Dolo Tonight - Bio
Jonah Elias Rindner, known professionally as Dolo Tonight, (and sometimes mononymously as DOLO) is an American entertainer, singer, and multi instrumentalist known for his colorful personality and the unique stories he tells through his music.
Full bio:
Dolo Tonight is defining his own brand of “awkward anti-pop” with a coming-of-age concept album and a mission to bring fun back into music.
The LA-by-way-of-New-Jersey artist, born Jonah Rindner, channels his offbeat energy into everything he does; whether he’s handmaking Power Rangers costumes for his friends or sneaking onto a high school campus to film a cast of elderly folks for a music video. With millions of views across social media and comment sections consistently pleading for new music, the 27-year-old musician is determined to turn fans into friends by creating music that reflects his vibrant personality and eclectic, colorful style.
Dolo knows exactly who he’s making music for: the weirdos, the outcasts, and anyone who’s ever felt like an awkward outsider. Drawing influences from indie pop greats like Phoenix and Passion Pit, Dolo’s infectious choruses and playful lyrics — about everything from crocheting animal sweaters to drunken cake runs at Wawa — reflect his belief that music should be as fun and authentic as possible. His approach is “intentionally unintentional,” meaning he doesn’t build a persona around his artistry. Instead, his full eccentric self is reflected in his work. “I’m just a weird, fun dude. I love writing weird lyrics,” he says. “I just like saying weird sh*t.”
Dolo’s new project DVD Rental Store, his debut album via Epitaph Records, feels especially authentic to him. Following two EPs, several standalone singles, and millions of streams across platforms, the album marks a sonic evolution in his music. “For the first time, a lot of my personality is coming through in these songs,” Dolo says. “More so than in the past.”
Dolo’s journey to finding his sound has been as unorthodox as his work itself. His passion for music began when he picked up his first drumsticks at age four. But it wasn’t until he began attending university to become a flavorist (yes, he wanted to invent artificial flavors) that he realized he was spending more time working on songs than on science homework. With his parent’s blessing, Dolo transferred to music school to refine his craft. It wasn’t long before a professor recognized his raw talent and dedication and encouraged him to drop out of school entirely to pursue music professionally. Success soon followed. Dolo released his debut single “Zoom” which serendipitously coincided with the pandemic lockdown, a time when searches for “zoom” skyrocketed. As Dolo evolved, so did his sound. Eventually, he began pivoting away from trap-style beats in favor of a sound more inspired by the indie pop music he grew up on.
DVD Rental Store represents Dolo’s creative breakthrough. It’s thanks in part to his collaboration with JUNO Award-winning, multi-Platinum producer Ryan Spraker, who is known for his work with alt-rock greats like Weezer and the Arkells. Spraker encouraged Dolo to let go of expectation, genre, and perfectionism while in the studio. The musician began letting his creativity flow by leading with the mantra: “Don’t overthink anything.” Dolo credits Spraker for understanding his creative vision and urging him to follow his instincts, however weird they might be. “We gave the music a free spirit and let it become what it wanted to be,” he says, which allows Dolo to hear “every inch” of himself throughout the nine tracks.
Packed with bold anthems and buoyant chords, DVD Rental Store expertly blends nostalgia with humor. The project harks back to a simpler time; a time before social media’s constant surveillance and comparison made artists second-guess themselves. “With social media, everyone sees every single thing you do,” he says, referencing a line on his track “Live Your Life.” “It makes you question, ‘What choice do I make? Is this cool? Is this corny? Are people going to think I’m lame if I do this? Chronically overthinking is so toxic to your mindset as a human and an artist.”
The album draws inspiration from the nostalgia of the DVD rental store, an era before algorithms and endless scrolling led to a paralysis of choice. The expository opening track, a skit titled “DVD Rental Store Intro (908-224-4086)” builds the world around the album, with Dolo picking out an unmarked disc at his local video store. As the songs progress, many play out as vignettes of coming-of-age stories inspired by indie cult classics like Juno.
“Varsity Lip” follows the trope of the social underdog shooting his shot with the popular cheerleader. It’s intercut with anecdotes from Dolo’s personal life — like the time he puked in his high school bathroom after accidentally swallowing tobacco. Other tracks like the explosive “Hate You Now” nod to the emotional crash out from a first heartbreak. “Two Pens” is an ode to friendship, written from the perspective of a final hurrah at a lakehouse before parting ways for college. His standout number, “Live Your Life,” serves as a soundtrack to a main character’s pivotal moment of breaking free from expectations and building a life on their own terms. Meanwhile, “Weatherman,” a song that marks a languid tonal shift on the record, evokes the feeling of cozying up your grandma’s basement, watching old VHS movies, and falling asleep under layers of vintage blankets.
One way Dolo cleverly blends nostalgia with authenticity is through the album’s voice skits. Staying true to his goal of creating music that reflects his personality, Dolo enlisted the help of those who know him best: his friends. He had artist friends build props, act, and direct his visuals, while his voice actor friends improvised lines based on the themes of his music. The voicemail at the end of the feel-good anthem “Live Your Life” is an actual voice note from a friend offering post-breakup encouragement.
Dolo’s main message with DVD Rental? While he wants fans to connect with his music in their own way, he does invite listeners to have a specific takeaway: “You’re allowed to have fun. Let yourself have fun!”