After establishing himself with a string of impactful offerings throughout the past year, Ontario-based artist Joshua Sheppard looks to continue his positive once again as he delivers the sweeping new single 'Rolling Thunder'.
Capturing more of that bright and enjoyable pop aesthetic he is quickly earning a reputation for, 'Rolling Thunder' makes for a wonderfully rich and tantalising listen. With his sweet and tender vocals layered across a buoyant production from start to finish, he is certainly one to keep a firm eye on for the months ahead as well.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Piano was the instrument that kicked off my music journey at the age of 5. In some ways piano can definitely be a struggle sometimes, but it’s also straightforward and fairly simple to grasp. I stuck with piano for the longest time because other instruments like guitar just didn’t make sense to me as a kid, and I couldn’t see what I was doing with my hands so well.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
My whole life I’ve enjoyed quite a variety of music. When I was really young what I listened to was largely what my dad would play around the house, that ranged from old country to traditional folk music. Once I started branching out I guess I mostly took in what was big around me, at the time it was all those big early 2000’s pop radio hits. Still to this day I love that era of music.
What was the first album you remember owning?
I think the first album I ever bought myself was Ed Sheeran's “X” (Multiply) album. I really fell in love with Sheeran’s music after he was featured on the soundtrack for The Hobbit.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
That’s a hard one, as an artist it’s like everytime I hear a really good song that lines up with my own style, I’m like “damn I wish that was my song!” But one that comes to mind is “It’s Called: Freefall” by Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Just a tune I relate to on many levels, and feels like it could be thrown in with a lot of my unreleased tracks.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I definitely have an unorthodox “method” one could say when it comes to writing… no one song has ever really been written the same way, but typically I start off with one phrase, line, or idea. That could become the title of the song, or just become the theme or main message. After that the songs come together quite quickly. I guess the one thing that’s constant is all my songs are usually written in the early morning hours when everything around me is calm and quiet.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I’m definitely guilty of sticking to what I like, so I don’t often expand what I listen to, but some artists/bands I enjoy are M83, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, Coldplay, Owl City and Jukebox The Ghost.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Again, these types of questions are hard, but I’d have to say M83. While I don’t exactly fit into the showcase genre myself, I have written a lot of songs that tread on similar topics and vibes to M83’s work. I was in attendance for his show earlier this year in Toronto, and it was such a blast, I would love to be a part of that.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The money. Nah I’m just kidding, the most rewarding thing is probably the few moments when people leave comments online or come up to me after a gig and just tell me how one of my songs makes them feel, I’ve had some people say some really touching things, and talk about how I’ve inspired them, that’s the most rewarding thing.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The most frustrating part is definitely the whole ordeal of getting music out there and the expenses that come with it. Being a smaller artist everything has to fit into a budget, unfortunately this clashes with the creative element. In a perfect world I could have a new song out every week, however studio time and production all cost money and take lots of time, so that kind of controls my release schedule at the moment.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
The best thing I’ve heard it’s just staying true to yourself. More than ever before I think many artists lose sight of that. In our world of social media and societal expectations, people sellout who they are for gimmicks and follower counts. It may take a little longer, or require more dedication, but if you can be loved for who you are, and not just some persona hopping on all the internet trends, I think that is far more fulfilling.
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Joshua Sheppard's new single 'Rolling Thunder' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.