Recently debuting “Pray” and “Thank You For The Patience” under his new moniker Old Flame, American-Canadian singer Jonny Craig is reconnecting with his rock roots and embracing a new mindset inspired by his three years of sobriety. Talking about the new moniker Old Flame, Jonny shares that the name represents a flame that refuses to be extinguished despite the challenges and setbacks he has faced.
Craig, known for his powerful vocals and contributions to bands like Emarosa, Dance Gavin Dance and Slaves, has faced numerous controversies over the years from drug use, scamming fans, being kicked off of tours and out of bands and assault allegations. His past struggles with addiction and the resulting fallout have cast a long shadow over his career, making his current sobriety and renewed focus on music all the more impactful.
His sobriety brings a fresh energy to his rock roots, allowing him to fully immerse himself in the music he loves. “Playing rock music is something that I really enjoy doing and I feel like coming back to it right now is a really good time. Especially sober,” he says.
This time, Craig says his sobriety feels different to him because it comes from a place of self-motivation. “I’ve had band members that struggled so hard to get me sober… family… friends. And at one point, they were all gone. It was just me,” he says. He acknowledges the past pressures from loved ones but emphasizes that his current journey is for himself, marking a significant shift in his approach. “This time I feel like it’s actually for me. Something in my brain just clicked,” he says. “I just actually wanted to be sober for once.”
When asked about the motivation behind the sobriety and what was different this time, there’s no hesitation in Craig’s answer. “My son is just the biggest motivation for me. He’s a small carbon copy of me and it is the coolest thing ever to have a little mini me,” he shares, full of emotion.
As Craig gears up for tour in August, he shares his excitement to be performing again, “I’m happy to be on the stage in general. It can be small. It could be big.” As he forms a setlist that spans his career and encompasses songs to give fans the best experience, he’s also working on an enhanced stage experience that goes beyond just the music. “We’re gonna do Emarosa, older Slaves, Old Flame, and some JC stuff,” he says eagerly. “We’re trying to set up a different stage side of it other than just getting up there and singing. We want to add something to the actual stage performance.”
Surrounded by supportive people, touring sober in 2023 was a surprisingly smooth transition. However, the transition to performing sober wasn’t without its challenges. “At first, getting on the stage, it was a little difficult trying to loosen up,” Craig says. “I’m very critical of what I’m doing, a little bit too overcritical.”
Reflecting on his journey, Craig finds solace in his progress. “Even through all of the bullshit, everything that’s happened, everything that I’ve gone through, I feel happy with where I’m at,” Craig says. “I feel at peace and that’s a crazy feeling in itself because I’ve never had that. So even if things never go any further and they stay the same in this moment, I think for once, I have peace and that’s the most important thing to me.”
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