Vancouver, BC-based pop artist, Josephine has unveiled her debut single, “LaLa”, a satirical pop stab at modern music and the culture surrounding it.
The phrase “LaLa,” is Josephine’s way of categorizing the need for a woman, especially a pop star, to fit in a specific aesthetic within society.
“I was struggling with authenticity and fitting into the molds that have been presented to me in my life,” Josephine says. “We all go through that feeling especially with the social media world that we all live in these days. There is so much ‘content’ coming at us at all times, it’s hard to decipher it all and stay true to you, or at least feel that you are being true to yourself.”
The first verse takes you on a trip, with the muted synth line, bass, and Josephine’s quick nod to mental health with the first line “I may not have superpowers / but I can lose my mind at any hour.”
“I want to bring a smile to people’s faces who might be feeling that anxiety or stress, dance it off, and know other people out there are misfits too. I want to bring people confidence in the confusion.”
Josephine is set to release her debut EP, Permanent Ink later this year. Josephine worked with multi-award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and one of the most sought-after guitarists in the entertainment industry, Ryan Stead on the release. Like “LaLa”, the EP will deal with the feelings of mental health, authenticity, and heartbreak.
“Permanent Ink is my growth as an artist and learning to be confident in my own chaos,” Josephine says.
Check out the video for “LaLa” below, and find out more about Josephine via our Five Questions With segment.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello! I am Josephine! I am outgoing, outspoken, & always trying to live life authentically & open-hearted. I am a new recording artist, Lala is my debut single! I am beyond excited to be releasing my own music! It is honestly a dream come true.
I have been a professional singer, songwriter, & performer in Vancouver Canada for the past 5 years, but I have been singing and writing my whole life!
I am the lead vocalist at the Famous Roxy Cabaret nightclub in downtown Vancouver. Singing and performing is my passion, it’s everything, it’s who I am. I’m lucky enough to have a job where I get to perform 4 times a week to a phenomenal crowd of people. There is absolutely nothing better than connecting with a group of people through live music. Now that I have finally started releasing my own music, I can’t wait to share and connect with other people and artists.
Tell us a bit about your music and writing style.
My music like so many other songwriters comes from different life & emotional experiences. I try to stay authentic and really true to myself when writing, which can be really tough because songwriting is such a vulnerable thing to do, but if you don’t feel the feels when you’re writing a tune, how do you expect your listeners to feel it! The best stuff comes from your most honest space. I also love collaborating with other writers & artists. I think some of the best stuff comes from collaborations, 2 heads are better than 1, especially when you find another writer you just click with, magic can happen! My style of music is pop-pop/rock. This EP definitely pulls from my love of live performance and my influences in rock music. I wanted to be able to perform this ep well, give the audience a real show!
What have you been doing to keep yourself creative during the pandemic?
The Pandemic was definitely a difficult time for musicians & artists. I have missed performing & live shows with the fiber of my being. Performing is a huge creative & emotional release for me! The silver lining is that I actually had the time to finish my EP! So to answer your question, to stay creative during the pandemic I wrote and recorded my whole EP w/ my partner and award-winning guitar player and songwriter Ryan Stead. We always joke that this EP is the product of us being stuck in our little Vancouver apartment together. Honestly writing and creating music together & separately kept us sane during the pandemic. It was an awesome creative & mental outlet. While the pandemic was a challenging time in so many ways, I am so thankful for the time I had to be creative & make this EP! I have grown so much as a singer/songwriter during this time, I can’t wait to share what we have created & for what the future holds.
If you were asked to suggest only one of your songs for someone to hear, which would it be?
Well, that’s like asking which one of your children you love most! That’s too hard!!! I love all my children, each song has such a different special meaning and emotion behind it. They all came from such different emotional places, I am proud of each song in its own way. Listen to the whole EP! Hope you like it as much as I do!
Canadian Beats is all about Canadian music, so who are your current favourite Canadian bands/ artists?
I am all about artists supporting artists! A few Canadian artists I have been enjoying lately are Avril Lavigne, Jessia, The Command Sisters, The Weekend, Mother Mother, & so many others! Canada is full of great talent!! My music tastes are all over the place. I love everything!!