Pop Legend In The Making: Josh Levi Speaks On His Creative Journey

It’s Saturday Night in the City of Angels, January 25th, Grammy weekend. I check in with my long time friend turned brother Cooper Wilson (Founder of “Love Quotient” - a full-service management, record label and entertainment company, Highlq.com) through text, as I know he was on tour with another 1 of his artist. 

Me: What time is the show tonight?

Cooper: 8:00pm

Me: You gonna be there?

Cooper: Yessir, Omw to the venue now. Come early.

That was all I needed to hear. His newest Artist Josh Levi is set to perform at the Mint Theatre. I’ve heard a lot about Josh and had been playing his un-released tracks religiously.

The word around town was you have to see him live! So this was my opportunity. I pull up to the venue, Im early which is unusual for me.

I meet up with Cooper backstage of the venue, he’s in his normal pace, walking back and forth while on a phone call. I’m a die hard Laker fan and tonight the Lake Show was playing the Philadelphia Seventy Sixers in Phili.

A spacial night because Lebron was set to pass the “Black Mamba” aka Kobe Bryant’s home town and become 3rd on the all time scoring list. Coop introduced me to Josh and his beautiful mother in the backstage.

Josh is in the zone, and I head back to streaming the Lakers game on my iPhone up until the last few minutes before Josh hits the stage. I witness greatness in many forms Lebron passing Kobe on the all time scoring list and Josh preparing for his show. Little did I know, about 13 hours later Kobe would teleport into the next realm.

I saw something in Josh’s pre-show and during the show, that’s something we call “Mamba Mentality” I’ll never forget those moments. I received the opportunity to interview Josh recently and a lot more has happened sense that night. Ok, Im done lets here from Josh now!

RW: Being from Houston who were some of your influences growing up and how did you begin to generate a fanbase?

JL: Destiny’s Child and Michael Jackson were huge influences because every where I went I would always see posters of them or any studio I recorded in—their faces were somewhere. I tried my best in Houston by performing at every local event I could and I got super involved in the community.

Any time there was a “young performers showcase” or “Houston’s up next” or any charity, I would find a way to be apart of it. 

RW: You released a single  “If the World” with a video that struck a cord for who “Josh Levi” is evolving into as an Artist. How did that song and video come about?

 JL: The idea for “If The World” came to me the day after we lost Kobe. 

I felt like my world was burning and I was so uninspired but still wanted to express myself because that’s the only way I know how to process my emotions most times. As the world continued to feel chaotic, I finished the song in the heat of covid/quarantine and decided to put it out. 

The video came from wanting to be the visual artist I am but being stuck in my room haha. My sister was quarantining with me in LA and we came up with the creative together of showing what quarantine would look like in a different decade. 

RW: How were you able to gain the likes and co-signs of Billie Eilish and Justin Bieber?

JL: God, I guess. With Billie we became friends really fast and fans of each other and Justin actually same. Both were special and unplanned. 

RW: Corvette, Porsche or Tesla? 

JL: Tesla, always go with the future. 

RW: In the current state of events how have you been coping with being a black artist in the music industry, what are some challenges you have faced and have you been able to overcome them?

JL: So cool to be asked this.

Um, I always find it frustrating how black artists have to work 10x times harder to even be halfway in the conversation--especially when we see our white counterparts do the same thing and are able to get so much recognition and support.

Black artists rarely get the platform to expose how much impact or innovation we actually have. This is something that's not new but something I'll never get use to or enjoy.

A big part of my mission as an artist is to help destroy that as much as I can.

RW: Your style (fashion) is next level! How would you describe it?  

JL: Thank you so much. my style is made up of a bunch of oxymorons haha: simple, rockstar--vintage, futuristic-emo, cool tones. 

RW: You have two songs that you can play for the rest of your life, one being your own and the other form an artist you love?

JL: Two songs only? that's impossible. If I was forced I would choose If The World by me and On The Run Part II - Jay Z and Beyonce (and One in a Million by Aaliyah for bonus round) 

RW: Can you describe your sound in one word?

JL: I'm gonna go with what I've heard the most which is anomaly. That word is a huge compliment because I've never wanted to just be one thing and anomaly sort of encompasses a collection of things that don't necessarily follow any rules. 

RW: Take us into the process of creating your Ep “Disc One” what was the inspiration behind it? Is this a prelude into a sequel? 

JL: Disc One represents the beginning of me--so it feels like it will always be classic to me. When making this EP I actually didn't even know it was an EP.

All I did was spend a year making music with no intent other than to finally have music that looked like my heart and soul and I looked up and found an entire body of work that had my name in bold letters all over it. The name didn't even come to me until a month before I put it out, meanwhile the songs I had been living with for a minute.

I stayed up really late nights to finish this EP and remember driving home from the studio at like 1 or 2 am because I didn't want to leave the session without the finished mixed song (ad libs, harmonies, lead vocals, production, etc.).

Driving home blasting the song I made in that day made all those hours and my voice hurting/tired worth it. Disc Two is coming sooner than I realized :) 

RW: What instruments do you play?  

JL: Piano!! and a little acoustic guitar but i don't really claim that haha.

RW: Your bags are packed and you can travel to one country: where would it be and why?  

JL: Egypt or anywhere in Africa. Prince of Egypt is my favorite movie and has always been the top of my list of places to travel. I'm also very spiritual and can see spending time there as a dope experience to connect with God in a deeper way.

RW: Are there any artist you’re looking to  collaborate with? Where can the world get the Ep “Disc One”? And is there anything you would like to leave us with? 

JL: Beyonce for sure, Rih, Normani, would love to create something special with Billie or Justin! Disc One is out on all platforms "Don't They" music video on youtube and Disc Two is soon to follow xx 

RW: Thank you for taking the time out to chat with us, we’re looking forward to continuing to experience your journey as fans.