July 13 2024 | Written By Anna Konovalenko

After a sometime break Joshua J finally released his single ‘Left of Me’, which serves as ‘a tale of self-discovery and soul searching’.

Joshua J is not a beginner artist but on the contrary. In fact, he has already conquered the hearts of many. He grew in popularity in 2019 after releasing his first album "1998", which served as a tribute to his mother and was also a kickstart to his music career. Travelling all over the world he performed live in venues with Anderson.Paak, Saba, and Col3trane.

As he blossoms in his musical career Joshua J releases ‘Left of Me’ where he explores his identity diving into the past of his family, revisiting his roots back to Ghana. Joshua J embarks on a journey of exploration through his Caribbean and African-infused bloodline retracing his steps back to the Ghanaian music community. Alongside there’s a catch of something more where in between the lines. The fans can hear a reverse back to the culture he’s been surrounded by in Amsterdam. This blend of music as well as cultures provoke a genuine feeling inside the listener.

Joshua's sense of identity was always in flux. Having moved through the Dutch foster care system and living with his mother, who has battled substance abuse her entire life, he rarely got the chance to interpret his feelings. Now he seems to be finally focusing on investigating the roots of his identity and evidently enjoying it.

Compared to Joshua J's earlier work – the songs like ‘No Reply’, ‘Laika’ and ‘Lock My Door’, the single ‘Left Of Me’ seems to be the exploration. Right now, he sounds more fragile as though while it’s still music, it’s also something entirely new and out of his character. When in his earlier songs Joshua feels calmer and more confident, this new single is edgy and evidently a huge step out of his comfort zone. However, there is a showing feeling of tranquility which, as one might guess, comes from finally pursuing the desired path. 

Joshua J shares: "Growing up, I spent a significant part of my childhood searching for the missing pieces of my identity. 'Left Of Me' takes me back to those moments of uncertainty, when I didn't quite know what was left of me. This song is a journey of rediscovery, of piecing myself back together after losing sight of who I truly was."

Despite the bitter song name, the lyrics do not embark on any negative feelings, on the contrary, the song has an optimistic connotation. While his earlier releases centred on hip-hop and R&B, Joshua J's new sound marks a deliberate transition to a wider spectrum of sounds. He allows himself to engage with different music combining different genres and styles and creating a rich, dynamic and diverse sound. The visualizer for the song is Joshua himself and the landscapes of nature and people in Ghana. Watching the video gives a sense of peace, making the artist’s role in the picture feels right. The sense of him being vulnerable in the surroundings proves that there’s something more to it, like a personal side, rather than only a music career.

One can suggest that soul searching will lead Joshua to release more songs in this genre, in fact, he has already released another single‘Blessings’. All the songs are available on streaming platforms, though recommending to listen to them while watching the visualizer you can find on YouTube.

Check out Left Of Me on Spotify here.

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