The new single is now available on all streaming platforms.
Scottish soul artist Joesef releases new single "East End Coast", about the unconditional love he feels from his hometown of Glasgow, and the universal feeling of seeking safety in familiar places and people. Moving to London last year, the only place that felt like home was the studio with Ivor Novello Award Winning producer Barney Lister.
During an intense period of creation and hedonism in the uncharted city, Joesef developed his craft from bedroom pop to a master and co-producer of new soul entrenched in new heartbreak, confiding in Barney, which felt like "therapy everyday".
Containing the motifs we have come to love the BBC Sound of 2020 star for: Seeking pain and pleasure in heartbreak, addiction to the afterglow of a relationship, and throwing his heart into the "fire" again and again, on "East End Coast," we are immersed in the delicacy of his songwriting, following the dance-floor late night anthem "It's Been A Little Heavy Lately" and the brooding "Fire".
Having supported Mercury Prize-nominated Arlo Parks at London's Shepherds Bush earlier this year, only to headline the same venue a month later, Joesef has bewitched audiences across the country and played his most raucous homecoming show at the 2500 capacity Glasgow's O2 Academy in May.
From pulling pints to being catapulted into the public arena in 2019 with his immaculate, critically acclaimed debut EP Play Me Something Nice, whilst being lauded by Sam Smith to Mark Ronson for his "sad boy bangers", the 25-year-old has a talent for capturing soul and the nerve of a song.
His new music shows the astounding development of a self-taught artist, exploring new realms with production, but always centered on the vast emotional weight of his lyricism, self described as "pure working class torch songs"'.
Not coming from a musical family, but owing his musical references to his mum's kitchen radio, with Al Green, The Cure, and The Mamas and the Papas playing all day in the background, Joesef grew up surrounded by the community in the East End of Glasgow, where everyone knew everyone's business.
Understanding he was queer from an early age, but "the kids made fun of my trainers more than my sexuality," he was raised to celebrate his identity and understand it. Parallels have been drawn between author Douglas Stuart's experience as a queer man growing up in Glasgow, documented in his Booker Prize winning novel "Shuggie Bain".
This exploration of Joesef's past is apparent in his deeply personal songwriting, having released his critically acclaimed second EP Does it Make You Feel Good? in 2020, which featured the lauded single 'I Wonder Why' with Loyal Carner. Garnering over 30 Million global streams, Joesef released a cover of Sister Sledge's iconic 'I'm Thinking Of You,' showing the breadth of his soul, and stylistic influence of Northern Soul ballrooms.
Writing with such full-force candor as he enters his new phase: "My motto" says Joesef, is "What else am I going to do?
Listen to the new single here:
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