Description:
A great deal has happened to Jon McLaughlin between the release of his debut Island Records album INDIANA last year, and his new, sophomore effort, OK NOW.

When we last saw him, the 25-year-old singer/songwriter was giving a show-stopping performance of the Oscar-nominated "So Close," the song he sang in the hit Disney movie Enchanted, on the worldwide telecast of the 80th Annual Academy Awards ceremony.

The appearance re-ignited INDIANA, spurring a 1,514% overnight sales increase at Amazon, sending it to the 1 spot on its Movers & Shakers chart, and creating solid momentum for his latest release. The single from INDIANA, "Beautiful Disaster" attracted over 420,000 digital fans when featured as Download of The Week.

And after getting major touring slots with Sara Bareilles, Paolo Nutini and Kelly Clarkson, along with dates with Colbie Caillat, Duffy and One Republic under his belt, Jon McLaughlin hit his stride on the road.

Jon describes himself as a "child of the '80s" in talking about the musical direction of OK NOW, with the very first single "Beating My Heart" the perfect example, an introspective, existential tune about nothing less than the meaning of life, with an elaborate pop-rock production that evokes Coldplay, thanks to soaring synths and a crackling backbeat.

"You just spend so much time worrying about stupid stuff that just doesn't matter," says McLaughlin, who insists his own high school years were pretty good. "I wish I could get back all the money I spent on Abercrombie and Fitch back then. If I heard this song when I was still in high school, I still don't think it would change anything. You can't change high school kids' minds about these things...but I'm still going to try."