Jont's "The Next Ramana Maharshi" is a Soulful, Transformative Anthem about Love, Surrender, and Self-Discovery

• LISTEN TO/SHARE “THE NEXT RAMANA MAHARSHI” HERE •

• WATCH/SHARE OFFICIAL “THE NEXT RAMANA MAHARSHI” VIDEO HERE •

Jont’s new single, “The Next Ramana Maharshi,” is a deeply introspective and rousing anthem that explores the journey of personal growth, spiritual yearning, and the search for meaningful connection.

Born Jonathan Whittington in London, Jont’s music has always strived to capture the nuances of life’s emotional landscapes. In this track, he reflects on his spiritual journey—not in pursuit of fame or recognition, but rather to understand what to do with “all this love I got.” The song tells the story of a seeker who, inspired by the call-and-response of two songbirds, discovers the true nature of love and the part he is meant to play in this vast world.

The inspiration behind the song came from Jont’s own yearning for a partner, balancing his spiritual quest with the deep desire to share his love with someone. “I’m not here to be some famous Indian guru, I’m just trying to work out what to do with all this love I’ve got,” says Jont. “Where is the person I can share this love with? What am I meant to do with all this love?”

The title of the song is both a playful reflection and an irreverent surrender to the notion that, while Ramana Maharshi was a true ascended master, none of us are here to fill those shoes. “It’s a joke,” Jont says. “Of course, none of us are here to be the next Ramana Maharshi, but there’s a sort of humour in saying that.”

“The Next Ramana Maharshi” uniquely blends raw emotion with poetic references to spiritual figures like Maharshi, embracing a freedom from commercial expectations and instead focusing on feeling. “It’s real,” says Jont. “The details don’t matter, it’s the feeling and the emotion behind the chorus—‘I’m not here to be the next Ramana Maharshi.’ You can feel it, even if you don’t know who the person is.”

Listen to “The Next Ramana Maharshi” HERE. Watch the accompanying music video HERE.

The song came to life during a transformative writing session on the tropical island of Koh Phangang, Thailand. “It was almost as if I healed sadness through the three-day process of writing the song,” Jont reflects. “It all started with melancholy searching verses, and then it naturally led to a moment of epiphany when I heard the call-and-response of an Asian koel bird. I didn’t even know what I was writing, but it moved me to tears.”

A live take recorded at Sonic Studios in Halifax, the track captures the raw energy of the moment with Jont and his band The Fish’s dynamic performance. Later, strings were added to elevate the song's emotional depth, creating a production that is as organic as the journey it describes.

Jont was always destined for a life less ordinary. He began writing verse at 14 and while still a teen, travelled the US to interview the giants of American poetry, concluding his trip dining with Allen Ginsberg in his New York apartment where he was taught that the purpose of art was “to relieve human suffering.”

After a stint as a professional cricketer, he embraced music, releasing his first album, Life is Fine, in 1998. His passion for songwriting and performing saw him attract Tom Petty’s manager and move to Los Angeles. Making records there and upon his return to London, Jont, “a true innovator,” created a music event (half house party, half gig) and took advantage of the rise of YouTube to take millions on a trip into people’s living rooms across America and the UK with his groundbreaking Unlit tours, setting the stage for the rise of Sofar Sounds the following decade.

Jont's career quickly took him from London to New York and Los Angeles. He released six albums and EPs that earned four-star reviews in Q and Uncut, with songs appearing on the popular US television series Grey's Anatomy, Parenthood, Without a Trace, and the 2005 movie, Wedding Crashers.

The last decade has found Jont living in the monastic hinterland of Nova Scotia learning the art of surrender and fatherhood. Time in reflection and meditation continues to inspire an abundance of new songs, videos, collaborative musical experiences and the writing of a memoir. He has produced eight albums since coming to Canada which display the true depth of his art - Hello Halifax (2012), An Old Innocence (2017), the solo acoustic Gentle Warrior (2018), the bristling, unclassifiable, absurdly joyful Thank You for the Medicine (2020) and an album of original medicine songs, Old Traveller (2024).

2025 sees the release of new music that Jont has been working on for four years, as a solo artist and with his band, The Fish. Ambitious and sublime, unexpected, breathtaking in the vulnerability of the material, innovative yet classic and familiar sounding - this is the work of an experienced artist working at the height of their powers. It’s music that makes people's lives better. One feels mentor Ginsberg would be looking on favourably.

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