Spindle Radar: New Zealand Talent Lontalius Releases His Deeply Personal New Album ‘Life on the Edge of You’

Raised in Wellington, New Zealand, Lontalius embraced making music since getting his first guitar at the age of eight and spent his preteen years honing his craft in his bedroom with all the resources of the internet at his disposal. After uploading intimate covers of pop songs from an eclectic range of artists from Crowded House to Beyoncé to Yung Lean, Johnston released his debut LP, ‘I’ll Forget 17’, in 2016. 

We caught up with Lontalius ahead of the release of new album ‘Life on the Edge of You’. The record sees him continue his journey of musical self-discovery, crafting an array of songs that are at once deeply personal and universal.

Hey Lontalius, how are you doing? 

I’m good, I’ve been in London for the last few weeks. It’s the longest time I’ve spent away from New Zealand since before COVID so it feels great to be here.

Tell us about your latest single ‘Life On The Edge Of You’?

It’s my take on a 60s pop song, really. The line ‘life on the edge of you’ had been rattling around my head for a few years but I hadn’t quite found the song for it. I love the melodrama of it. 

Your album, also titled ‘Life On The Edge Of You’, is coming in June. What can we expect?

It’s the most excited I’ve been about new music in a long time. I’ve grown a lot over the last few years and gained a lot of confidence – I feel as if I am working without abandon. The music is closer in some ways to my earliest stuff, less focused on guitars and real instruments. I hope people will like it as much as I do.

You worked with the legendary Jeff Kleinman on this release, who’s worked with some big names – Beyonce, Frank Ocean, FKA Twigs. How did that come about? 

We had met and worked a little together when I lived in Los Angeles, but not much came of it. Then over the lockdowns we started sharing files back and forth over messages. It felt like we were on the same page, trying to create something a bit different.

What are your plans for the summer in terms of live shows and festivals? 

I don’t have a lot of plans currently, but I’m hoping that will change. I want nothing more than to play these songs for people.

Check out Lontalius’ new album ‘Life On The Edge Of You’ here or below.