Having just released his brilliant new EP 'Club Nirvana’ we decided to check in with Joshua and chat all about his new release.
Hey Joshua, thank you for joining us today. Could you please tell any of our readers that haven’t heard about you yet what you’re all about?
Hey, thank yous for having me. Yeah well my name is Joshua and I’m a singer/songwriter pop music junkie from London haha. I have been writing music for most of my life now and sung from a very early age. My music is all about love, acceptance and overall the challenges and highlights of the human experience. I want people to feel a little more seen when listening to my music, I want them to feel a bit more safe and more loving within themselves. I love all kinds of music but there is no denying I’m a pop music fanatic, there is nothing better than a catchy hook and a whole crowd singing alone together to lyrics that we all know and love. I am a queer artist with a passion for equality and touch upon serious themes within my music in non conventional ways. I also am the biggest party animal and believe in celebrating each day like it’s our last so you’ll always catch me in the corner of a party blasting some Britney haha.
Congrats on the release of your EP ‘Club Nirvana’. How are you feeling about this right now?
Ahhh I am so excited that my baby is finally out in the world. Words can’t express how happy I am that the doors to Club Nirvana are finally open. I worked on this EP for so long, and due to the pandemic it got held up a bit, but we made it through! I am so proud of this piece of work and hope it gets the world dancing again. It has received so much love at the minute and it keeps on growing, I am so thankful people are enjoying this.
Could you talk to us about the process you have made as an artist to get to this point?
It’s been a very long journey, with amazing times and not so amazing times haha. I’ve definitely had my fair share of challenges as an artist. I struggle a lot with self confidence as an artist, but I feel when I write music this persona comes over me and something inside is telling me I can do anything and I am enough. That’s why I touch upon self love so much in my songs, I want others to feel less alone and to really prioritise their mental health and what’s in their heart. I feel with Club Nirvana as well my songwriting has improved greatly, I really pushed my pen and I have to thank my incredible producer Tony Sage who really encouraged me to explore my artistry more and believe in myself. I feel vocally I am improving and becoming much more aware of the power my voice has as well, which I am very excited to explore more of in the future. This is just the beginning of me as an artist and I have so much more to come.
We’re loving the artwork theme throughout the whole EP and single process. Could you please explain the meaning behind this?
I wanted the artwork to reflect the kind of head space I was in. I wanted it to feel tropical and have a sense of freedom about it. I needed to create this sense of ‘nirvana’ and I don’t know about anyone else but I always have like an island with palm trees in mind and everyone dancing in this moonlit jungle haha. I just had this specific image in mind of me in a white suit surrounded by tropical plants haha. When I think of Club Nirvana it is this huge space which connects nature and unique architecture. There’s a sense of mystery behind the images as well as you wonder what is beyond all of this, why am I wearing a white suit and red sunglasses, where is the entrance, where is the exit?, I want the audience to question all this and feel immersed in the mystery of Club Nirvana.
If you had to describe the EP in 3 words which, would you pick?
Euphoric. Entertaining. Open-minded.
Was the process in creating ‘Club Nirvana’ different to the other music you have released?
It was very different indeed. I began writing this EP before the pandemic but obviously as time went on lockdowns and restrictions become a big challenge. I was frustrated because I had all this timing of release and deadlines in my mind but I then realised that my own pressure of meeting these deadlines was ruining the creativity of the EP. It allowed me to take a step back and let the music come naturally. I knew the idea of Club Nirvana in my mind and knew the sound I wanted, it was just up to me to not put any boundaries on my songwriting and let it be what it wanted to be. I really pushed my songwriting this time around with these songs and the biggest thing I learnt was to not stress about the process, I had to trust the process, it was all there, I just needed to find it and let it come itself. At times when I would begin to get frustrated if one of the songs wasn’t sounding like I imagined I would leave it and come back to it in about two weeks, it was so important to keep a clear mind and not force anything that didn’t need to be forced. I let the music take over and with the help of my producer I allowed myself to feel confident in the process.
Has listening to any other artist throughout your youth inspired this record?
100 percent Michael Jackson had a big influence in this record. I’ve loved him ever since I was a child and always say to myself when writing songs “what would Michael do”, “how would michael sing this” I always try and channel his energy when I’m feeling less confident. I took a lot of influence from his earlier disco records. I was mainly inspired by a lot of 80’s music and a lot of queer artists. I took inspiration from people like Madonna and Prince along with many modern artists such a Dua Lipa, Keiynan Lonsdale, Daft Punk, Troye Sivan and Years and Years. I also was so inspired and flawed by the history of ballroom culture and it’s connection with house music. I loved learning more about the LGBTQ+ subculture and how much of a legacy it has left even today in modern pop music. I take influences from everywhere, people around me, experiences, books, other music, all of that stuff but this record in particular I was inspired so much by my community and it’s ability to shine a bright light through music and dance even in the darkest times.
What can we expect to see from in the future from you?
Oh I’m only just getting started as an artist and I have so much I want to do and achieve. I will be releasing new music in the new year and I have many ideas about what direction I’m going in next. I also plan on doing a lot more live performances as I’ve really missed the stage. Overall I want to create a community of listeners who can help one another and feel a little less lonely in this world. I want them to express themselves through all mediums and feel they have a place to fully let go. I hope I create this through my music and hopefully can tour around the world with a group of misfits and weirdos who spread love and joy.
Thanks again for joining us today. Any last comments you would like to mention to fans?
I just want anyone listening to my music to just love themselves more and try and enjoy the little time we get on this spinning rock. If anyone can take anything from my music it’s for them not to feel alone and that are worthy of everything in this life and to never stop dancing, ever.
Take a listen to the fantastic EP right here.
~~~ embed:embed/album/2wiVI6f7iP2NlQ0Kp7DCAi?si=84Ia27M4QT6nPnOKQvh7YQ spotify ~~~
Posted from my blog with Exxp : https://indie-music.com/im/in-conversation-joshua/
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