A MUSICIAN says he is "surprised and grateful" after he gained viral fame on social media with his base guitar covers of famous tracks by Kylie and Metallica.
Jonathon Downham, known online as Jonn Cult, has been uploading videos on TikTok which have gained a huge following.
The 28-year-old, from Maldon, started a TikTok account in 2021 and has since gained 27,000 followers and had 900,000 likes on his videos which he uploads daily.
Tracks from stars such as The Smiths, The Prodigy, Arctic Monkeys and Muse, have helped Jonn wrack up hundreds of thousands of views.
The bassist, who has performed at venues across Colchester, admits it is hard for new musicians to get noticed.
He said: “I think anyone who’s putting themselves out online as a band, artist or musician knows just how hard it is to gain traction.
“It’s a constant grind but once you stop seeing it that way and instead start enjoying it for what it is, it becomes a whole lot more enjoyable.
“I spend hours every day getting the right take, mixing, editing, etc and I can honestly say I love every second of it.
“I try not to get too lost in the numbers, although I was pleasantly surprised when one recently hit over one million views on Instagram.
“I’m so amazed and grateful that many people follow me after only 18 months of regular posting - this is only the beginning.”
Jonn’s love for the bass guitar started at the age of 14, when he was on a family holiday in a book shop.
He ended up picking a random book which was Blur’s Alex James’ biography, and he then fell in love with the guitar.
Over the years and through different projects as a live session musician and band member, Jonn has performed at Reading & Leeds Festival twice, performed at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, and performed at MTV Presents: Gibraltar Calling Festival.
He also ended up supporting the likes of The Libertines, Black Honey and Sundara Karma, but still has fond memories of performing in Colchester.
He said: “Colchester holds a special place to my heart.
“It’s where half of Blur originated from and the fact, I was from around the same area and it resonated with me when the idea clicked I could become a musician.
“When I was in my first band Mary Do You Wanna we gigged Colchester super frequently, it’s a great city, great people, great venues, and great music scene.”
When it comes to his videos, he enjoys covering Primus, Korn, and Queens of the Stoneage.
@jonncult Les Claypool is a genius 🤌 #primus #lesclaypool #primussucks #primustiktok #bass #bassguitar #basscover #90s #metal #foryoupage #fyp ♬ original sound - Jonn Cult
Now, with the future looking bright, Jonn plans to finally put out his first ever single this year.
He said: “I’m going to release music, I’m just finishing off mixing my first single and can’t wait to get it out there.”
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