Josh Levi’s musical journey traces again to his upbringing in Houston, the place he found his ardour for singing within the church. From these beginnings, he honed his craft and later rose to prominence as a finalist on The X Issue. Josh’s journey displays not simply his vocal presence but in addition his dynamic presence on stage. Lately, he created a viral second along with his tune “Birthday Dance,” showcasing not solely his musical expertise but in addition his means to attach with a world viewers.
In a dialog with EBONY, Josh Levi opens up about his Houston roots, sharing insights into his musical journey from H-City to LA. As Josh continues to make waves within the trade, he supplies a glance into his inventive course of and the anticipation surrounding his debut album.
Because you started singing within the church, did the considered venturing into gospel music ever cross your thoughts?
That may all the time be part of who I’m. That church was the inspiration of my story for me and my relationship with music. I feel that’ll all the time be a part of who I’m. That all the time may be part of the story sooner or later. I really like God. Gospel is what made me fall in love with music, primarily.
How do you are feeling rising up in Houston and later shifting to LA has influenced your music and total inventive fashion? How have these totally different environments formed your inventive perspective?
Houston has such an affect on my music, I do not suppose I noticed it till I grew up and got here into myself extra. I really like percussion a lot. I really like bass a lot. That is one thing that Houston is understood for. Now my method to creating music, these are type of just like the centerpieces of my sound; one of the vital vital elements to my sound and I feel I can blame Houston for that. I am unsure how LA’s had an impression on my sound. I’ve discovered much more about music historical past. After I moved to LA from Houston, it was primarily simply gospel. In the direction of the tail-end earlier than I moved I discovered extra about R&B and Hip-Hop. I discovered the music historical past and a number of the older artists and artists that I really like right now. I bought into them extra once I moved to LA.
Followers wished you to comply with up with a sequel. What was it wish to proceed the Disc One/Two sequence?
I beloved the world that I created with Disc One and Disc Two. Initially, I used to be considering of creating a trilogy as an thought. As an alternative, I used to be simply listening to the followers. I’ve so many songs, I’ve a lot music and I used to be like perhaps I can simply do a deluxe as a result of I nonetheless really feel like I used to be expressing the world of Disc Two. I did not fairly need to transfer on from it. I had data already. I by no means stopped recording. It simply got here right down to what songs match this world and are part of the story. A number of the songs like “Ego”, for instance, I recorded throughout Disc Two, and it did not make the unique reduce so we added it to the deluxe. “Birthday Dance,” I had that for a minute but it surely additionally was type of new. The songs that I added to the deluxe had been indirectly part of the Disc Two period. It was good to increase the chapter and create one other installment of the world that I have been creating for the previous two years.
What impressed you to create “Birthday Dance”?
If I can say so myself as Josh, because the artist, for my part, my music is on the darker facet, edgier, and mysterious. “Birthday Dance,” to me, was one in all my first songs, for my part, [that was] extra happier. I do not know why however for my part, as a result of perhaps you ask another person they usually’ll say “No it is a darkish tune.” Generally I am unable to inform. I felt prefer it may make folks smile and I beloved the concept of the distinction of that. I used to be pushing for it to be part of the mission. The tune is about not having a motive to really feel good, be glad, have time, or dance such as you would on a special day akin to a birthday, an occasion, or a vacation. Taking that very same expertise that individuals have on particular days and giving folks a motive or an excuse to have that feeling at any time of the yr. That is what went into creating that tune and what it is about. It has been stunning seeing folks deliver that to life who usually are not celebrating their birthday, however hear the tune as if it’s a dance tune. This can be a soundtrack for me having time.
If you first observed your tune going viral on TikTok, how did you react and what went by way of your thoughts?
I all the time believed on this tune. I consider in every thing that I put out. In any other case, it would not see the sunshine of day. I’ve a number of religion and I do consider within the issues that I am creating. I am simply affected person with myself. It is exhausting to guage your success in right now’s period of music. It is exhausting to remain assured as a result of every thing is so complicated, every thing is chaotic. There are such a lot of totally different metrics however for me, I all the time simply keep placing myself on the market and placing my music on the market. For “Birthday Dance” particularly, I keep in mind selecting to make use of my sound on a video and I used to be in my head that it was type of silly to place my tune on this video. Despite the fact that it got here out about two months in the past, I nonetheless suppose this tune could make lots of people really feel good. I went forward and used my tune as a sound. Simply seeing it journey in a brief period of time was really wild. I’ve gone viral earlier than. I’ve had moments the place movies of mine or pictures have gone viral however having a tune of mine journey the way in which “Birthday Dance” did, I have never skilled that. I am extraordinarily grateful. That is one thing that I pray for and work exhausting for and simply to see folks all around the globe connecting with one thing I created is the dream. It is the purpose. It makes me glad to see every day totally different folks discovering the tune, discovering me and my entire discography and all of the stuff I’ve simply been placing out. It is a blessing.
Are you able to share the inspiration behind creating your rendition of the Boyz II Males basic “Let It Snow”? What distinctive parts or private touches did you deliver to the tune to make it your personal?
That was one other internal little one second for me. The older I get the extra I am attempting to heal and nurture. Simply pat on the again little Josh and convey him alongside for the journey. “Let It Snow,” by Boyz II Males was really platinum in my family rising up on Christmas. It was my dad’s favourite Christmas tune. It is ingrained in my mind and I really like Christmas myself. I am like Mr. Christmas in my household. I hadn’t put out a Christmas tune regardless that I like it a lot. It was one other real, genuine factor that simply made sense to me. Boyz II Males is my favourite group and I selected that tune to place out. It was exhausting recording it as a result of the harmonies that they do are so loopy and spectacular. I ended up getting many of the notes and the harmonies that they did. I added just a few of my very own. I modified one snare and the kick is slightly bit totally different, however I wished to maintain it near the unique as a result of it is such a basic to me.
Are there particular challenges you’ve got encountered through the inventive journey of creating your debut album? If that’s the case, how do you overcome them?
Sure, I’m engaged on my debut album. I’ve been engaged on it for a while now. I heard somebody say that your first album is the one album that you simply spend your entire life making. I really feel like I have been engaged on my debut album for a very long time. There are literally thousands of challenges. I really feel like I am having the toughest time as a result of I am so formidable. There’s a lot that I need to say, a lot that I need to articulate. I am having a really difficult time … there are highs and lows. There are moments when I’ve the story I need to inform. There are moments the place I do not know something. It is educating me a lot about myself. It is inspiring me as a result of I am difficult myself; simply once I suppose one thing is nice I need to outdo that. Create a physique of labor that reaches folks around the globe connects and modifications folks’s experiences in life and provides folks a soundtrack to their life. That is not a straightforward factor to do, it has been a curler coaster and I am having enjoyable. I really like once I’m creating, I can not wait to share it. I feel I’ve reached a brand new private top for myself. I am excited to share this R&B physique of labor and story that I have been creating and placing a number of time in.
