Jack Horton’s life story reads like a novel. Born in Oregon, he made a bold leap to Tokyo as a teenager, where he hustled through Japanese law school by performing at piano bars on weekends. After a thriving career as an attorney, government official, and tech founder, Horton circled back to his first passion: music. A classically trained pianist with a storyteller’s soul, his songs reflect the deep emotional undercurrents of a life fully lived. Horton’s new single, “Set Me Free,” from his album ”Imperfections,” showcases this beautifully, blending heartfelt lyrics with a piano-driven sound that feels timeless and deeply personal.
“Set Me Free” opens with lines that immediately ground the listener in a landscape of bittersweet reflection: “Well, it seems to me, it’s been a long road / From the place where you and I stood face to face / And said we’d do until we die.” Horton’s voice is tender but sure, carrying the weariness of a journey filled with broken promises. The piano accompaniment is restrained at first, letting the rawness of the lyrics breathe. It’s a masterclass in setting a mood—intimate, reflective, and aching at once. His storytelling instincts are sharp, painting a vivid emotional portrait without slipping into melodrama.
As the song unfolds, Horton moves from quiet resignation to a stirring cry for release. In the heart-wrenching line, “I don’t want to give up hope / but I don’t want to live with the ghost / of a love that day by day just fades away…”, he captures the brutal paradox of love slipping into memory. The instrumentation swells subtly with strings and layered harmonies, lifting the song’s emotional weight without overwhelming its delicate structure. Every note and lyric feels considered, yet there’s organic looseness that makes it feel alive, like Horton is singing directly from his soul.
What’s remarkable about “Set Me Free” is how it balances vulnerability with strength. Horton doesn’t wallow; instead, he honours the complexity of moving on. His classical training shines through in the composition’s elegance, yet the song never feels sterile but breathes, aches, and pulses with real emotion. There’s a universality in his storytelling that invites listeners to find pieces of their own experiences in his words, making “Set Me Free” a deeply personal and profoundly relatable listening experience.
In ”Imperfections,” Jack Horton promises to explore the cracks and scars that life inevitably brings, and if “Set Me Free” is any indication, it will be an album rich in emotional honesty and musical craftsmanship. Horton’s journey, from the piano bars of Tokyo to corporate boardrooms and back to the world of music, infuses his songs with a rare depth and authenticity. “Set Me Free” asks for liberation from a faded love and feels like Horton’s declaration of artistic freedom, and it’s mesmerising.
Connect with Jack Horton on Spotify
