Already releasing two blistering singles from Permanent Damage, including the Fleetwood Mac inspired “Joe”, which questions the universal feeling of never perceiving yourself to be good enough, and dancefloor favourite “It’s Been A Little Heavy Lately”, both songs introduce the tone for an album that captures the anxiety and heartache of confrontation with a new-self, from a queer kid who grew up in a city of bullshit-free, grasp-the-thistle honesty at all the times spirit. The magnetic power of “Joe” live has already set audiences alight in the summer, seeing fans with “their arms in the air holding each other singing the chorus” at his stunning intimate live shows at London’s iconic 100 Club and King Tuts in Glasgow to celebrate Permanent Damage. Now Joesef is gearing up for his biggest ever UK and European tour to date in March and April 2023, with a headline show at the Roundhouse on 19th March.
Known for his cinematic visuals, drawing inspiration from films such as Trainspotting, Kids and Beats, Joesef has worked with longtime collaborator Luis Hindman on the official video for “Just Come Home With Me Tonight”, “Joe,” and “East End Coast”, which was evocative of the scenes and the queer community captured in Jeremy Artherton Lin’s “Gay Bar” and Wolfgang Tillman photography, and praised by Attitude Magazine as a “celebration of queer intimacy”. Understanding he was queer from an early age, but “the kids made fun of my trainers more than my sexuality,” Joesef was raised in his tight-knit community of East End Glasgow to celebrate his identity and understand it.
Moving to London last year, the only place that felt like home was the studio with Ivor Novello Award Winning producer Barney Lister (Obongjayar, Joy Crookes, Celeste), who has co-produced with Joesef debut album Permanent Damage. During an intense period of creation and hedonism in the uncharted city, Joesef developed his craft, confiding in Yorkshireman 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. Having supported Mercury nominated Arlo Parks at 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, but not before his “f***ing mad” moment at the iconic Barrowland Ballroom, having blizzarded the city with flyers a few years before for his first pub gig at King Tuts.
WATCH “IT’S BEEN A LITTLE HEAVY LATELY”
It was only nine months after pulling pints that Joesef was 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 26-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 centred 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’s exploration of the 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 candour as he enters his new phase, Joesef says: “When I hear people singing and I don’t buy it, it doesn’t move me. That’s your job as a musician: to move people, and give them music they can make their own and attach their own feelings to. That’s why and how I love music. A song can make my day, or ruin it. I love that."
UK and European Tour Dates
- Fri 10 Mar 2023 - Belfast- The Empire Music Hall
- Sat 11 Mar 2023 - Dublin- Whelan's
- Mon 13 Mar 2023 - Liverpool - O2 Academy Liverpool
- Tue 14 Mar 2023 - Bristol - The Trinity Centre
- Wed 15 Mar 2023 - Manchester - Academy 2 Manchester
- Fri 17 Mar 2023 - Leeds - Leeds University Stylus
- Sat 18 Mar 2023 - Birmingham - O2 Academy Birmingham
- Sun 19 Mar 2023 - London - The Roundhouse
- Thu 23 Mar 2023 - Edinburgh - Queens Hall
- Fri 24 Mar 2023 - Glasgow - Barrowland Ballroom
- Wed 12 Apr 2023 - Paris - Le Trabendo
- Thu 13 Apr 2023 - Netherlands - Paradiso Noord
- Fri 14 Apr 2023 - Brussels - Botanique
- Sun 16 Apr 2023 - Hamburg - Kent Club
- Tue 18 Apr 2023 - Berlin - Lido
- Wed 19 Apr 2023 - Munich - Strom
- Fri 21 Apr 2023 - Switzerland - Exil Club
- Sun 23 Apr 2023 - Cologne - Luxor
- Tue 25 Apr 2023 - Barcelona - Sala Upload
- Wed 26 Apr 2023 - Madrid - Sala El Sol
Permanent Damage is released on AWAL on 13th January 2023