A Quick Chat with Oshua
Hi Oshua! Great to be chatting with you. Tell us a bit about yourself.
My real name is Josh (wow), I’m an artist from Perth/Boorloo, I started making music online with people that I met from all around the world. More notably I’m ascendent on Valorant and I’m currently rolling out my debut EP “Everything Can Levitate” which focuses on grounding my music and sound in the concept of not being grounded at all - of levitating.
How did you develop your sound, and who are some of your biggest musical influences?
To be honest I didn’t have any musical experience when I started so I just recorded on whatever instrumental/beat I was sent on the day from people online, I found my sound from recording everyday and figuring out what hit home for me - I often asked for the strangest instrumental to record on as a challenge, I think that helped me grow a lot quicker versus just recording on what I sounded “good” on. My biggest influences at the moment have to be Alicia Keys, Young Thug, Skaiwater and Lime Cordiale, it's always hard narrowing it down to just a few people but this is who is currently in heavy rotation for me
You’ve received cosigns from some huge names like Young Thug and Denzel Curry, how did this feel?
I think it's human to seek validation, being co-signed by Thugger and Denzel was crazy to me, these are artists that I grew up listening to and still listen to heavily. Both times I was just in the moment, it's something you would tell your kids you know? Shoutout to Fwaygo and @iamcasshan for showing love and playing them my music.
How has your globe-trotting past influenced your music?
So I was born in Canada and raised in South Africa (Eastern Cape) before migrating here, I think getting to experience all the different types of music has let me appreciate all types of genres and cultures - there is genuinely something to learn from every person that releases music/art.
Moving around a lot forced me to make friends online through gaming, whatever I was listening to was a product of what was popular on the internet, for example, I used to be heavily into dubstep and bands like Linkin Park because of all the anime/Call of Duty montages before I discovered Hip-Hop for the first time.
Can you tell us about your latest single? What inspired it, and what can listeners expect from it?
“Samurais n Shoguns” explores the idea of cutting through the noise and making whatever music you want to make with the highest of hopes. I’m a huge advocate for artists releasing “their'' music.
The song is a global collaboration with my close friend and upcoming producer HARZ (U.S), on the other side of the production is Parker Jazz, Parker is someone who I’ve been wanting to work with ever since I first heard Sainte’s music (my favorite U.K artist at the moment), they are both producers that I look up to and I’m grateful to have them on the release.
Do you have any particular goals or aspirations for your music career, such as collaborating with a particular artist or performing at a certain venue?
I have so many honestly, there are artists I want to work with and learn from, the songs don’t even have to come out I just want the experience. For example, I want to make a chill rap track with Isaiah Rashad and sing on a break beat with Pink Pantheress, long list of people that I want to work with for sure.
More broadly I’d love to make a song for Valorant, most of the people who first gave my music its first listen came from that game, people still message me on there asking when the next drop is - would be a full circle moment.
Venue wise I don’t have a particular place in mind, I do really wanna perform in Tokyo though
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who are just starting out in the industry?
It’s strange to be giving out advice when I still have so much to learn as an artist and with that being said my biggest tip is asking for and being able to take feedback, if you show your music to a close friend versus a complete stranger you will no doubt get two completely different opinions and both are equally as valuable.