A Chat with Joshu (14.02.25)
Like taking a deep breath at the end of a tiring day while sitting in a quiet spot and just feeling at ease, that’s the effect of Joshu’s music. An eclectic artist brewing a unique brand of indie-folk, Joshu captivates you in vivid vibrant intoxicating minutes of music. We speak with Joshu about his EP way back home, advice for new artists, and his mushroom business.
OSR: What drew you to pursue music? What inspires you to compose and create music?
Joshu: I grew up playing and singing, my mother is a music teacher and my father was a musician. So it’s always been second nature to me. I kind of ended up pursuing music just because it was something I’m good at, and I HATE doing things that I’m bad at. It’s a mild character flaw.
OSR: You recently released your EP way back home. What can you tell us about it? Is there any particular theme or backstory?
Joshu: I started writing way back home while sailing from England (where I was born) to Angua (where I grew up). This journey was really profound for me, retracing an ancestral songline, whilst also beginning a deeper journey into my own self and my place in the human and non-human communities in my home island.
OSR: What do you hope people take from way back home?
Joshu: I hope it expresses something that they’re also feeling, but can’t quite put into words. I hope it helps them move through something difficult. I hope it can be a new friend who you feel like you’ve known your whole life.
OSR: What do you take from your EP? What sort of significance does it have for you?
Joshu: For me, the whole process of writing and producing way back home was an introspective journey back to myself. I’ve struggled most of my life with shame around my identity and self-worth. This record has helped me to begin moving through that.
OSR: If you had to introduce a new listener to your music, which track would you recommend and why?
Joshu: Probably way back home to be honest. It really explores a lot of the questions I’m interested in at the moment: “What is home?” “How do we find belonging in a lonely world?” And it’s also sonically very Joshu.
OSR: Describe your music in a single sentence.
Joshu: Nostalgic indie folk from the Caribbean.
OSR: What advice do you have for new musicians?
Joshu: Practice. Play all the me. Write all the time. Also, treat marketing and sharing your music as part of the art, otherwise, it will always be a horrible thing to do.
OSR: This is an entirely non-music question, but I’m curious to know (and I love mushrooms). I read you cultivate mushrooms and have a mushroom farm. What inspired you to choose that path and what sort of mushrooms are you growing?
Joshu: It was a COVID project that I started with a friend which blossomed into a fully edged business! We started off with a little tent in a spare room 3 years ago, and now we are growing 80lbs of mushrooms every week in two refurbished 40ft containers. Mushrooms are some of the greatest teachers I’ve had and I’ve always been fascinated by the way they grow and their quiet mysteries. How mycelium continuously becomes and expands and morphs into its surrounding environment. We grow Pink Oysters, Italian Oysters, and Lion’s Mane at the moment 🙂
OSR: What can we expect from Joshu in the future?
Joshu: The music video for way back home will be out in the next couple of months, and I will be releasing singles consistently throughout 2025.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Joshu: If you’re struggling with anything at the moment, just know you’re not alone. Life is difficult (and is actually getting harder) but we get to do it together.
Many thanks to Joshu for speaking with us. Find out more about Joshu on his official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
Listen to more indie-folk music on The Other Side Reviews Indie Folk playlist:
