The John Landreth Project Launches With The Wall EP Release

New Zealand actor and now songwriter – John Landreth – released his debut EP today, his first foray into songwriting.

‘The Wall’ by The John Landreth Project is a deeply personal project several years in the making after a serious accident in late 2018 left John permanently paralysed.

Since his accident, John will be best known by New Zealanders as ‘John’ in the hugely popular 2024 NEON TV series – Spinal Destination. It was a role he was able to write for himself, acting alongside Bree Peters, Tom Sainsbury and Oscar Phillips.

“I have acted and sung in bands all my life, but after the accident, I didn’t think I would be doing either again,” says John.

“From what started as breath, voice and singing therapy sessions to enable me to repair my diaphragm as an incomplete tetraplegic – I am now writing lyrics and poetry, and am acting and singing again.”

The Wall by The John Landreth Project is a collection of four songs. Streets are Bare was written over Zoom by John with Nikita Tu-Bryant during the COVID lockdown. The other three songs – Weightless, The Wall and The Light Shines Through – centre around obstacles, life’s challenges and how we respond to them.

A video for Weightless released alongside the EP is a candid insight into John’s life before and after his accident.

“It has taken a long time to get to this point, but I’m proud of these songs and having something to share. I am an artist, and want to continue writing, performing [my own work] and connecting with people. The John Landreth Project is born,” says John.

Pōneke-based actor, poet and musician Nikita Tu-Bryant has been supporting John’s therapy since 2019 and his journey to releasing The Wall. Nikita is a multidisciplinary artist known for her role in the TV series Far North, as the headline act for the 2024 World of Wearable Arts and a regular at festivals around the country, and as the front person of Pōneke-based band, KITA.

“Working with John in early 2019, we explored different ways to strengthen his breathing, lungs and voice and singing range. Breathing exercises quickly turned to the joy and therapeutic nature of singing. And here we are today,” says Nikita.

“Many hours of talking, me taking down notes for John that became lyrics, helping him find the right phrasing, melodies, chords and arrangements to his songs, and finally bringing together the musicians involved to record four songs in a studio with all the authenticity that John and his body brings. John has found his voice, and this has been one of the most delightfully unexpected projects I have been a part of.”

Singer, song writer, producer and comedian Matt Mulholland co-wrote The Light Shines Through with John.

SHORT BIO

New Zealand-based actor and songwriter, John Landreth, debuts his EP, The Wall by The John Landreth Project. An accident in 2018 left John permanently paralysed and believing he would never act or sing again. With years of rehabilitation he has found his voice, with all the raw authenticity his body enables. Since his accident, John will be best known by New Zealanders as ‘John’ in the 2024 NEON TV series – Spinal Destination. John’s songs are a reflection on solitude, self-doubt and a reminder that life is for loving, laughing and living. The Wall is available on Bandcamp and Spotify.

© Scoop Media