Check Out Josh Stephens’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Stephens

Hi Josh, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
While I got started writing and performing music in high school, it wasn’t until college that I really started coming into my own style and confidence as an artist. I left Florida after high school to attend Belmont University in Nashville because I was drawn to their music and songwriting program. I loved Nashville, but always felt that it wasn’t quite the right place for me since I write Pop/R&B music, and it’s mostly country music there. After graduation, I struggled for about a year trying to figure out what to do. At the end of 2021 I was put into contact with an amazing music producer, Tom Kahre. I flew out to meet him, and 3 weeks later I left everything I knew and moved to Los Angeles. It was terrifying. I didn’t really know anyone. From feeling alone, vocal issues, and simply trying to make connections, my first year out here was pretty rough at times. Even though now I have truly grown to love the city, learning to navigate LA is overwhelming. I finally am starting to feel a bit more at home in the city. My EP is on track to be released soon, and I could not be more excited to finally share it. I am very optimistic for what the future holds. I feel I am just getting started, and that is exciting.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have definitely been obstacles along the way. When I first moved to LA, I did not really know anyone other than the producer I came out here to work with. And I didn’t really know him! I dealt with pretty severe vocal issues my first couple years in LA which made recording very difficult at times. I also felt very lonely at times being so far away from my friends and family, which made me not very motivated to write new music. I started to eventually try to use those experiences as fuel to write, which helped. Having to learn to navigate LA can also be overwhelming. After nearly 3 years, I am just now starting to feel I understand the city a little bit, which is nice.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I write and perform Pop/R&B music. It’s the genre that I have found I get the most joy from and feel my voice is best suited for. I love pop music for it’s fun dance style club beats, and love the soul aspect that R&B brings to music, so I like to try and mix the two together. I definitely pull from my experiences in my writing. I am learning to try and be completely honest when I write. Especially if it’s a more sad or negative vibe, sometimes I get concerned that someone might know that the song is about them. I try to remind myself that it is ok to write about my own experiences, as long as I am being respectful as I do it. I feel that that the songs on my upcoming EP are at least somewhat different from what is out right now, which I like. Some of them to me have more of a 2010’s feel to them, which makes sense considering that is the style of music I grew up listening to mostly.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I have found that when I am regularly practicing some form of meditation, it is reflected in my music as well as in everyday life. I am much happier and far less stressed! My father started teaching me meditation when I was in high school to help counter balance my OCD that I was really having issues with. OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) try’s to tell you that you must worry and stress about everything and to identify with your thoughts, where as mediation allows you to create space between you and your thoughts. When this happens, you don’t worry about them as much since you are not giving them power over you. I highly recommend!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshstephensmusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCktVzIjYKlqywm0UYfG72FQ
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0heitvZ8gYGtVTvld6xs5l?si=urOZFzY3QG2MX42zLISWYw
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@joshstephens_music?lang=en

Image Credits
Rachel Berkowitz
&
Greg Berman