We Speak Music

John Michael Ferrari Celebrates 30 Years of Music with Upcoming “LOVE IS” Anthology Vinyl Release

Published

1 month ago

August 10, 2026

Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter Releases First Single “When Love Is Love,” a Timeless Country-Pop Ballad About Finding a Love That Changes Everything

Multiple award-winning entertainer and storyteller John Michael Ferrari (JMF) is celebrating three decades of music with the upcoming vinyl anthology release of his acclaimed album “LOVE IS.” To mark this milestone, Ferrari released the album’s first single, “When Love Is Love,” a heartfelt crossover country-pop ballad that captures the transformative power of true love.

Written by John Michael Ferrari, Pepper Jay, David Easterling, and Sophie Love, and produced by Pepper Jay, “When Love Is Love” was recorded at Beaird Music Group for Cappy Records. The emotional anthem explores the moment when someone discovers a love so authentic and profound that imagining life without that person becomes impossible.

“When Love Is Love is about finding that one person who changes everything,” says Ferrari. “It’s about discovering a love so genuine that you can’t imagine your future without them standing beside you.”

With its soaring melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and timeless message, “When Love Is Love” showcases Ferrari’s signature ability to transform personal experiences into songs that connect deeply with listeners across generations.

The upcoming “LOVE IS” 30-Year Anthology Vinyl Release celebrates Ferrari’s remarkable journey as a songwriter, performer, and storyteller. Blending elements of country, pop, jazz, and inspirational music, JMF’s catalog reflects themes of love, resilience, redemption, and the power of the human spirit.

Born from adversity, Ferrari’s journey to music began at the age of eight when he found refuge in a pawn shop guitar during a difficult childhood. That instrument became his shield and compass, guiding him through hardship, military service, and ultimately toward a lifelong career dedicated to songwriting and entertaining audiences around the world.

A true baby boomer storyteller, Ferrari transforms lived experiences into emotionally relatable songs that celebrate perseverance, compassion, and the moments that define us.

Since 2019, JMF has earned more than 55 major awards and honors, including:

Songwriter of the Year — Producers Choice Honors, Nashville Music Foundation, Kentucky Country Music, and North America Country Music Association International
Performer of the Year — eZWay Awards
Radio Artist of the Year — National Music Awards
Crossover Artist of the Year — Elite Music Awards, New Music Awards, and Independent Music Network
Music Video of the Year — Nashville Music Awards
Best Male Americana Vocal — Colonize International Music Awards
Awards for Best Pop Song, Best Folk Song, and Best Country Song
Multiple #1 radio chart singles

Among his many achievements, Ferrari considers one of his most meaningful honors to be the Act of Kindness Award, presented to Pepper Jay and John Michael Ferrari in February 2026 by the Citizens of Pahrump, Nevada, recognizing their dedication to making a positive impact through music and community involvement.

Currently, Ferrari is recording his fifth album at Beaird Music Group in Nashville, continuing his mission to create music that inspires, uplifts, and connects listeners through universal stories of love and life.

With the release of “When Love Is Love” and the upcoming “LOVE IS” 30-Year Anthology Vinyl Release, John Michael Ferrari celebrates a career built on authenticity, perseverance, and the belief that the greatest stories are the ones we share through song.

We Speak Music

Phoebe June Traces Love, Distance and Heartbreak on New EP ‘Kiss Me Over The Garden Gate’

Published

2 days ago

September 11, 2026

Joni Jones

For Phoebe June, some stories are easier to tell through music.

Her new EP, ‘Kiss Me Over The Garden Gate’, is an intimate collection that traces the emotional journey of a relationship from the exhilaration of falling in love to distance, uncertainty, heartbreak and, ultimately, learning to let go.

Inspired by artists including Gracie Abrams, Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers, Phoebe June combines diary-like lyricism with melancholic ballads, subtle uptempo moments and an understated, emotionally honest production style.

At the centre of the project is ‘Thursday’, a bittersweet track about loving someone from a distance and holding onto the hope that the connection might survive.

Written after Phoebe left a country that held deep personal meaning, and left someone she cared about behind, the song looks back at the relationship from its beginning. Even its title is personal: the two first met on a Thursday.

The song captures the complicated feeling of walking away from something meaningful without believing that it necessarily has to be over. It’s about distance, memory and the possibility of finding your way back to someone, while recognising that hope only works when it goes both ways.

Across six tracks, the EP develops that story in sequence.

‘Everything You Are’ opens the project with the warmth of new love, while ‘Dead Sea’ explores the security of finding someone who helps you stay afloat through difficult times. As the story progresses, ‘Thursday’ introduces separation before ‘Getaway Car’ moves into the aftermath; unanswered questions, lingering attachment and the realisation that someone can profoundly affect your life while still being unhealthy for you.

‘One Day’ leaves the door open to the possibility of a future reunion, balancing hope with the understanding that some relationships may only exist in memory.

The EP closes with ‘Ophelia’, its emotional breaking point. Inspired in part by Friedrich Heyser’s painting of the same name, the track confronts the pain of feeling manipulated and unappreciated after giving everything to someone else.

The result is a project that deliberately moves from light to dark. Phoebe June considered not only the narrative but the emotional progression when sequencing the EP, allowing the brightness of its opening to gradually give way to the heartbreak of its closing moments.

Even the title reflects that feeling.

‘Kiss Me Over The Garden Gate’ takes its name from a flower, with the image of a gate separating two people becoming a metaphor for a love that remains beautiful but just out of reach. To reach over it requires effort, just as maintaining a connection across distance, uncertainty and changing circumstances does.

Ultimately, Phoebe June isn’t interested in simply documenting her own heartbreak.

She wants listeners to recognise themselves in it.

‘Kiss Me Over The Garden Gate’ is a collection about love, nostalgia, hope and regret and about what remains when something beautiful ends up on the other side of the gate.