became attached and recorded the version with the incredible Ryland Blackington.”
On the topic of cover songs, we asked the singer if there were any other tracks he’d like to cover, or wished he’d written. “The first song that comes to mind is ‘So Far Away’ by Carole King,” he says. “The combination of heartbreak and hopefulness is so beautifully told in that song. I am always referencing that song for inspiration. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll cover it.”
Currently based in Oklahoma City, Thunder Jackson has been on his musical journey for more than a decade. Starting out in Oklahoma in his early teens, the musician then moved to Los Angeles at the age of 18 where he met his collaborator and friend, artist Pete Lawrie Winfield of Until the Ribbon Breaks. Along the way of refining his sound and working with Lawrie, he came up with the moniker Thunder Jackson.
More than a year has now passed since the release of Thunder Jackson’s self-titled debut LP. When describing the experience of putting the record out in such a tumultuous year, the singer expresses how much of a dream it was, regardless of the circumstances. “Putting out this album has always been a dream of mine since I was a little kid in Oklahoma, it has been the most beautiful and transformative experience since Its release. I am just so thankful for every person who has listened and connected with this piece of art. It still feels like a dream.”
Back in the summer, Thunder Jackson released a euphoric remix of his single, “Colors,” in collaboration with The Knocks. With a music video that took the remix to dizzying new heights, he seemed completely in his element. To the singer, the visual side of his songs, and the way art can represent music, is “the yin to the yang.” He continues, “I can’t wait to dive into the visuals of the new music I am working on.”
Inspirations are integral to any creative. Whether it’s being influenced by music, books, a film you’ve watched, or a stranger you see walking down the street. “Leif Vollbeck has been inspiring me a lot recently,” Bradley reveals. “The way he floats around a piano with his stories and lyrics have really showed me another way of approaching songs.” He continues by adding that “Dijon’s newest record is something I can’t stop listening to as well. It is one of the most complete albums I have heard, and I am taking a lot of inspiration from it at the moment.”
Thunder Jackson as a whole is more than just music, and the artist confesses, “I am obsessed with the marriage between Art and Film. When I’m creating, I love having some sort of film in the background, it really inspires my mind to create stories. Anything from the works of Nicolas Winding Refn, Ridley Scott, Alfred Hitchcock, Yorgos Lanthimos, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, & Denis Villeneuve.”
The impact of film on the singer is evident as we discussed his role in the upcoming short film, The Ritz. “It was such a unique experience. I have never really done anything like that but have always wanted to act on screen. It was a bit nerve-racking, but once they called action something came over me and everything became natural. An old friend of mine, Allex Tarr directed and wrote The Ritz about the love story of her grandparents in the small town of Shawnee, Oklahoma.”
The singer has had an incredible run of live shows over the last few months. From hometown gigs and across the states, he sums up this electric feeling fondly, “playing live is my favorite feeling in the world. These shows gave me something again, it was a feeling I was missing from my life.”
There’s a lot to look forward to when it comes to Thunder Jackson. He tells us that he’s “currently deep into writing and very excited to get something new out into the world.” Uniquely addictive, his music revels in eclecticism, from lustrous synths and slower piano ballads, it makes the wait for new tunes even more worthwhile.
If you want to catch the OKC native before the year ends, he will be ringing in the new year at the Uptown Get Down at Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City on December 31, 2021. If not, you can expect more shows in the spring of next year!
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