VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Johnny Orlando On Heartbreak, New Album, Justin Bieber

In his new uInterview, singer Johnny Orlando spoke about his newest albums The Ride: Part 1 and The Ride: Part 2, and how it reflects his emotional journey after experiencing heartbreak. 

Orlando explained to uInterview founder Erik Meers how his breakup spurred the creation of the albums as he had never experienced something like this before. 

“I was pretty heartbroken though, but it was the first like serious one where I was like off the map for a little bit. I had to figure out myself. And I mean it sucked, but the ride is pretty cool, so I’m happy that the music came out of it at least,” Orlando said. 

Orlando decided to split the music into three separate albums, each one about a different stage in his healing journey.

“Pack one, which was [songs] ‘Boyfriend’ and ‘July,’ is like that immediate emotional release after everything happens,” he explained. “And for me, a lot of it was just anger and resentment at the beginning, very angry in a way that I hadn’t really experienced before.”

The next song, “July” is meant to show, “the other side of that and just reminiscent, which I mean kind of consumed me for the first, I don’t know, month or so, couple months maybe.”

The Ride: Part Two is a departure from the anger and resentment to a more euphoric feeling when Orlando feels free. 

“Part Two is more complicated to explain, I don’t know, it’s like a feeling. Like I felt for a while like I was just on top of the world. I was going out with my buddies again and like as a single person and I don’t know so much freedom,” he said.

Part Two also explores a self-destructive phase he experienced.

“I was just being stupid with myself, like physically going out a lot and abusing my body,” he recalled. “And not being kind to myself.”

The Ride: Part Three, which comes out in November, will focus on Orlando’s reflections about the relationship.

“When it’s been like nine months or so you can finally kind of look back and see everything for how it is,” he stated. 

His music videos feature shots of three tattoos he got after the breakup that represent the three albums, his emotional journey and the lessons he’s learned through self-discovery. 

“The tattoos represent the ride and the ride represents a breakup, but it’s also just the way I approach things in life,” he said. “I’ve kind of realized I jump right in and then I feel like I kind of figured everything out and then I feel stupid at the end because I’ve just started to learn.” 

Orlando shared that his music has been inspired by multiple genres and that he grew up listening to music. His inspirations come from his daily life, although Justin Bieber has influenced him the most and is actually the reason why he became a singer. 

“I’m always trying to find new stuff, I’m always looking at TikTok to find new artists,” he said. “And I’ve never been a person that has like a favorite artist or an inspiration. If I had to choose one, probably Bieber, he’s the reason I got into the whole thing really. And the reason why I continued when I was young.”

He also looks up to Adam Duritz because of how well he can convey emotion in his songs and describes him as a “pillar.”

“I feel like any artist that is big is big for a reason, they’re amazing at what they do so something can be learned from everybody which is kind of my philosophy,” he noted.