Get To Know... Joesef • Neu • DIY Magazine

Hello and welcome to DIY’s introducing feature, Get To Know… getting you a little bit closer to the buzziest new acts that have been catching our eye as of late, and working out what makes them tick.

Recently we’ve met indie songwriter Taylor Janzen, genre-blending NYC collective MICHELLE, Leeds-based punk trio Thee MVPs, Spanish garage-pop quartet Melenas, and now we’re introducing you to Scotland’s Joesef.

Already harvesting quite the buzz, the Glasgow-based musician was tipped for greatness by the BBC, scoring a coveted Sound of 2020 nomination, and winning hearts with his “sad boy” songwriting, releasing his latest EP ‘Play Me Something Nice’ last year.

Unveiling the video for his latest slice of indie pop goodness ‘The Sun Is Up Forever’, he says of the track, “I wrote this song after talking to my mum about how relationships affect you in every corner of your life, right down to the way you carry yourself. My dad was a bit of a bastard to her and us, and she said it’s something that never really leaves her, but after 20 years she’s learned to let go of the grief a little. It’s from her perspective, and mine. It’s about leaving a dark part of your life behind you. This tune is for her.”

We caught up with him to get to know him a lil’ better.

Describe your music to us in the form of a tinder bio.
Your place or mine?

What’s your earliest musical memory?
My mum used to play The Mamas and The Papas all the time and I can defo remember being a pure young baby and hearing ‘Dream A Little Dream Of Me’, probably while I was eating a crayon or something.

Who were some artists that inspired you when you were just starting out (and why)?
I’ve always loved Tyler the Creator, he just does whatever the fuck he wants and I respect that massively, but to be honest I wasn’t really inspired by anybody, I was just fucking about until something sounded good.

You’re from Scotland! What do you think of the music scene there at the moment?
There’s a lot of amazing jazz musicians in Glasgow, especially Corto Alto started by Liam Shorthall, just pure solid musicians, and they release live videos and the visuals are so good.

Are there any other artists breaking through at the same time that you take inspiration from?
I really love Arlo Parks, she’s an amazing writer and her voice makes me stop what I’m doing kind of thing, we’ve spoke a few times as well she’s really cool.

Who would be your dream collaborator?
I’d love to work with Tyler, or Kendrick Lamar. Fuck knows what I’d do if I met them but I’d probably collapse.

Musically or otherwise, what are you most looking forward to this year?
Looking forward to being able to hug my mates and hopefully get a lot of shagging done.

If people could take away one thing from your music, what would it be?
Hopefully they can take a wee break from the madness going on at the moment, or any chaos within their life, music always seems to take me away for a bit so I hope I can do that for some people that would be cool.

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