Singer and songwriter Jonah Yano introduced a smooth, jazz-inflected soul-p… Read Full Bio ↴Singer and songwriter Jonah Yano introduced a smooth, jazz-inflected soul-pop further tinged with hip-hop and electronic elements on his 2020 debut album, "souvenir". The lengthier follow-up, "2023's portrait of a dog", dived deeper into his love of jazz with help from producers, BADBADNOTGOOD.

Born in Hiroshima, Yano emigrated to Vancouver with his mother in 1998, when very young, after the separation of his parents. At the age of six, his grandmother introduced him to the piano; later, he picked up the guitar and started writing his own songs. In 2016, he began recording demos on his phone; moving to Toronto, he started putting songs online and immersed himself in the thriving local music scene, gradually honing his skills. His first recorded appearance was in 2018, when he was featured on indie pop-rap duo MONEYPHONE's track "On Lock". Shortly thereafter, he released his own debut single, "Rolex, the Ocean," on which his signature sound arrived fully formed: smooth, jazzy soul-pop set to hip-hop-style beats, topped with Yano's high-pitched, impassioned vocals. In 2019, he signed to Innovative Leisure, which released his debut EP, "Nervous". On it he collaborated with labelmates BADBADNOTGOOD and expanded his sound with more electronic elements. The following year saw the release of Yano's debut full-length, "souvenir". A deeply personal work, its centerpiece being "shoes", a song originally written and recorded by Yano's father, Tatsuya Muraoka, in the '90s and completed by Yano following their 2019 reconciliation.

Yano rejoined BADBADNOTGOOD in the studio to co-produce his next long-player, early 2023's "portrait of a dog". One part family archival project and one part a breakup album, it shifted his complex musical balance more conspicuously toward jazz and deliberate instrumental passages. Representing his still wide-ranging stylistic approach, guests included artist Slauson Malone of Standing on the Corner and Montreal indie musician Sea Oleena.

Stones
Jonah Yano Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

tell me today
if you need tomorrow
it seems like the rain
needs someone to borrow
an omen from
by the end of today
well i'll need tomorrow
spare me the creeks

the light keeps me hollow
withholding from

don't throw stones at me
don't go home on me
i depend on you
i pretend to be

somewhere i'm not
i'm a mountain top
i'm glacier snow
i'm garibaldi park
well eyes view bird
and tree fell heard
crash don't wave
in i cave

don't throw stones at me
don't go home on me

i depend on you
i pretend to be

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jonah Yano's song "Stones" speak about the desperation and dependency on another person to provide emotional support. The opening lines ask the listener to be honest about their need for comfort, acknowledging that like the rain that needs someone's help to borrow an omen, people also need help from others to get through a difficult time. The song goes on to describe this dependence on someone else, and the hopelessness that comes when that support is lacking. The lines "don't throw stones at me, don't go home on me" show the fear of abandonment and rejection, with the singer asking not to be hurt by the person they rely on.

The song further talks about the isolation and dissociation that come with this kind of dependence. The lines "somewhere I'm not, I'm a mountain top, I'm glacier snow, I'm Garibaldi Park" suggest that the singer feels out of place, and disconnected from their surroundings. This feeling is compounded by the lack of support from others, and the idea that they have to pretend to be someone else. The use of natural imagery, such as "eyes view bird, and tree fell heard, crash don't wave in I cave" creates a vivid setting, but also speaks to the idea of being surrounded by a natural world that is indifferent to human suffering.

Overall, the lyrics to "Stones" speak to a very human need for support and connection, and the desperation that comes when those needs are not met. It is a powerful message that is conveyed through haunting and evocative imagery.

Line by Line Meaning

tell me today
Ask me now if you need something in the future

if you need tomorrow
Let me know if you require something for the future

it seems like the rain
The rain appears to require assistance from someone

needs someone to borrow
It requires someone to lend a hand

an omen from
A sign or warning from something

by the end of today
Before the day ends

well i'll need tomorrow
I'll need help in the future

spare me the creeks
Don't bother with insignificant things

the light keeps me hollow
The brightness of the day leaves me feeling empty

withholding from
Holding back from something

don't throw stones at me
Don't criticize or attack me