A Soul Stripped Bare – Joesef

Heartfelt lyrics, honey-soaked vocals and luxurious, spinetingling alt-pop are the order of the day for Joesef. Here, the stand-out Glaswegian singer-songwriter talks hurting, healing and his instinctive ability to smell bullshit from three towns over

- By Lee Dalloway

It's fair to say it's been a mind-blowing few years for one supremely talented musician from the east end of Glasgow. From bartending 40 hours a week to having the likes of Elton John gush over his vocals, Joesef's blend of modern soul and unflinchingly honest lyrics have not only garnered acclaim but transformed his life.

"Where I was growing up, it wasn't really in the stars for me says Joesef humbly. "This world is so far removed from my reality. I grew up in quite a deprived area, and everyone in the music industry knows somebody or can afford to get in somehow. I went to music college for a year, but nothing really happened until I went to an open-mic night to support my mate and about nine pints deep, I thought, 'Fuck it, I'm going to sing.' The guy who I was with eventually said he wanted to be my manager. He saw something in me that I didn't see myself, that I must have had a bit of talent."

This acknowledgement led to Joesef taking music a little more seriously. Connecting his guitar to a laptop, he recorded some demos and posted them on social media and dropped flyers around town ahead of his first real gig. He soon caught the attention of the BBC's Ones to Watch as he released two EPs of acoustic, lo-fi loveliness: Play Me Something Nice (2019) and Does It Make You Feel Good? (2020).