From Mumbai, India, the Singer/Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist, and Producer Joshua Singh takes listeners on a conceptual journey through an artist's mind with his two pieces "Voices" and "People."
While performing as drummer and co-producer of the acclaimed independent band Spud in the Box, Joshua Singh was able to grow his own talent while touring with the band at notable venues across India. Through the success of his latest original releases and music videos, Joshua Singh is quickly making a name for himself across international audiences.
His latest tracks, "Voices" and "People," play the part of a two-track EP that lyrically depicts the many perspectives within the ceaseless city of Bombay. Joshua Singh stated that the songs surround a million views that gather in an artist's mind while pushing the theme of self-belief. With features from NIKITAA, Illa Straight, Rajeev Prasanna, and Aditiya Singh, the pieces perfectly portray a unique viewpoint.
With Joshua Singh's song "Voices," the piece opens with jazzy piano melodies and a muffled R&B beat. As the beat drops with this blazing sense of warmth through unique synth arrangement and mid-tempo drum patterns, listeners are instantly transported into sonic peace. While the stylings of NIKITAA and Joshua Singh serenade us surrounding broken relationships and moving forward, we reach the hook where they offer incredible rhythm through their vocal delivery.
Through the next piece, "People," we hear the same song as before, yet with a twist. As the song opens with Rajeev Prasanna's heavenly flute stylings, we feel their culture push through the sonics of this piece heavily. While NIKITAA and Joshua Singh go on to sing us their wise words of moving on, we hear Illa Straight's bars shine through as he delivers words surrounding lost love and recognizing the time to leave. This track offers more of a modern flair, especially through the vibrant and bouncy R&B production.
We can't get enough of the rhythm and groove that Joshua Singh has offered with his songs "Voices" and "People," as he and the talented likes of the featured artists allow listeners to escape their present-day cycles and lie among the sonic ambiance that's delivered.
Hello Joshua, welcome to BuzzMusic. Through both of your songs "Voices," and "People," what sort of conceptual message did you initially want to tie into both tracks?
Honestly, this is a different direction from my usual sound. Over my last few releases, I've had so many voices//people fill my ears and mind with preferences, rather personal to them. This along with the rush of existing in Mumbai brought together this sound, tone, imagery, and these lyrics. It's an amalgamation of Experience and talent. I just happened to have the opportunity to weave these amazing artist's expressions together. The message is more me shining a light upon the amount expected from artists today.
Speaking on the sonics within "Voices," you offer a rather organic tone through your instrumentation. How did you craft the instrumentals on this piece to be more natural and pure?
Sonically, I tend to naturally gravitate towards organics tones. Voices in particular started up as an attempt to create a ‘beat’ rather than a song, which is what I'm usually doing when I sit to write. Also, I was in a place where I wanted my live set to have a large song that could be played loud and really push the musicians to feel through their parts. I guess that thought set the tone for the entire song.
Within the production on "People," there's more of a modern approach through the warm R&B beat. Why did you want to make the song's sonically different yet lyrically the same?
So essentially, "Voices" was the base onto which I experienced Illa, Nikitaa, and Rajeev expressing themselves, and "People" on the other hand was me as a producer feeding their vibe. I personally enjoyed that and find it closer to something I would have created personally. "Voices" is so fascinating because none of us create music like that but this combination brought that sound out!
Could you take us through your collaboration with NIKITAA, Illa Straight, Rajeev Prasanna, and Aditiya Singh? How did these creators help bring your vision to life for your songs "Voices" and "People?”
Each one of them is a musician whose work I respect. I started off exploring this sound for Voices, by letting it be constrained by its purpose but by not questioning each of the artist’s parts on it. It was fairly insightful and mostly me keeping a really open mind. I usually am really particular about what feels best right then and there but I allowed that comfort to come with more than my ideas alone. I mean If I didn't, I'd just be writing a song by myself, which is great but I would never learn or reach here.
What has been keeping you inspired while creating music this year?
This year, to say the least, has been sporadic and unfamiliar? But, I found it extremely refreshing. The lockdown was a world I never expected to see. I tend to need to travel or experience new people as monotony often settles in but this was that same life with a different storyline. Same characters, same place but was another realm or outlook to where we are and what home was. The more questions in my head and there are more words to answer them. More music to color the experience and more thought to help ground me in my endeavors. I happened to think a lot during that time. That's what kept my mind running. My music is only a reflection of my thoughts.
