Johnny Venus Releases New Single NIGHTMARES via SinceThe80s/Epic Records
The track, produced by Courtlin Jabrae and Poplord, follows Johnny Venus' collaboration with The-Dream on Porsche 911.
GRAMMY-nominated artist Johnny Venus, best known as one half of the acclaimed duo EARTHGANG, continues to reveal the depth of his evolving solo sound with the release of his new single 'Nightmares,' available now via SinceThe80s/Epic Records.
A haunting exploration of love at its most consuming, 'Nightmares' finds Johnny caught between devotion and obsession, tracing the sleepless nights, racing thoughts, and emotional unrest that can come with giving yourself completely to another person. Rather than romanticizing love, Johnny turns inward, confronting the anxiety and vulnerability that surface when the possibility of losing something meaningful becomes impossible to ignore.
'I've been running off no sleep/ I can't rest, I can't eat, I can't breathe,' he confesses at the song's opening, immediately pulling listeners into a restless internal dialogue. As the track unfolds, 4 a.m. thoughts collide with desire, fear, and fixation, culminating in the recurring admission: 'All these nightmares that I'm having from loving you.'
Produced by Courtlin Jabrae and Poplord, 'Nightmares' pairs Johnny's emotionally exposed songwriting with a moody, immersive soundscape that captures the tension between the beauty of falling deeply in love and the fear that accompanies having something worth losing. Written by Olu Fann, Brittany Barber, Yakki Davis, and Courtlin Jabrae, the record offers another dimension of Johnny's increasingly vulnerable solo work.
'Nightmares' follows the release of 'Porsche 911,' Johnny's collaboration with GRAMMY Award-winning songwriter The-Dream, and continues a body of work that examines love from different angles. Where 'Porsche 911' celebrated the freedom, joy, and adventure of choosing someone, 'Nightmares' explores its shadow side—the overthinking, uncertainty, obsession, and emotional intensity that can emerge when that connection runs deep.
Together, the releases offer a window into the world Johnny is building as a solo artist: one rooted in vulnerability, soul, self-discovery, and an unfiltered examination of human connection. Moving fluidly through R&B, soul, funk, hip-hop, and live instrumentation, Johnny continues to expand beyond the boundaries that first established him as one of hip-hop's most distinctive voices.
As Johnny moves toward his forthcoming debut solo album, 'Nightmares' further reveals a project centered on the complexities of love, healing, growth, spirituality, and connection. It marks another chapter in an increasingly personal body of work—one that embraces not only the exhilaration of love, but the fear, uncertainty, and transformation that can come with it.
Credits
Artist: Johnny Venus
Single: Nightmares
Release Date: September 1, 2026
Written by: Olu Fann, Brittany Barber, Yakki Davis & Courtlin Jabrae
Produced by: Courtlin Jabrae & Poplord
Recorded by: Adrian Mathis at Structure 19 Studios
Mixed by: Neal H. Pogue for 411 E. 9th Ave.
Mastered by: Mike Bozzi at Bernie Grundman Mastering
Publishing: Tigersi Music Publishing t/b/a Warner Chappell (BMI); Payday Tunes (ASCAP)
Label: SinceThe80s / Epic Records
Watch/Stream Other Johnny Tracks
Johnny Venus is a GRAMMY-nominated artist, songwriter, author, and one half of the acclaimed duo EARTHGANG. In August 2025, he released his first solo EP, Shooter, marking the start of his journey as a standalone artist. His debut solo album, arriving in 2026, is a deeply personal exploration of love in all its forms; self, partners, family, and community. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Johnny (born Olu Fann) grew up in a communal, church-based schooling environment that shaped his creativity, and sense of collective responsibility, laying the foundation for EARTHGANG's innovative sound and boundary-pushing vision. Beyond music, Johnny is dedicated to wellness and mindfulness through his yoga and lifestyle practice, COMPXSS, allowing him to connect with people globally while deepening his own journey of self-discovery. Blending rap, soul, funk, and alternative textures, his solo work offers an intimate portrait of an artist embracing growth, alignment, and wholeness in what is set to be a defining year of his career.
Photo Credit: Linus Johnson
Photo Credit: Linus Johnson
